Outstanding Morrisons service rekindles Rawson Market memories – Yorkshire Post Letters

From: David Stanley, 
St Maur Road, Fulham, London.
An archive photo of Rawson Market in Bradford.An archive photo of Rawson Market in Bradford.
An archive photo of Rawson Market in Bradford.

LIKE many over-70s, my parents were persuaded to take their first steps into online food deliveries during lockdown and got a slot with Morrisons, who they don’t normally shop with.

For Mum, who grew up in Shipley, this has rekindled memories from more than 80 years ago of the supermarket group’s early days in Bradford.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She has spoken warmly of going with her aunt to Darley Street, to one of William Morrison’s stalls in Rawson Market, opposite Woolworth’s in 1937 and 1938, to buy butter, eggs and cheese.

The Rawson Place market in Bradford.The Rawson Place market in Bradford.
The Rawson Place market in Bradford.

Her father, my grandfather, became friendly with one of William Morrison’s son-in-laws – he had five daughters – and they would meet for lunch in Atkinson’s cafe in Leeds.

During her recent online delivery, Mum was pleased to discover that Morrisons’ reputation for customer service continues. The delivery van was due to arrive at 1pm. It arrived one minute early.

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield.

I AM 88 and remember when I was a schoolboy living in Hutton Cranswick we lads used to roam about the countryside almost at will.

The longstanding customer ethos of Morrisons has been praised by readers.The longstanding customer ethos of Morrisons has been praised by readers.
The longstanding customer ethos of Morrisons has been praised by readers.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

We used to look for a little fern-like plant with a nut-like root, which we called a yennet. We used to wash them in a keld, a pool of spring water common in the area, and eat them raw.

I tried to research the name on the internet but can find no reference to it so obviously that must have been a local term for the root. I wonder if anyone else has heard of yennets.

From: David Craggs, Shafton Gate, Goldthorpe.

I WAS puzzled by the words of those who criticised Matt Hancock for revealing an outbreak of coronavirus in Kirklees.

Are such critics saying the residents of Kirklees aren’t entitled to know about it?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Shouldn’t someone who lives in my neck of the woods, Barnsley, and who was thinking of making a visit to one of Batley’s shopping outlets, be allowed to know of the outbreak so they could delay their visit?

One thing I do know for sure...if Mr Hancock had reported on an outbreak on the Devon/Cornwall border, not one eyebrow would have been raised by those critics watching the coronavirus update and who live in or around Kirklees.

Never before has there been a time when a nation should be pulling together. And yet we still have those whose sole interest appears to be scoring points.

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Editor

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.