A descendant of the family who ran a well-known Bradford department store, described as the Harrods of the North, has died aged 66.

Antony Maufe was the grandson of Philip Maufe, a former chairman of Brown, Muff in Bradford and the only son of Michael Maufe, who was the family firm’s last managing director before it was sold to House of Fraser, and his wife Lucy.

Mr Maufe grew up in Ilkley where his family had moved from Bradford many years before in response to their rising fortunes, changing their name from Muff.

The name change inspired the ditty: ‘In Bradford 'tis good enoof To be known as Mrs Muff. But in Ilkley, by the River Wharfe, Tis better to be known as Mrs Maufe!’ Brown, Muff dates back to 1814 when a room shop was set up in Market Street, Bradford, by Elizabeth Brown. In 1834 it was taken over by her son, Henry, who married Betsy Muff.

Brown, Muff was taken over by Rackhams in 1978.

Mr Maufe, known as Ant, went to Ghyll Royd school before going to Abbotsholme school in Derbyshire, and then to Hull to read architecture.

After qualifying his first job was in Norfolk, a county to which a number of Maufes had migrated in the late 1930s.

He settled there, married and raised his family, working at a specialists in restoring old buildings, including York Minster which he worked on.

Mr Maufe later worked freelance in a signal box which he had bought along with a fellow architect and designed and built his own ecological home.

He became a well-known architect and won several awards, including a Civic Trust award for the bungalow – Redwood Croft – he designed for his parents on Panorama Drive, Ilkley.

One of his life-long passions was gliding, which he started with his father, and gained an instructor’s licence.

Two years ago Mr Maufe was diagnosed with motor neuron disease and he died in Norfolk last month.

He leaves his wife of 42 years, Sue, and two daughters, Imi and Hana.