ONE of Vic Reeves’ favourite places in Darlington was Post House Wynd because his teenage band, called Trout, played at the pub at its Skinnergate end.
“The Green Dragon was always full of a lot of hair and a lot of smoke,” he told Radio5Live.
To reach the Green Dragon, Vic would have passed the home of Sue Bennett’s grandparents, Lizzie and William Bennett. They owned Nos 10 and 12 Post House Wynd, on the south side, which stretched through to Buckton’s Yard.
Lizzie ran a very successful secondhand clothing business – although we would probably call it something exciting like retro or vintage or upcycling.
She acquired fine items from across the country and in the buildings on the south side of the wynd she had a laundry and a small team of seamstresses repairing and altering the garments.
They were then sold from the shop opposite, No 27, which is now the home of Robin Finnegan’s jewellery and antique business. She also seems to have a mail order side, as she had at least one customer in Sweden.
Lizzie died in 1923 but Bennett’s clothing carried on until the Second World War.
L We’re slowly wending our way round Darlington’s wynds and yards. If you have any stories, like Sue’s, we’d love to hear from you.
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