R.I.P. Garth Dawson

[ossy kid]

One of Accringtons great men. Has been responsible for keeping the history alive in picture for decades, rest in peace my friend you will remembered forever.

[cashman]

Our paths have crossed quite a few times oer the years, a top geezer and will be missed by many. R.I.P.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Very sad to hear this news.
It was only a couple of months since his wife died...so they are reunited.
I worked at Curry's many years ago and he had the next door shop...he used to tease me in a very good natured way. I liked him, he was a very personable man.
Rest in Peace Garth.

[Gremlin]

Sad news indeed. I learnt a lot about photography from Garth.
30 years ago I bought a camera from him and he told me to make a note of the settings I used on each picture. Then when he developed them he told me where I'd gone wrong and how to improve. I think I bought one of the first digital cameras he sold a, 0.5 Mb model.
Up to recently he was always willing to chat when we met.
I'm sure many people will have similar stories and like me will miss him.
R.I.P Garth. Your memory will never fade as long as people can see your excellent photos.

[Rowlf]

I am saddened to see Garth Dawson has died. I remember deciding to have a photo taken of myself to frame and give to my parents on my 21st birthday. It was to be a secret but on the Saturday morning of my appointment with Mr Dawson my mother decided she would go to Accrington with me. Panic !!!!! I had worn my best dress and she would have asked what I was putting that on to go shopping in so I put a jumper and skirt on top of the dress. Somehow I managed to escape from my mum and nip to Infant Street to the studio. You can imagine Mr Dawson's face when I started to strip off.
He had a good laugh when I explained. Nice man. R.I.P.

[steve2qec]

R.I.P. Garth.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Gremlin

Sad news indeed. I learnt a lot about photography from Garth.
30 years ago I bought a camera from him and he told me to make a note of the settings I used on each picture. Then when he developed them he told me where I'd gone wrong and how to improve. I think I bought one of the first digital cameras he sold a, 0.5 Mb model.
Up to recently he was always willing to chat when we met.
I'm sure many people will have similar stories and like me will miss him.
R.I.P Garth. Your memory will never fade as long as people can see your excellent photos.

Like you I knew Garth for donkey's years, I first met him, when he operated from the back room of his dad's shop in Church St, then he set up his shop in Infant St, then to his best know shop in Little Blackburn Rd, we had an arrangement when there was a big fire on I would ring him, or take pics on a camera I carried in my fire tunic inner pocket, I took a load of pics when the Princess Cinema went up. and when Bulloughs had its big fire, I rang him, when I got chance, silly begger had forgotten to put phone thro from shop to home, and I'd forgotten to reload my camera, film was int dark room at home. We both kicked our shins day after when we met up.

R.I.P. Garth me owd mate.

[landhusweg]

I first came into contact with Garth in the early fifties, when he had his shop (wood building) in Church Street just in front of the church. He took some wedding photos when my Auntie Edna who got married.
Later on we would see each other now and again in the Blockade pub, and on occasions he would take photos at our Christ Church scout dinners.
The main thing that I admired about Garth was his love of Accrington and how he could preserve it the way that it was in the past. Nobody could take photos of the "Old Accrington" the way Garth did.
After leaving Accrington for Switzerland in 1967 I was always thrilled to buy books on Accrington and two in particulary are "Accrington Life" and "Garth Dawson's Accrington". Both these two books are from Garth himself, but of course photos from him were used for many other books about Accrington.
All together I have six books on Accrington featuring photos taken by Garth, which I treasure dearly.

Thank you Garth for giving us such an insight into the "Old Accrington".

R.I.P.

Philip Kenyon
Late 5, Belfield Road
Accrington

[JCB]

Garth Dawson......May he rest in peace .

[Bob Dobson]

I was 3yrs old when Garth took my photo with some other kids in Gatty Park. The photo was in the Observer. He was proud to be an Accrington Grammar School Old Boy and the Old Boys were proud of him.

[KiTChener]

RIP, Garth, a lovely guy,
He took our wedding photos, over 50 yrs ago.
We both worked at Dunkenhalgh, & he was like resident photographer in those days, sometimes taking photos of two or three brides on same day!
So sad for his daughters that he has passed so soon after Dorothy, but, TBH, I hope that they are reunited in whatever 'afterlife' there may, or may not be.

[Barbara M]

Thank you to everyone who commented on dads death. He was a character and very hard worker who loved Accy and its people My sister and I are very lost without him,

[Bob Dobson]

Originally Posted by Barbara M

Thank you to everyone who commented on dads death. He was a character and very hard worker who loved Accy and its people My sister and I are very lost without him,

Today I was in the Haworth Art Gallery - some of his pictures on an upstairs wall with a 'write-up'

[ossy kid]

Barbara, he was a legend both as a person and photographer and his work will still be admired a hundred years from now, you were fortunate to have him as a father and we were fortunate to call him friend and provider of happy memories.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Barbara, your father was a lovely man.
More than that he recorded public and private events for so many people. Those moments he caught in his lens and with his good photographic skills have the power to take us back in time.

I agree with every word Ossy Kid says. His pictures will still be important a hundred years from now, as a social document, but also as memories for future generations.

No wonder you miss him.