The Old Star public house, East Keswick
The picture above is in the back room of the Old Star on the front steps of which it was taken in 1926.
In those days the Old Star was owned by John Smiths Brewery in Tadcaster.
We have recently learned who three of the people are, the landlord, Sim Copley (back left), his daughter, Vera (front left) and a boy named Stan Blakey (front right).
Our research into Sim, Vera and Stan sheds some light on their history and what became of them.
Simeon Copley, the son of a woollen mill engineer, was born in in Rodley in 1884.
As a young man he was a butcher but by 1911 he was a publican, married to Ellen with a two year old son, Harold, and newly arrived Vera (15 in the photo).
He managed various pubs in Hunslet, Leeds and Bradford before taking over from James Rathbone as licensee of the Old Star in October 1919.
Sim remained there until his death aged only 45 in 1929. He is buried in St Mary Magdalene churchyard.
Sim’s widow, Ellen, took over the licence for the Old Star and held it until 1944. It was then taken over by Francis and Rose senior who subsequently held it for over 30 years.
Vera Copley was still at home in the Old Star in 1939 before marrying Norman Brown in Wetherby one year later.
She died aged 80 in Leeds in 1992
Stan Blakey was born and brought up in and around Redcar but significantly his grandparents, John (a bookbinder) and Mary, lived in Star Cottage in East Keswick.
One of their sons, Walter, had a variety of jobs in and around Leeds notably as a grocer, perhaps he worked at Moons grocers in the village.
One of Walter’s sons, Stan, was born in 1913 (13 in the photo)
John and Mary were living in Star cottage by 1921 so Stan must have been visiting them in 1926 when the photo was taken.
John and Mary died in 1927 and 1938 respectively. Both are buried in St Mary Magdalene churchyard
Stan was recorded as a general wholesaler/dealer in Redcar in 1939 and was an ARP warden in the war.
He married Jane Loos Clarke in 1949 and they had two daughters. They continued to live around Redcar until 1965 when the family emigrated to Australia.
Stan died in 1991 and, together with his wife, is remembered in the RW Robinson garden of Remembrance in Adelaide
Vera Copley was still at home in the Old Star in 1939 before marrying Norman Brown in Wetherby one year later.
She died aged 80 in Leeds in 1992
Stan Blakey was born and brought up in and around Redcar but significantly his grandparents, John (a bookbinder) and Mary, lived in Star Cottage in East Keswick.
One of their sons, Walter, had a variety of jobs in and around Leeds notably as a grocer, perhaps he worked at Moons grocers in the village.
One of Walter’s sons, Stan, was born in 1913 (13 in the photo)
John and Mary were living in Star cottage by 1921 so Stan must have been visiting them in 1926 when the photo was taken.
John and Mary died in 1927 and 1938 respectively. Both are buried in St Mary Magdalene churchyard
Stan was recorded as a general wholesaler/dealer in Redcar in 1939 and was an ARP warden in the war.
He married Jane Loos Clarke in 1949 and they had two daughters. They continued to live around Redcar until 1965 when the family emigrated to Australia.
Stan died in 1991 and, together with his wife, is remembered in the RW Robinson garden of Remembrance in Adelaide
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