A KEIGHLEY designer has turned back the clock to help the Great Yorkshire Show mark a milestone.

The show this year celebrates its 160th anniversary.

And Joanna Rishworth has recreated the type of costumes visitors would have worn to the inaugural event.

The project involved many hours of painstaking research.

“It wasn’t easy as sadly there are no mobile phone photos available!” said Joanna, a recent fashion graduate of Harrogate College.

“In fact, there are no photographs of the first-ever Great Yorkshire Show so I scoured the history books to find drawings and descriptions.

“There are some contradictions about what was acceptable countryside wear, but I’ve worked hard to make sure the costumes are as authentic as possible.”

Joanna then had to search for suitable fabrics, and found the “perfect” samples at Guiseley-based Abraham Moon & Sons.

Martin Aveyard, for the company, said: “We get lots of unusual requests, especially from brides, but we had our work cut out when Joanna came in asking for fabrics that would have been popular in the early 1800s!

“We were delighted when she found something suitable and so pleased we could help mark this special occasion for the Great Yorkshire Show.”

The tailoring was carried out by Brook Taverner, in Haincliffe Road, Keighley.

Spokesman Roger Meeke said the company was delighted to be involved.

He added: “As bespoke tailors we get very specific requests but our company has been in business since 1912 so we’re always happy to rise to the challenge.”

The outfits are in contrast to limited-edition clothing launched earlier this year by show organisers to mark the anniversary.

The fashion theme is being continued with items designed by students from Barnsley College that will be seen on the catwalk during the show, which runs from July 10 to 12.

And there will be wedding dresses from bridalwear company Drunk in Love Couture.

The Great Yorkshire Show was first held in the barrack yard of the 5th Dragoons, at Fulford near York.

In subsequent years it moved to various locations around Leeds, Northallerton and Hull, before returning to York in 1842.

It wasn’t held during the first or second world wars.

Yorkshire Agricultural Society bought a 200-acre site overlooking Rudding Park, Harrogate, in 1950 and the show has been held there since.

In the intervening years it has been cancelled just twice – in 2001 due to the foot and mouth outbreak and in 2012, when it was hit by unprecedented rainfall.

For more details about the show, visit greatyorkshireshow.co.uk.