I popped into the Victoria Hall yesterday to see a display of costumes from the collection at West Yorkshire Playhouse, exhibited as part of the Saltaire Festival. It was fascinating to see the changes in dress over the centuries. I was especially interested to see costumes from the Victorian and Edwardian eras - shown in my photo. I don't suppose the average Saltaire village woman wore such smart clothes, but no doubt members of Sir Titus' family and friends were just as elegantly dressed. (The costumes are, incidentally, available to hire from the theatre in Leeds, in case you fancy adopting a different persona sometime.)
Equally fascinating was a collection of pattern books, scrap books and brochures related to Salts Mill and Bradford College. Some of the brochures showed the inside of the Mill in the early 20th century. Even then the workers enjoyed quite a few perks including medical facilities on site. There was such a shortage of skilled labour after the 2nd World War that women were brought in from other areas and lived in a hostel in the New Mill during the week.
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