MRS Woolridge has supplied this view from a postcard sent in 1907, showing “T’Top o’ t’Town”, where High Street met West Lane.
This entire scene has disappeared, apart from the premises on the right.
They were then occupied by German pork butcher Charles Andrassy, a respectable member of the community who was in business for years.
However, on two nights at the end of August in 1914, Andrassy’s was one of four German butchers attacked by a mob of several thousand. The others were Charles Schulz in Low Street, CG Stein and Son in South Street, and Charles Hofmann in Church Green.
Police reinforcements had to be called in from Bingley, Shipley, Bradford and Cleckheaton.
In view of the reported wrecking of Andrassy’s, it seems surprising that a “Schedule of Claims arising from Anti-German Disturbances” lists only £31.12s.10d against his name. Hofmann’s amounted to £137.4s.10d.
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