WE had a terrific response to our recent look-back photo gallery of Brown Muff and Rackhams in Bradford. Many readers got in touch with their memories of working and shopping at the city centre department stores.

Terry Price was a buyer there in the early 1960s. He writes: “It was an affluent period in Bradford, lots of people with money to spend.I travelled to find merchandise suitable for the Harrods of the North. One of my highlights was the Nuremberg Toy Fair, being responsible for toys, Father Christmas and the grotto - enjoyed by parents more than children.

“I also remember buying roses in Holland. I moved on to further my career, it is almost unbelievable that by pure coincidence I returned to Bradford a few years later as Managing Director of Busbys Bradford and Harrogate, although owned by Debenhams it was another year or two before all the stores were renamed Debenhams.”

Alison Flanders also worked at the popular Bradford store, and recalls a famous customer. She writes: “Thank you for the lovely article about Brown Muffs. It brought back many happy memories of my time there from 1966 until 1971 when I left to get married. I worked on the coat department first as a junior. Miss Brennan was the buyer/ manager - a rather scary lady. I then moved to books and magazines. Mr Horne who I knew when I was a little girl in Ilkley was the manager.

“I used to read stories to customers’ children while their parents did their shopping. Management , whose offices were on the same floor, didn’t know. I well remember David Hockney walking through the department one day! Such happy days.”

Robert Bailey recalls: “I worked there for a couple of years after leaving school in 1971. I was in the DIY department (third floor), we weren’t allowed to use the main lifts, except when helping a customer, we had to use the service lift or stairs.

“After a couple of years (you were a junior until 18) I decided shop work wasn’t for me and left to work on the buses, starting as a conductor then driver for 36 years, which I enjoyed every day.”

Jo Ives recalls: “My grandad trapped his little finger in the door at Brown Muff, but it was saved by the ring he wore. It was my grandma’s wedding ring, given by her first husband, my real grandfather, who died when my dad was a little boy. The ring was crushed by the door and Grandad could never take it off again. When he died in 1992, the undertaker couldn’t remove it and had to wait until he was cremated to retrieve it. Dad then had the ring reshaped and he wears it. I’m hoping the lucky ring will come to me eventually.”

Helen Butler writes: “I went every Saturday to the restaurant with my aunty and uncle, it was so lovely with white cloth serviettes, well groomed waitresses. The lift attendant would call out ever floor and open and close the lift doors. They had their own hat boxes, it felt special whatever you bought from there.”

Here are some more of your memories of the Bradford stores:

Louise Hodgson: “My mum managed the lingerie dept at Brown Muffs in the late 60s.”

Margaret Baxter: “I loved to look around the toy department which I think was in the basement. I also remember one of the lift attendants - he had only one arm.

Pauline Hepworth: “I worked at Brown Muff from 1958 to 1960, in toys, sports and prams as a junior. As far as I remember my wage was £2.50 per week. You had to wear a grey skirt and a white blouse, paid for out of £2.50!”

Pat Cartwright: “I worked at Brown Muffs from 1956 to 1960. The perfumery and hosiery dept were beautiful with mahogany and glass counters.”

Susan Camm: “Used to love going in that lift with the metal gate.”

Janet Unsworth-Angel: “I remember buying ‘Charles of the Ritz’ lipstick from there, a beautiful red with tiny flecks of gold. Never seen anything like it since.”

Glenis Holtom: “Bought my first bottle of Estée Lauder Youth Dew there age 15.”

Kath Murray: “Loved the window on the corner when they had wedding dresses in.

Barry Wa: “I was a daily visitor to the perfumery department, and became friends with a few of the store assistants. Then I’d go up to the men’s department and browse the knitwear.”

Gillian Robinson: “Bought my first pair of Levis and Dash Tracksuits at Rackhams!”

Carol Roy: “Worked at Rackhams 1970/71 on the posh jumper counter. All the knitwear was in little compartments, customers had to ask for what they wanted.”

Susan Gelder: “I worked in Glembys salon on Rackhams 3rd floor 1986-1990.”

Jean Glover: “I worked in Brown Muffs office on the top floor from January 1961. Behind the scenes wasn’t as ‘up market’ as the store but I enjoyed it.”

Alice Scanlon: “My auntie had a beautiful fur coat, a label inside said it was made for Ada Sharp by Brown Muffs Bradford.”

Sybil Johnson: “We always had a spray of perfume there on the way to a date.”