Wilf: Art Deco revisited

Jul 11 2009 by Wilf Lunn

LAST Saturday I called in to see the Huddersfield Civic Society exhibition at the former Neaverson’s shop – the splendid art deco building opposite the Parish Church.

In its day it would have been at the forefront of style. In fact some people would say that there has not been the like since. When I was a small child we used to pass the shop en route to the bus station and Meltham.

It was for me the most memorable shop in the town. I’d never seen a concave window anywhere else at the time.

The idea was for the curved glass to stop reflections so you had the impression that you were looking at the shop display without anything between you and the items. It is a wonderful optical illusion.

The exhibition consisted of paintings of the town and many photographs. It was interesting walking round the exhibition trying to remember some of these places.

One I thought looked like the interior of Spring Grove School hall, the end wall missing the huge school clock.

I once owned the clock which was so big I used it as a coffee table. This proved to be a bad idea when I saw my baby daughter Emma crawling across the glass face. I grabbed her before the glass cracked. I sold the clock to a Dutchman.

Talking of clocks, a friend of mine has a pair of hands from one of the old market clocks.

The demise of the old market was shown by a Huddersfield film club in a superb film. It showed a thriving market.

For me it was of particular interest because just inside the main entrance was Hindles which at one time was owned by my uncle Tommy Pratt, famous for having escaped from an Italian prisoner of war camp.

Colletta’s was there and Fosters where you could get cleaning stuff, Dolly Blue and Donkey stones.

But my favourite was Doctor Dan’s or Professor Holroyd’s health drink. The secret ingredient was kept at the back of the stall in Johnny Walker whisky bottles.