A Dance Floor Meeting: Sepia Saturday

This week’s Sepia Saturday  theme is dancing.  I took a nostalgic look back to my birthplace and my father’s account of  how he met my mother on the dance floors of Blackpool, Lancashire - the Mecca of ballroom dancing.  



Blackpool Tower from the North Pier

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       

My mother (Kathleen Danon) was born in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, a few miles from the north west seaside resort of Blackpool. 

 

Mum in the 1930s
 

At the age of 14, Mum  was apprenticed to be a tailoress and was still making her own clothes in her 80's. For her going  into a fabric shop was like going into a jeweller's.  If she sat down at home, she was rarely without a needle in her hand  She set up her own dress-making business from home, working in the spare bedroom which was icy cold in winter and hot and stuffy in summer. 
 

Mum  and her sister, Edith,  often went dancing in the Winter Gardens Ballroom and in Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

Mum - modelling one of her dresses

Dad (John Weston)   moved to Blackpool in 1936 with his work as a commercial traveller  and here is his story as told in his "Early Memories". 

 

 

         

"One Saturday night I was in the Winter Gardens when I saw a young lady sitting on a settee. She got up and we said "Hello". I tried to find her again in the evening without success, even going to the exit door to watch people leave."  

The Winter Gardens was a major entertainment complex, with theatre, ballroom,  bars etc.  The Empress Ballroom was built in 1896 and with  a floor area of 12,500 square feet (1,160 sq. metres),was one of the largest in the world.  

 

Winter Gardens entrance

 

Dad's account continued:  

"Two weeks later I was at the Tower Ballroom and who should come along but two ladies - and you have guessed that was your Mum and Aunt. Mum stopped to say "Hello" and we started talking and had a good chat. I asked if she would come to the cinema the next night and offered to come for her and take her home. She agreed. I thought it was rather brave of her to come with me when we had only just met to talk together.   The date was 13th October 1936 and we married 18th April 1938."

My parents John Weston and Kathleen (Kay) Danson, 
on their wedding day 18th April 1938



Mum  and Dad on their Diamond Wedding Anniversary -18th April  1998 with the telegram from the Queen.

 

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Sepia Saturday gives an opportunity for genealogy bloggers 

       to share their family history through photographs

 

      Click HERE  to read other bloggers are taking to the dance floor this week.