I WAS writing about tripe last week, as opposed to writing tripe, and asked if Huddersfield had ever had a UCP restaurant.

The UCP chain specialised in tripe and cattle by-products and their restaurants were once popular across Lancashire and parts of Yorkshire.

It appears that Huddersfield never had one. But it did have Gothard’s – “The Largest Tripe Dressers In Yorkshire”.

Tripe was king in the first half of the last century, at least in the North, and the local firm of Guy Gothard’s was its premier supplier.

Mike Shaw, former editor of the Colne Valley Guardian, loaned me the period photographs of a delivery man in a handsome pony and trap, and the shop windows of Fred Binns, baker and confectioner, who as well as selling tripe was proud of his “noted” peas and pies.

When he was a youngster, he would go with his mum and dad to Gibson’s in the Beast Market for fish and chips after the first house at the Palace Theatre. Gibson’s was also a tripe restaurant.

Tripe is still available in Huddersfield from Nigel Deacroft in the Market Hall, he says.

John Smith of Bradley says Gibsons were the last tripe dressers. He was a part of the family firm that was run by his cousin, the late Brian Gibson, who also played for Huddersfield Town. They were in business at the Open Market until they closed in the late 1980s.

Stephen Pickup says Gothard’s had a shop at the Bradford Road end of Alder Street.

“My father, who served through the First World War; used to eat and enjoy a plate of tripe and black fat on a regular basis.”

And Mark “Robbo” Robson of Lockwood adds: “I spent a few years in Germany and noticed they sold it there but pre-packed. I tried some but found it didn’t taste the same for some unknown reason.

“When I was much younger, my mum used to cook tripe and onions maybe once a week. Me and my dad loved it. I still do. And yes you can still buy it, but for some reason you can only get the honeycomb and thick seam. I used to enjoy a bit of elder, which is unheard of now.

“Tell your readers they can still get fresh tripe from the butchers in the market hall (next to the fresh fish shop), Grange’s butchers in Slawit (who also make the best pork pies in the world) and Thewlis, the butchers at Town End, Golcar. I buy it regularly.”