Nostalgia with Margaret Watson: Fashions of yesteryear

How fashions change. I think you’ll agree these pictures clearly show that.
SISTER ACT This picture has a note on the back reading Mary and Joan.SISTER ACT This picture has a note on the back reading Mary and Joan.
SISTER ACT This picture has a note on the back reading Mary and Joan.

These girls were in the height of fashion in the 1950s and are sporting the “new look” which was all the rage then.

These were taken long before the mini skirt arrived on the fashion scene and the photographer was Fred Tillotson of the Town Studios, Crackenedge Lane, which closed many years ago.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Most of the Dewsbury girls in those days had their picture taken in their teens or when they came of age, which was 21 in those days.

One of the pictures taken by photographer Fred Tillotson.One of the pictures taken by photographer Fred Tillotson.
One of the pictures taken by photographer Fred Tillotson.

Fred used to pick out the best photographs, enlarge them and put them in the shop window. I wonder if any of these appeared in his window?

But the mystery here is who exactly are the girls? These photographs were among a huge collection which have been left unclaimed at the Reporter Office for many years.

Recently I had a “drop in” day to allow people to call in and collect photographs belonging to them, but only four people, turned up to collect theirs.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Most of the photographs in the collection have no details with them, although the one showing the two young girls above, does say on the back “Mary and Joan”, so there is a clue there.

Do you recognise the young woman in this picture?Do you recognise the young woman in this picture?
Do you recognise the young woman in this picture?

But which sister is which? I have no idea, and I am only guessing they are sisters because they look so alike.

These photographs were placed in a batch of other photographs which had the name “Hinchcliffe” on them, and I believe they may belong to a family from Thornhill.

In the near future I will be holding another “drop in” day, but in the meantime, I am publishing a list of names I know of people who left photographs at the Reporter Office but failed to call in and collect them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Unfortunately, I don’t have their contact details, but here are the names of some of them – Harold Laycock, Christine James, Stephanie Butcher, May Cutts, Mr Moore,of Mirfield, Colin Chatwood, Mrs Braime, and Jean Holland, of Earlsheaton, and Lesley Ledbeater, who used to work at Asda.

A shot taken at Town Studios in Crackenedge Lane.A shot taken at Town Studios in Crackenedge Lane.
A shot taken at Town Studios in Crackenedge Lane.

I also have a number of pictures belonging to Providence Independent Methodist Church, and copies of works magazines of the dry cleaning firm, Jas Smiths.

If people recognise the photographs above as their own, please ring Georgina Morris, 01924 468282, and arrangements will be made for them to be returned to you.

I will be publishing other names and photographs in coming weeks. Most of these are family photographs which I think the owners must have forgotten about, or perhaps have moved from the area.