Back at Dressers of Darlington after mug-fulls of interest

The toy display in 1961 in Dressers, including Scrabble and Meccano. We all spent many hours in this department

Sylvia Green also remembered Dressers, and also the printers in Priestgate, Darlington. She wrote: “There was another part to this company that never gets mentioned and that was the Skerne Printing Works at the bottom of Garden Street. They were all one company, along with The Northern Echo, which also did the Northern Despatch at that time and were all owned by the Westminster Press.

“I started at the Skerne Printing Works at the age of 14 in early 1945 when things were coming to the end of the war. I served my time first as a bookbinder and then as a feeder on the printing machines. The manager was Eddie Eccles. We did a lot of work for Farmway and a lot of other businesses, We also did quite a lot of council work such as all the town yearly rate bills and council monthly minutes.

“Our books were bound in leather, heavy binding was sent over to dressers and was completed in real leather, including pig skin – which I think was done by a man called Mr Pybus. I know the electrician was Harry Morgan, but he was based at The Northern Echo as he did the electrical work for all three places and was needed more at the Echo. The Echo kept its promise to the workers who were called up for the Forces – the ones who returned were all given their jobs back.

“Also, Westminster Press gave a welcome home dance and buffet for everyone and a partner at the Baths Hall. Some officials from Westminster Press came up from London.

“The Skerne Printing Works being the smallest was the first to close, I think that would be about 1955.”

Dressers on High Row, in 1966. It was originally located round about where Spec Savers and Santander bank are now

The crowds hunt for a bargain on the last day of business for Dressers of Darlington in 2001. The photo is dated April 2, but we think the shop might have closed on March 31. Did you grab a bargain that day?

Mary Everitt, from Darlington, was one of a number who contacted us. She told us: “I too still have a ‘Dressers’ Darlington Mug’. In possibly 1980 I bought six, and I took four of them as gifts on a trip to British Columbia on a visit to see ex-Darlingtonians who had emigrated there. I kept two, one of which got broken, but the other one I kept on my desk at my place of work for my daily coffees. Upon retirement I brought it home, and still use it on a regular basis. Like that belonging to one of your other readers, the base has a few chips in it, but the rest of it remains in good condition!”

Mary Everitt's mug she bought from Darlington. She bought six, and she still has this one