Nostalgic memories of Dewsbury's local history

Share your own memories of Dewsbury and read what others have said

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.

Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.

A couple at a laptop

Add a Memory!

It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the 'Add Your Memory' buttons to begin

Tips & Ideas

Not sure what to write? It's easy - just think of a place that brings back a memory for you and write about:

  • How the location features in your personal history?
  • The memories this place inspires for you?
  • Stories about the community, its history and people?
  • People who were particularly kind or influenced your time in the community.
  • Has it changed over the years?
  • How does it feel, seeing these places again, as they used to look?

This week's Places

Here are some of the places people are talking about in our Share Your Memories community this week:

...and hundreds more!

Enjoy browsing more recent contributions now.

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My grandma lived in Batley Carr and we lived in Leeds. I can remember visiting Dewsbury as a little girl with Mum and Dad. There was a market in Dewsbury on a Saturday and I can remember visiting an ice cream parlour. I was delighted to be reminded the ice cream palour was Caddy's which sold delicious ice cream in little white bowls if I remember correctly. What a treat it was to be taken there.
I loved Caddy's. Sometimes if I think hard enough I can get the memory of its taste, mmm. I remember having a tall glass of lemonade and ice cream and sitting on leather upholstery in the parlour in town. It was such a treat.  We also had an ice cream van came round and the man had a large brass bell he would ring out of the window of his van. On Sunday Mum would give me a dish and ask me to get five scoops of ...see more
Was Caddy's ice cream parlour on a corner near the market? Can anybody tell me?
I may be a year out with the date, apologies.I vividly remember the day a young Queen Elizabeth II visited my home town of Dewsbury. We were in a fever of excitement at my Junior and Infants school, waiting for the bus to take us into Dewsbury town centre to welcome the Queen with hundreds if not thousands of local people. On arrival in Dewsbury we were shepherded by our teachers to our appointed place. Great! We ...see more
I remember having swimming lessons with school at the old Dewsbury baths. I know it later became a squash club because I had my wedding reception there! I live in Brighouse now but don't get over to Dewsbury very much, so I don't know if the building is still there.
My memories of the old Dewsbury swimming baths (at the back of the police station) feels like memories from an earlier era older than myself. I used to visit the baths with my school once a wk for swimming lessons/excerise. I was always fisinated with the internal structure/decor and thinking back to the rows of changing rooms either side of the pool, with their swinging three quarter doors makes me shiver. What trust ...see more
The island in the middle of Market Place had a unique feature. Between the two zebra crossings on the island each Saturday was a man with a barrel organ. The music could be heard all over the town centre. You had to walk past it when you wanted to cross the road. This lended itself to the man with the organ collecting money for charities. I used to like listening to the music and was fasinated with the organ. The people ...see more
This picture reminds me of the time when a petrol tanker careered down Wakefield Road and crashed into the side entrance of the town hall. This road (pictured) was closed off for a day while the fire brigade dealt with the crash. I can remember the fire brigade telling me off for standing at the bottom, looking up at the crash as there was petrol running down the road into the town centre. I will post other memories later. Keep looking! Richard Hagger