The history of a quirky century-old row of shops in Slaithwaite will literally come to life next week as part of 100th birthday celebrations.
The art deco parade of shops in Carr Lane in the centre of the village is celebrating the milestone with live performances.
On Saturday January 17 the village will come alive between 2pm and 5pm with costumed characters from the parade’s history and live performances of music, poetry, storytelling and dance.
There will also be interactive heritage activities in the parade of shops and a carefully curated exhibition of archive material.
Guided tours will share the century of stories uncovered about each shop and the people who shaped them.
One shop has been a greengrocer’s throughout the 100-year history. It’s now The Green Valley Grocer and you can read its fascinating history HERE.
Other local businesses will also be part of the celebration, highlighting their own histories and contributions to village life.
Shops in the parade include: Ryder & Dutton, Valli Opticians, CVMP, Culture, Bottomley’s, Mateer and Vanilla Bean.
The event is the culmination of the ‘Slawit SHOP!’ project uncovering the remarkable story of the row of eight shops built by local contractor John Jagger in the 1920s.
Contrasting the Yorkshire mill town architecture, the parade remains a much-loved focal point of the village, and now its past is being brought to life through research, creativity and community involvement.
The Slawit SHOP! project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, began in early 2025 with the 40th anniversary of the Moonraking Festival and its SHOP theme.
The project set out to explore how the shops evolved, who shaped the parade and why it continues to be so important to the identity of Slaithwaite.
Over the last 18 months, three research groups — made up of community volunteers, young adults and local schoolchildren — have been delving into archives, photographs, legal documents and personal collections to uncover the stories behind each of the eight shops.
They have also gathered a rich set of oral histories, interviewing former shopkeepers, customers and families who lived and worked on the parade.
Their findings chart a century of change: from the early drapers, milliners, butchers and hairdressers to today’s cafés, retailers and the long-standing community-run greengrocer.
The research has inspired imaginative creative work from local artists. Writers, musicians, dancers, filmmakers and visual artists have produced new songs, poetry, dance pieces, short films, sculptures and artworks based on the stories uncovered.
These will form an online collection, allowing the public to explore the parade’s history through multiple artistic mediums, as well as the facts and figures.
The Carr Lane parade under construction in 1925
Alongside this, the project has produced a monthly podcast series, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the research process, interviews, and the different elements of the project as they unfold. The podcast can be listened to at: soundcloud.com/slawit-shop
Following the celebration, the exhibition of archive material will move to Colne Valley Museum in Golcar, where it will run from January 31 to March 15 2026 before being deposited with the West Yorkshire Archive Service for permanent public access.
Each of the businesses on the Carr Lane parade will have 2D sculpture plaques installed featuring artwork by local artist Frances Noon framing a QR code linked to audio and online archive material about the 100-year history of their shop.
Project co-ordinator Sky Burton-Smith said: “Once you start exploring, you realise that even a small row of shops contains a century’s worth of stories.
“These are the memories and histories of our community, and we hope this encourages more local people to record and celebrate the places they know.”
Project co-ordinator Susanna Meese added: “Working with schools, volunteers and artists has brought the history of the parade to life in ways we never expected.
“For many young people, discovering the past of their own high street has made local history engaging, creative and meaningful.”
The team welcomes residents, visitors, businesses and heritage enthusiasts to join the January celebration and experience the century of stories woven into Carr Lane’s past.
Come as you are – or dress up and wear the fashion of your favourite era from the 1920s to the 2020s!
