Market memories of 80 years ago rekindled for my mum

From: David Stanley,

St Maur Road, Fulham, London.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.