A Shirt Shock

As Frankie Howerd would have begun, "I saw the project manager of Queen Street Mill modelling her union shirt under the news headline of "Fashion at queen Street" (Express, October 19th).

I wore this type of shirt as a youth, and it went out of fashion about the same time that the old steam engine in the background of the photograph had its name changed from Pridence to Peace in 1919.

Re-Sleeved

At the time, union shirts were sold in Harle Syke by a street hawker named Colin Nuttall, along with other draperies, from a horse and cart.

They would be made to measure, so long that you could tuck the shirt tails between your legs. Few males had underpants or trunks in those days.

What's more, you could have them re-sleeved for a shilling or two when they became worn.

Mr late wife used to buy them for her older brother and 15 years ago was often told they were difficult to obtain.

Pyjamas

To be quite candid, I think that Miss Benson is flogging a dead horse, but I would fancy the cloth made up into PYJAMAS.

I am still fashion-conscious as regards shirts, and I don't think that union shirting comes into that class.