Elsie Clarke made my beautiful dress
“I THOUGHT I looked like a princess.”
The Echo recently featured a heartfelt article by Daid Clarke, the son of popular Loughborough couple Elsie and Sid Clarke who had met during World War Two.
Elsie (who was originally from Bangalore in India) was volunteering for the Women’s Army Corp in New Delhi, and fell in love with the piano playing, Royal Air Force Sergeant, Sid Clarke.
After the war Sid and Elsie returned to Loughborough where Elsie was a seamstress and dressmaker.
And now one lady who spotted David’s article contacted us to say she had the privilege of wearing one of Elsie’s hand-made dresses at her Aunt’s wedding.
Brenda Needham says that that she remembers her mum - Mary Clarkson - having two “beautiful little dresses” made for her and her sister for her aunt’s wedding.
She had been heartbroken at the fact she couldn’t be a bridesmaid for (because her aunt already had six) but the dress she had made for her made her feel like a “princess.”
Brenda said: “My dad Ted Clarkson, who worked at Tucker’s pit must have known her from there, as she worked in the canteen, as mentioned in the article. He must have said ‘I know a lady who will make you two dresses’.
“So we went to Elsie’s house on Broadway to be measured up. The dresses were yellow satin and I thought I looked like a princess! I was so pleased.
“She also used to take me to Lodge Farm school over Cross Hill Lane.”
Do you remember Sid or Elsie? Maybe you worked with them, or maybe you even had a dress made for you by Elsie?
Please contact Liam Coleman on 01509 635806 or email liam.coleman@ trinitymirror.com