Gala parades of yesteryear

I am indebted to the family of the late Will Baldwin for giving me access to his splendid collection of photographs, which he took from the 1950s onwards. Will was among a relatively small number of local photographers, mostly members of Silsden Camera Club, whose hobby has produced an important historical record of local life since the 1950s. An equal debt of gratitude is due to the families of those photographers and to the Camera Club for ensuring the safekeeping of valuable collections. The following photographs are a selection of Will Baldwin's Silsden Gala pictures of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

Above: the 1955 gala queen was Anne Barker. The cushion-bearer was Geoffrey Roberts.

Above: Sylvia Beckwith was the queen in 1956. Her attendants were I. Parkinson and E. Chad. The cushion-bearer was Roy Kitchen.

Above: 1961. Queen Jennifer Best is attended by Maureen Ruffe (left) and Christine Watson. The cushion-bearer is Timothy Green.

Above: Victoria Wrigglesworth in the 1970s.

Above: Don Aaron (foreground) was a well-known member of the Camera Club who worked for Scott's, chemists and photographers.

Above: the Rev Timothy Gunton was Vicar of St James' Church in the 1970s.