WHILE helping to sort through her uncle’s possessions Diana Hitchin, who lives in Sussex, came across a series of photographs which capture a major event in Blackburn almost 70 years ago.

“My uncle, Eric Spencer, grew up in Blackburn and worked for Ace Photographic when he was a young man,” she said. “He was a keen photographer for most of his life and we found lots of albums after he died in Norfolk in May.”

These included a series of photographs of the Blackburn Cotton Parade in 1950 when the town’s textile industry would show off its wares and individual mills would organise highly decorated floats to the delight of hundreds who would line the streets to watch them pass by.

But also in the collection was a photograph of the staff from Ace Photographic at a wedding.

“Sadly there weren’t any names on the back of the photograph so we don’t know who all the people are,” said Diana who got in touch with the Lancashire Telegraph to see if any Bygones readers could help shed some light on to the wedding group and on the work of Ace Photographers.

Diana said: “My uncle was only 19 or 20 when he worked there before he went to do his national service in the RAF. He died aged 87.”

For most of his life, Eric worked for British Rail, very fitting as trains were a real passion. He ended his career working in the ticket office at Norwich Station.

“We found lots of photographs of trains and the railways and we have been in touch with various rail museums who are only to happy to add them to their collections.”

Diana has also been in touch with Blackburn Museum to donate the Cotton Parade photographs but would love to solve the mystery surrounding the Ace Photographers of Blackburn.

If you can help, email bygones@nqnw.co.uk