Glossop, Gray and Greaves: Three Founding Fathers

John Stanley King

(First published in 2003 in volume 8, p. 3, of the third series of The Bradford Antiquary, the journal of the Bradford Historical and Antiquarian Society.)

The inaugural meeting of the Bradford Historical and Antiquarian Society on May 9th, 1878, was attended by several eminent gentlemen. these included Messrs William Glossop, William Martello Gray and William Greaves. Two other Williams were present also - Messrs Cudworth and Scruton - but it is unlikely any confusion occurred as Victorian professional gentlemen were not in the habit of addressing each other by their forenames.

Mr Greaves was a well-known Bradfordian, holding several public offices: Clerk to the city Magistrates (with an office in the Town Hall), Deputy Steward of the Manor of Bradford, and a position in the firm of Greaves and Greaves, Solicitors, of 5 Charles Sheet. His residence was at 'Bankfield', Toller Lane, Heaton. His legal firm existed until not many years ago under the title of Greaves, Hutchinson, and finally Hutchinson and Shackleton, of Piccadilly.

Mr Glossop and Mr Gray were, in 1878, partners in the firm of Glossop, Craven and Tebbs, in Cheapside, but subsequently Mr Gray founded his own accounting business in the District Bank Chambers, Booth Street. Mr Gray possessed a taste for architecture and his residence at Heaton, 'Sefton Lodge', 30, Park Drive, had been designed and built for him. He was probably the youngest and last of the 'founding fathers' as he survived until December 1933, passing away at the age of 82 at St. John's, IIkley.

Mr Glossop was a different character. He was one of the many Bradfordians who moved to a new estate at Heaton Grove to escape Bradford smoke and Bradford rates, though he subsequently complained because lower-rated Heaton could not afford the same level of modem amenities as Bradford, such as well-paved roads and abundant street lighting. Ultimately he and his fellow malcontents organised a public campaign which culminated in the amalgamation of Heaton and Bradford only four years after the Bradford Historical and Antiquarian Society was founded.

© 2003, John Stanley King and The Bradford Antiquary