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Frederick Frank opened a pork butcher's shop in Westgate, Peterborough in 1881.

With the outbreak of war, all aliens (non UK citizens) had to register at the police station. Rumours about German born Frank circulated and on 6 August 1914, crowds gathered outside the shop accusing Frank of unjust words against the king. The following evening windows were broken and the family were escorted back to their home.

Police, assisted by the Northampton Yeomanry, broke up the crowd who were so infused with hate that Mayor of Peterborough, Richard Winfrey, was called upon to read the riot act.

Successful businessman Frank was upset; placing an advert in the paper offering a 拢100 reward for information on who had started the rumours. He had to flee to Leicester in fear of his life, leaving his family in Peterborough.

By October 1914, all 鈥榓liens鈥� were arrested and taken to a concentration camp in Yorkshire.

At the end of the war, Frank鈥檚 three sons, who had served in the British army, were so hurt by the event that they would not re-open the business in Peterborough, and instead joined their father in Leicester.

It was not until 1928 that their mother persuaded them to return to Peterborough changing the name of the business to Frank Bros.

The Franks鈥� business was built on 鈥渕ade fresh, sold fresh鈥� pork products and today third generation Geoffrey Frank and his son Andrew continue the tradition in the shop next door to the original in Westgate.

Location: The Arcade, Westgate, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE1 1PY
Image shows Frederick Frank outside his butcher鈥檚 shop
Photograph courtesy of Frederick鈥檚 grandson, Geoffrey Frank

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