INTERIOR photographs of former Keighley shops tend to be rare.

This one shows drapers Illingworth and Sons, at 20 North Street, about 1929. All four ladies – three posing as customers – were in fact members of staff.

The photograph was supplied by Keith Spencer, of Stanbury, who identifies them from left as Miss Winifred Sharp (who later emigrated to Jamaica), Miss Leah Norton, Miss Slack and Miss McCormack.

He also recalls how “the store was fitted with an ‘overhead-pipeline’ cash payment system”. When serving on the first floor, Miss Sharp “would often take cash payment from a customer, place it in the transport canister and send it to the downstairs cash desk. She would then rush downstairs, take the payment from the canister, make out the receipt, place this and any change in the container, despatch it back upstairs, dash up the staircase, accept the canister and hand its contents to the customer, no doubt with a very forced smile!”.

In 1960 Illingworths was taken over by Elco Fabrics Ltd, which had commenced business in Queen Street in 1947 and which continued in North Street until 1986.