Allen Hill, Arthur James Barrett – Undated

My maternal grandad, Arthur James Barrett lived on Cross Street, Guiseley, which ran from opposite “Coopers” wine bar to Park Road. It ran ‘across’.
They lived near the junction with Barrett Street which ran North/South about 70 yards west of Coopers and up to the Methodist Chapel. He was a widower with several children when he married my maternal grandma Martha Ellen Pouncey, nee Summersgill, who had several children herself. She was a widow. Her husband had been born in New York, but who was a British Citizen, had died at age 31. Martha was born at Burnsall in the Dales.

Together they had even more children. Arthur James had tried gold mining in Australia and owned a fish and chip shop in Guiseley.
Cats were not neutered in those days and so there was a surplus of kittens. Many people drowned them but Arthur James could not stand to see that – and so he KEYHOLED them. He tied a noose around their necks, passed the cord through the keyhole and closed the door and then heaved on the cord. That way he didn’t have to see it.
He was a brick burner at the brick kilns at New Scarborough. My paternal grandfather was a “Carter” at the same works.

When my dad was courting my mum, he said he heard Martha shouting – “Arthur ! come and help me – my kids and your kids are fighting our kids !”

Arthur James died on the day my mother and father were due to marry (excitement) and so the wedding was postponed for a week.
The wedding day was Saturday and my Dad’s employer gave him two hours off to get married and return to work.
He resented that capitalism so much he left and joined the Co-op. His employer said that the Co-op was Communism and he would never again work for a private employer if he left – the local businessmen would make sure of that
My dad worked for the co-op for 40 years and voted solid labour. He used to call the conservatives and ask for a car to take him to vote, and then laughed about it. My mother voted Tory and cancelled his vote out.

This photo was taken at the back of cross street and the houses behind them are the back of Otley Road opposite Coopers – where “Mucky Dolly” lived. (Her with the mucky curtains )”

Allen Hill.
2013.