Parade's past to be brought back to life

THE colourful past of a Huddersfield village is being brought to life.

- By ANDREW ROBINSON

Villagers in Slaithwaite are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the art deco Carr Lane parade of shops. And on Saturday, January 17, the Huddersfield village will come alive between 2pm and 5pm with costumed characters from the shopping parade's past.

There will be poetry, music, storytelling and dance and a curated exhibition of archive material.

Guided tours will share the century of stories uncovered about each shop and the people who shaped them. Local businesses will also be part of the celebration, highlighting their own histories and contributions to village life.

The event is the culmination of the Slawit Shop! project uncovering the century-long story of the Carr Lane Parade, a row of eight shops built by local contractor John Jagger in the 1920s. Three historical characters will be at large on January 17: Harry Redman, Jane Townend and John Jagger. John Jagger, from Rastrick, bought the land where the parade now stands from Slaithwaite Urban District Council in 1924 for £2,450.