Bradford On Avon

Iron Duke decision is deferred

A MOVE to bring the Iron Duke – a rubber rolling machine – back to Bradford on Avon has been deferred.

Town councillors delayed the decision due to concerns about the displaying of the machine, created in 1849 for the Kingston Mill rubber factory.

At Tuesday’s Planning and Town Development Committee, Linden Homes, which owns the Kingston Mills development site, submitted plans for the position where the dismantled machine, which is currently on-display in Bristol Museum, would be placed in Lamb Yard by the Old Mill.

The project to return the Iron Duke has received wide support in Bradford on Avon, with many groups and societies backing the move.

Alex Moulton has given £10,000 to the project which will cost an estimated £25,000 to transport the machine, repair it and then erect it.

David Moss of the Preservation Trust said: “It would be nice to get it back sooner rather than later as there’s widespread support for its return. Kingston Mills would be an obvious place for it to go.”

At the meeting, Bradford on Avon Museum revealed that it would apply for ownership of the Iron Duke and would maintain its upkeep, but may need occasional help from others.

Chairman of Bradford on Avon Museum, Mervin Harris, said: “It will be tragic if this golden opportunity is lost.”

Town councillors deferred making a decision until Linden Mills answered some of their concerns about potential enclosure of the machine and its upkeep.

Councillor Vicky Landell Mills said: “It concerns me if it is enclosed or not. I think it would be a mistake to have it without being enclosed.”

Cllr Landell Mills made reference to the money that has to be spent on Victory Field each year due to vandalism and said the council wished to avoid another situation like that with this project.

Chairman of the meeting Councillor Gwen Allison said: “Due to insufficient information we will defer this matter but we don’t want to reject it.

Love goes the distance for Bradford on Avon couple (From This Is ...

Frank and Elizabeth Yates’s holiday romance started in a Jersey dance hall and has lasted more than 50 years.

Frank was first persuaded to ask his wife Elizabeth out after her friends insisted the two would make a perfect pair.

Mr Yates lived in Middlesex and Mrs Yates heralded from Glasgow, but the long distance was not going to stop their romance from blossoming.

Mr Yates, 76, said: “We’d see each other quite regularly as I’d fly up to Glasgow to see her and it wasn’t that expensive really as it was only £13 for a return. Then Elizabeth would come visit me too. We’d see each other quite frequently around every four weeks.”

On July 22, 1961, the couple married in Middlesex and then set up home there.

They went on to have four children Debra, Joseph, David and Clare.

Mrs Yates, 75, said: “We loved doing many family activities together when the children were growing up. We’d go camping a lot and we all had so much fun.”

Mr and Mrs Yates, of Spencers Orchard, moved to Bradford on Avon in 1999 after the pair had retired.

Mr Yates said: “We thought we’d move away and we’d always really liked the look of Bradford on Avon when we drove through it going to visit family. It’s a fantastic place and we really love it here.”

On July 23, the couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with family and friends who surprised them with a special gift of a touring holiday of Norway.

The couple will be heading off on September 2 with the trip combining train and boat travel.

Mrs Yates said: “It was such a lovely unexpected surprise. We had a great day and then the gift was just so lovely, especially as me and Frank really love trains.”

The couple said they are still happily in love and they feel they really complement each other.

Mr Yates said: “Elizabeth is so hardworking and a great homemaker.”

Mrs Yates said: “Frank is a very thoughtful family man.

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