Women’s League of Health and Beauty: Wonderful way of keeping fit

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A classic display by Derby members of the Women’s League of Health and Beauty

A group of Beryl’s Health and Beauty members at Derby bus station before leaving for a holiday in Greece in the 1960s

Members of the Women's League of Health and Beauty exercising at the Railway Institute, Derby, in the 1940s. Christina Burnell is front, far left

WHEN Beryl Bennett launched her Women’s League of Health and Beauty classes in Derby in 1948, keep-fit for the fairer sex was virtually unknown and hundreds of women flocked to join.

Among those early recruits was Janet Davison, of Melbourne, who sent in the photograph, right.

She writes: “It was lovely to see Mrs Beryl Bennett in Bygones on January 3. I and my friends have many happy memories of the enjoyment of her classes.

“I remember the old Assembly Rooms well and especially the exercises that involved lying down and looking a the lovely ceiling.

“I wore our Women’s League of Health and Beauty blouse with pride and still have my badge.

“I do not recognise anyone on the photograph published, showing the trip to Greece in the 1960s, but we went on a similar one to Ancona in Italy, where we embarked for a trip to Greece.

“We sailed through the Corinth Canal – I remember the liner clipped the sides – to Piraeus and then went on by bus to Athens.

“On board we had to do a display, which was not welcomed by all of us. It was one thing doing it in front of family and friends, but another doing it before complete strangers. We were a little coy in those days – the 1950s. ”

Mabel Spencer, of Hulland Ward, Ashbourne, was also a member of the WLHB in the 1950s.

“I so enjoyed the classes,” she writes. “Tango waists, Ribbons, Bucking Broncos and Walking competitions all spring to mind.

“I recognised two friends, Vera and Doreen, on the left of the classic display picture and think I am second from the right on the back row.

“It was lovely to see the picture of Beryl looking so good at 94. I am in my 85th year now and still fairly active.

“We had some super times. I enjoyed the music so much. The pianist was excellent. I think her name was Eileen Johnson.”

Olive Wilson (nee Brooks), of Green Lane, Ockbrook, joined the League in 1948.

“I was delighted to read about the Women’s League of Health and Beauty,” she writes. “It brought back many happy memories for me as I joined along with the rest of the office of Hilton Grafel Ltd, where we all worked.

“There was Lilian Perry, Betty Atkins, Cynthia Brooks and myself. We used to go to the classes every week and thoroughly enjoyed them.

“I remember taking part in displays at the Albert Hall in London, along with thousands of others from across the world.

“I went on the trip to the Greek islands. I am on the back row of the photograph, on the left, in front of the bus, with Joan Shaw and Kath Dickenson. I can’t recall the names of the others.

“I am still licensee of the Royal Oak at Ockbrook, where we often used to practise in our assembly room.”

Judith Selwood also e-mailed to tell readers about her memories of the League of Health and Beauty.

“My mother used to take my sister and me to classes in the late 1940s and early ’50s. We wore lovely silky white shirts with the badge on and black pants. I remember feeling really smart. I was 10 and my sister was 11.

“In 1951, when the Festival of Britain Exhibition was held at Bass’s Recreation Ground, our group gave a display in the huge marquee they had there.

“It may not have been that huge but, when you are young, things seemed so much bigger, didn’t they?

“I also remember Beryl Bennett who took us.”

If you have any memories or photographs of the Women’s League of Health and Beauty, do write to us. Our address is on page 2.

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This article is from the Derby Evening Telegraph and is reproduced online here.