In a recent photograph on All Our Yesterdays we featured a photograph showing the gymnastics club at Milnsbridge Civic Youth Club in the late 1950s.

One of the lad’s names (front row, second from left) was unknown but that has now been rectified by David Heaton from Lindley.

He said the boy was his cousin, Michael Heaton, who died in 2002 aged just 57.

David said: “My cousin Michael was born in Quarmby in January 1945 shortly after his mother, Madge, returned from Dorset where she served in the Womens Land Army in the Second World War.

He then attended Southgate day nursery while his mother returned to work in textiles.

“In 1950 Madge – my father’s sister – married Kenneth Thornton, my mother's brother! At this time both worked at C&J Hirst & Co, Longwood and moved to a mill house at Royd Street Avenue, Longwood. From here Michael attended Crow Lane School where the gym club performed.”

On leaving school at 15 he became an apprentice at David Brown Gears at Lockwood.

Michael never married and his final duties were fitting David Brown gears in various factories around the world including, Cuba, Thailand, India, Pakistan various African countries and finally China where he suffered a stroke and had to take early retirement in 2001.

Madge and Kenneth eventually became licencees of the Horse and Groom at Cowlersley where Michael represented them in various pub games teams.

They then lived on Burwood Road in Lindley after retiring from the pub in 1979 and Madge now lives at Cowlersley Court Care Home in Cowlersley.

Besides gymnastics Michael also played for David Browns football teams in the Works League and occasionally cricket.

Brian Hayhurst, a member of the gym at the time, said: “Michael was well liked as a youngster with a very friendly manner while at Crow Lane School and the youth club there. He was a regular member of the gym team performing vaulting and agility at frequent competitions in the Yorkshire region. He was a good tumbler and enjoyed the sport with coach Stan Booth for about eight years when he then turned more towards his other interest – soccer.”