Insight into a world when times really were hard

Mr Franks was prompted to write to me after seeing a report in the T&A about a visit to Saltaire by The Royal actor Robert Daws, who paid a call at the house in Albert Road where his bootmaker great-great-grandfather Frederick lived long ago.

Mr Franks also has shoemakers among his ancestors. From the early 1800s both his great-great grandfather Robert Franks and his great grandfather John Franks made shoes, operating initially from 12 School Court, North Wing, and later in Undercliffe. His grandfather, Charles Franks, turned away from leather to textiles, becoming loom tuner to Sir James Roberts, whose firm took over the Salts Mill from Sir Titus Salt and who gave his name to Roberts Park.

Writes Mr Franks: "Grandma was Sir James Roberts's housekeeper at Milnerfield (since demolished). My father and my Uncle Albert were born at Milnerfield Lodge in 1901 and 1902."

The lad in the photograph was the eldest son of Charles Franks the loom tuner.

"Although most of the children are well dressed, these were hard times," writes Mr Franks. "At 12 years old they worked half-time if they had a certificate. Up until then, children had to work from eight years old cleaning fluff from under looms. My parents considered I was lucky as I left school at 14 years old. I got a scholarship to Bradford Grammar School but father could not afford the school uniform, straw hat for summer, hockey sticks, rugby outfit, satchel etc. So I did not go except to primary school."

He enclosed a copy of his father's half-time certificate, issued in 1914 when he was 13 and showing the family then living at Lucy Street, Windhill and young Charles Davies Franks then being a pupil at Woodend School.

Many thanks for the insight, Mr Franks, into a world which was so very different yet really not all that long ago.