Yes, our photo circa the early 1950s captures the sociable head of the Colne-based business, Mr Herbert S. Preston, who with his dear wife, Winifred, and three sons, Edmund, Rex and Roderick, ran the highly successful enterprise, H.S. and W. Preston Ltd., known to all as Milson Knitwear.

Here, in the North Valley Road based factory, we can see a smiling Herbert Preston standing to the right, while standing on the left is convivial designer Elsie Wormwell.

On the far left is the head cutter and well-known Colner Marjorie Atkins, while among the other girls are Ellen Walton, Ida Ratcliffe, Florence Schofield, Marjorie Tierney and Marjory Phillips.

The garments made up by the workforce were of the highest possible standard, and only top quality Australian merino wool was bought in from top suppliers Patons and Baldwins Ltd, John Murgatroyd Ltd, Thomas Burnley and Sons Ltd, John C. Horsfall and Sons Ltd, and Listers and Co. Ltd, all today, sadly no longer in business.

Two huge factors for the success of the company was the family atmosphere created by the affable owners and the sheer attention to detail at every stage of a H.S. and W. Preston garment.

Forty years ago, I was working at the Milson Knitwear factory on the jacquard machines. The years I spent there were among the happiest during my working career, and I'll always remember with great fondness.