Town Hall's Big 1940s Night Out

goes with a scintillating swing

The Airedale Swing Dance Community and locals stepped back in time for a stunningly successful Big 1940s Night Out at Silsden Town Hall on Friday, October 27th. More than 100 people attended. 

Star of the show was the incomparable Kitty LaMare, the vocalist with a verve for versatile vintage entertainment. She is pictured at the Town Hall entrance.  

The Airedale Swing Dance Community holds classes twice a week at Silsden's Sunnybank Social Club. They turned out in costumed force for the 1940s Night Out, which was held by the Friends of Silsden Town Hall as part of an autumn season of events to keep the building going as a prime community asset.

As well as Kitty's cool classics, the swing era was perfectly captured by Company B, the jitterbugging DJ who doubles as Jeff Walbank, the local barber of nearly 50 years renown.  

Dancers came from near and wide, including (left to right) Linda Giles, from Batley, Carolyn Howell, of Silsden, and Sandra Smallwood, from Harrogate.

Servicemen and women made the most of their wartime leave as portrayed here by Peter and Alison Cannon. Peter is chairman of Silsden Community Library.  

Kathryn Willis (centre) was chosen as the dancer whose outfit most closely captured the style of the 1940s. Making the difficult decision, Dave Mason, chairman of Silsden Local History Group, noted that more than 70 years ago regular wartime dances were held at the Town Hall to lift spirits and boost morale. Kathryn, from Bradford, is pictured with Sandra Smith (left) of Steeton and Halyna Cumiskey from Halifax.

The driving force of the Airedale Swing Dance Community is Mark Lunn, of Oakworth. who is pictured here with Tracy Baldwin (left) and Hollyann Grice, both from Riddlesden.   

Kitty LaMare is pictured with Heather Cockcroft (left), of Halifax, and well-known Silsden personalities dance-school proprietor Elizabeth Phillips, who is a member of the Town Hall events committee, and Barbara Hetherington, who is secretary of the Silsden Local History Group.  

Ray Colling, chairman of the Friends of Silsden Town Hall, and his wife Pat lapped up the amazing atmosphere at the Big Night Out.

 Jeff Walbank and his wife Gill are widely known on the 1940s re-enactment scene.

Over here and overjoyed: Army Air Force lieutenant Allen Artley and his wife Marjorie travelled from Dewsbury. (The fag is fake.)

Ian Banyard, from Burnley, and Lillian Lawton, from Halifax, danced the night away.