A blast from Pickering's past (From Gazette & Herald)

A blast from Pickering's past

Leslie Shaw, of Pickering, was well-known for his paintings and photographs of Ryedale and the North York Moors until his death in 1978. His son, Christopher, has given the Gazette & Herald a chance to look through some of his work.

RICHARD Leslie Shaw was born at Haugh Rigg, near Stape in 1908. He was an excellent dialect speaker and, in his earlier, years, performed dialect plays and sketches on national radio.

One such recording was made on Sunday, June 23, 1946, in Leeds for the BBC. Leslie was asked to take part in a programme called 'Midsummer Masquerade', and was paid £5 five shillings.

He also took part in local stage performances, including 'The Pirates of Penzance' and 'The Mikado' with Pickering Musical Society at the Memorial Hall in Pickering. He was also a producer for the Society's production of pantomime 'Goody Two Shoes' in 1952.

Leslie was a professional photographer for many years. Some of the pictures in his collection include shots of Pickering Carnival in 1947-48 and 1950-51.

In the mid-1950s, he took up painting. Using his experience gained in monochrome design and the use of light in photography, he taught himself the art of water colour and acrylic painting. Some of his water colours were accepted for the Spring Exhibition of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colour for a number of years.

He became well-known for his paintings and photographs of Ryedale and the moors until his death in 1978. One of his paintings, entitled 'Showers in Bilsdale' was donated for permanent display at Pickering County Library in 1979.

Next week, the Gazette will publish more old photographs from Christopher Shaw's archive.

Do you recognise anyone in these photographs or have they sparked any old memories? Write to us at the Gazette & Herald either our Malton office at 22 Yorkersgate, Malton, YO17 OAB, or to our York office at PO Box 29, 76-86 Walmgate, York YO1 9YN. We also welcome any old photos you would like to see in the Gazette & Herald. Please send them to either of the addresses above.

Updated: 15:55 Wednesday, March 15, 2006