IN late 2020, St George’s Hall was opened as a lateral flow test centre - part of a rapid testing programme rolled out in the Bradford district, to help protect those most at risk from Covid.

Back in January 1962, the historic concert venue was used a smallpox clinic. Pictured here is a large queue, snaking along Hall Ings, of people keen to be vaccinated.

The outbreak of smallpox first came to attention on January 11, 1962, when a cook from the city's children's hospital came down with a fever and was found to have changes in her blood similar to a patient at nearby St Luke's Hospital. Both samples were revealed to be compatible with smallpox.

There were 14 cases of smallpox in Bradford, and contact tracing of more than 1,400 individuals. Within five days around 285,000 people had been vaccinated. The disease caused six deaths and the outbreak was officially declared over on February 12, 1962.