I worked at the now long gone Grattan plc, in Ingleby Road in the Telecoms Department from 1984 – 1991.
We had hundreds of individual phones lines and for each one, we received and annual Phone Book.
As usual, in 1989, when we received a van load of phone books one Friday afternoon, the majority were earmarked for re-cycling. Given they had the David Hockney cover – in which no one seemed particularly interested – I asked my boss if I could have them. He said yes, provided I took them away that day.
WIth the help of a colleague, I stuffed my Vauxhall Nova with as many as I could and with it very low on its haunches, got them home. I’ve looked after them ever since.
You’ll still find members of the Hockney family, including David’s late Mum Laura, listed in this addition of the 1989 Bradford Phone Book. Obviously everyone’s moved on since then.