We’ve had a lovely and lengthy letter from Mrs Audrey Reedman of Bolton, in Bradford, who – prompted by our recent stories on the various markets in Bradford in years past – decided to pen her reminiscences of her time working at the old Kirkgate Market in the mid-to-late 1950s.

It makes for fascinating reading, so we thought we’d present it to you pretty much as it came to us on the Remember When? desk. Take it away, Mrs R...

I worked in Kirkgate Market from March, 1956, to about 1959 or 1960 and absolutely loved it. It was super meeting different people and I was very friendly with lots of regular customers, plus it was a great atmosphere in the market.

I worked at Ernest Wilson’s drapers who had the brand name Wiltex. They had four stalls in there and I worked on the largest which sold undies, towels, knitting wools, baby clothes, etc.

Next to us our other stall sold ladies fashions, and next to that was a stall of ours selling stockings, socks and gloves. Our other stall was just above Darley Street entrance and sold childrenswear that was called the Spot stall and had Irene as the manageress.

I had Mrs Smith as my boss. There were four of us other staff. Our stall was near the top of the market.

Other stalls I remember were Celia’s Ladies Fashions, next to us, and her son, Michael, who had a fabric stall. Above Celia’s clothes stall was Ronnie’s Fents. He had two sons, Peter and David, helping, plus his wife.

There was Coplin’s Curtains run by two brothers or cousins, Jack and Albert, also Stringer’s and Dell’s bookshops. Winston’s Biscuits, Mack’s shoe stall and Readman’s grocery and fresh meats stall.

There was also Baxandall’s, who had quite a few stalls selling ladies fashions, wedding dresses and accessories. They also had a cafe which was quite a posh one for a market.

There was also Lingard’s carpet store running across the top of the market and a coffee bar called Richard’s, plus many more – too many to mention here.

I can also remember quite a few celebrities coming in when they were at the Alhambra on tours.

I met Wee Willie Harris, a rock and roll idol in his day. He always wore bright red tartan suits and gave us an impromptu show in Kirkgate Market. I also met Frankie Vaughan, the popular crooner – his godmother, Doris, worked at Celia’s Fashions next to us and introduced us as I was going to see him that night so I got invited backstage also (swoon time now).

I also went to lunch with Ronnie Hilton, another popular singer who I was introduced to by a friend in the market who’d shown up with him.

I used to go for lunch at Craven’s Café in the market. It was run by Stanley and his partner Doreen, and all the Bradford City players hung out there. At the time I rather liked Derek Scholes, who played for them, but just a teenage crush, I suppose.

I also remember Anna, the Polish lady who we all felt very sorry for as we understood she’d been experimented on or something during the war. To be honest, at first she terrified me as she was very loud and, when passing you, couldn’t resist slapping your backside with the back of her hand, and boy did that sting. But she liked giving big hugs, too, nearly strangling you, of course, but meaning well.

Also I remember the man in the monk’s habit who, last time I saw him about two years ago, just hadn’t aged from 50 years ago. Wonderful what plenty of fresh air and a healthy life can do.

There was also Mrs Oddy, the lady who cleaned the market toilets, public ones and staff and the rest room we had. Her husband was a market attendant.

Down one side of the market there was a door leading to the water yard where we used to get water for when we mopped the stalls out every evening, and that’s where my lifelong hatred of cockroaches began, as it was heaving with them.

You even got them on the stalls sometimes.

I remember shaking a bath towel open for a customer to see properly, and one shot into her hair and sent her crazy, me as well.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed hearing my memories. It’s been lovely putting them all down, or some of them anyway. But these are my moments.

Obviously other past ‘Kirkies’ will have different ones, no doubt.

I also did work at the Odeon, or Gaumont as it was then. I’ve lots of happy and hilarious memories of that place also.