Mum's memories of those first weeks

SNOW baby David Barraclough celebrates his 60th birthday next month.

And for his mother, Audrey, the onset of winter - and an Examiner story this week - brought back many memories of his birth.

For David, who rose to become a major in the Army, was born in the winter of 1947 - believed by many to be the worst in Huddersfield over the past century.

Snow piled up more than 6ft deep outside the Barracloughs' home in Shepley, leaving Mrs Barraclough stranded inside.

And the doctors and midwife who treated her after the birth of her son had to climb on to dry stone walls lining the roads to avoid trudging through the drifts.

Mrs Barraclough, 82, of The Knowle, was born in Shepley and still lives there. Her first home was at Naps Cliff, but at the age of three she moved to a farm off Hill End.

She married Stanley Barraclough on February 23, 1946, and less than a year later little David made his appearance.

"I started in labour on the Friday evening, January 31, and by then the snow was several feet deep.

"We had got the bedroom all ready upstairs, but the snow was blowing through the eaves and coming through the ceiling. So I had to go downstairs.

"It was a long labour and a difficult birth, which didn't happen until 4.30pm on the Saturday.

"I had to have forceps and David was a big baby, weighing 9lb. But the medical care I got was absolutely wonderful, despite the weather.

"Dr Michael Day, who lived in The Knowle, and Dr Pickering came every day for a fortnight to see me, as did the midwife, Nurse Graham, who lived down in New Mill.

"The snow was so deep they had to walk on the tops of the walls in some places - but they still got through.

"And my mother-in-law, Theresa Barraclough, was a tower of strength.

"She traipsed every day from Cumberworth to help me, in terrible conditions.

"I didn't manage to get out of the house until Easter, when the snow finally vanished."

Mrs Barraclough and her husband also had another son, Paul, who now lives in Ireland.

David lives in Northampton and spent 30 years in the Army.

Mrs Barraclough said: "People talk about the weather now, but we don't get winters like we used to.

"I don't think people would cope".