I am starting a new thread arising form the Malcolm Berry one.
Dave Boddys recollection of Arthur Kendall is spot on, particulalry that he gave preference to Adults. I also have a vague memory of the Hillworth Lodge guy.
The waiting at Arthurs got so bad both my Dad and i switched to Fred Sadlers in South Street for while (I have had contact with his son David in New Zealand), but we didnt think he was a particulalry good barber. We finally settled on the aforementioned Jim Berry in Low Street.
All thes guys did haircuts and shaving (remember those leather straps for sharpening the cutthroat?), but also on their price list was 'singeing'. Did anyone ever see anyone have a 'singe'? Did they set you hair alight or something?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1964

Current location (optional) Wirral

As a kid, I dreaded the barbers. The request for "short back and sides" gave a bloke a decent haircut. It meant something else to the barber if you were a lad. He would cut it right short, leaving a "plate" of hair on top with a little narrow parting and scarce enough for a quiff. That gave rise to all manner of taunting from the other kids. "Tha's hed it cut to t'wood". "Bin to see Bob Orloff?". And worst of all "Cuff 'eead", accompanied by a smart clip around the pate. Oddly enough, it bothers me not at all now to ask for "a number 2 all ovver" - I'm just glad there's a bit left to mow.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

Current location (optional) Lincoln

Hi Terry-I suppose that you have to pay the barber a search fee nowadays !! Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 47-51

Current location (optional) Auckland NZ

The answer to Brian Moate's questions about hair singeing are; Yes, they did set the bloke's hair alight and Yes, I have seen it done.
This was many years ago and not in a Keighley barbers, but in my own village, Queensbury, where the men are men. (Only problem is, so are the women!)

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65

But what was it supposed to achieve? Was it make grey bits go brown again ? Can you elaborate on the technique, Brian?
Now that I think a little more I think there was a beaker full of 'spills' or 'tapers' for pipe lighting on Jim Berry's shelf.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1964

Current location (optional) Wirral

I've no recollection of the philosophy behind singeing, Brian, and can only speculate;
Perhaps it was quicker, and consequently cheaper, than the traditional "snip" - a distinct incentive in 1950s/60s Yorkshire!
Perhaps it was meant to seal the ends of the hairs or some such fanciful notion.
Perhaps the trauma prevented regrowth for a period, thereby minimising the frequency of visits (back to cost again!)
Al mere guesses on my part, but I can confirm that a lighted taper (I'm not sure whether wax or a wooden spill) was part of the ritual. I can't remember how the flames were extinguished though, except that it involved neither use of the red, wall-mounted device nor a 999 call!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65

The 'little chap' from Hillworth Lodge to whom Brian refers was called 'Archie' - a very pleasant, and possibly lonely, old man who seemed to spend his days in Arthur Kendall's waiting for other customers to drop their 'dog-ends'. Archie had a small bakelite screw-top tub into which he deposited the unburnt remnants of tobacco from the discarded 'dog-ends' after he'd picked them up. He then proceeded to 'roll his own' from the mixture he'd collected.

He was also a regular on the 'top-green' (the best bowling green) in Lund Park where he could be seen collecting dog-ends from under the benches around the green.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 59-66

Current location (optional) Embsay

Arthur Kendal used to use a wax taper to singe hair. Might it have been to catch stray hairs which had been missed by the hand clippers? Or was it to prevent you catching cold after being scalped? Arthur also sold a type of white hair gel (shades of Something about Mary) which set rock solid. I used to mix it half and half with Brylcreem. I had a pump top dispense for the Brylcreem which I thought was really cool.

I think I got Arthur to shave me once with his cutthroat razor. I think it was quite a good shave but nothing special. Certainly no hot towels like you saw on the 'flicks'. I was still going to him in the 6th form as got him to show me how to sharpen a cutthroat and I cadged a razor off him to section plants for Biology.

Arthur could be sometimes seen around the Fell Lane area after his shop shut with a tiny brown suitcase. I seem to remember I was told that he would be shaving a corpse. This of course was in the days when it was customary to 'lay out' the deceased at home. Remember the coffin board which was in a long thin box on the wall of Broomhill Lane Coop? This was so you could lay out the corpse before the Funeral Directors came.

Talking of Funeral Directors, there was Laycocks Joiners and Funeral Directors down Oakworth Road, on the left hand side of the side street by the Selling Out shop. A green wood building as I recall.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 60-67

With regard Brian`s recollection of "singeing", I remember quite vividly my father giving this service to his customers. I was facinated as a child, watching him, and often wondered why he didn`t set their hair alight. There was always a pungent smell in the air from the singed hair afterwards The reason for this singeing was to either stunt or encourage growth, but I can`t remember which. It was more than likely just codology. Again Brian`s memory serves him well as there was, in fact, a jar containing tapers on the shelf.
Another thing that amazed me was that in the late 1950`s and early 60`s, was how many people came into my father`s shop to buy hair restore at a guinea a bottle. Time afte time they would ask "does it work?", to which the reply was always yes, and off they would go quite happy with their purchase, even though dad had very little hair himself. Thars nowt s` queer as fowk.
As for shaving with the old cut throat razors, I worked for my father on Saturdays from the age of 13 until leaving school and I remember sharpening the razors on the leather strop. I used to lather a balloon, and then practice shaving it. I never burst one, but whether my hand would have been as steady on a real person is another matter.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 57-61

Current location (optional) Keighley

Thanks Geoff, thats a good post and explains everything. Did you ever at agr 13 ask your Dad what Durex were for, he certainly sold them!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1964

Current location (optional) Wirral

So, Geoff, is that the origins of the Barbers Shop Quartet?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

Current location (optional) Lincoln

it seems as if most of the contributors came from the Fell lane or Oakworth road areas. I went to the barbers in that small pointed bit where Devonshire Street West meets West Lane. Its probably gone now. Anyway in the 1940's everyone got singed , it was with a wax taper and ,according to mother at the time was to stop you getting a chill after a haircut. I am reminded of it if ever I singe any hairs on arms with the pungent smell.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 43-46

Current location (optional) Tasmania

The barber's name was Ken Hudson. During the 50s and 60s he employed a side-kick who was always referred to as "t'lad" though he wasn't all that much younger that Ken. Those were the days when haircuts were renewed every fortnight - any style you wanted as long as it was a short back and sides. Ken got really fazed when newer styles like the Tony Curtis came in and was happy to oblige with his own version - a short back and sides! As well as being triangular, Ken's barbers also had a flat roof which was easily reached from Devonshire Street West. It was a favourite spot for dropping things on passers-by going down West Lane but you could be heard inside the shop and Ken would try to chase us off. Fortunately for us he was lame! Is the shop still there I wonder? If so is it still a barbers?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 59-67

Current location (optional) London

I passed by Ken's the other week on a nostalgic trip to the old haunts. The shop is still hter, but no longer a barber's, and the flat roof seems to have been built on at some stage. Check out this thread for more...http://pub37.bravenet.com/forum/3149066665/show/520895

Your memory isn`t as good as I thought Brian. My dad never sold Durex, in fact he sold another brand, which were called "Ona". They were in a green and burgundy paper envelope which was about four and a half inches long by one and a half inches deep. Each envelope contained three smaller packets, one and a half inches square each. None of the packets were sealed either. I havn`t heard of that brand for many a year. Anyone else remember them?
I remember my dad asking that well used question, " anything for the weekend Sir?". And no Brian, I never did ask dad what they were for at age 13. I managed to sort that one out for myself.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 57-61

Current location (optional) Keighley

Ah, singeing. I saw my dad do this many times. He used to cut hair on the landing at our house in Crosshills (on Sundays for some extra cash--he worked during the week for Fred Sadler's hairdresser on Bridge Street) He also went out doing "home visit" haircuts in the evening.
At one time he worked for Billy Mewies/Percy Mewies in Crosshills and also Willie Coopers hairdressers.
He used to say singeing was to seal the hairs but it sounds like a load of cobblers to me!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-57

Current location (optional) Keighley

Speaking of Barbers ,does anyone recall a Barbers at the top of Lawkholme Lane where we used to go and wait for a guy called Aidrian to cut our hair in the classic square cut ?
Aidrian was blond with a DA and a perpetual Elvis sulk/sneer .

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 59-66

Current location (optional) Gilsland -Cumbria

Yes Sam ,Adrian is till cutting hair at the top of Lawkholme Lane except now he is the boss.
I go there regularly and pay 6.50. What was the price all those years ago?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1959-64

Current location (optional) Keighley

2s adults, 1s kids I think.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65

Current location (optional) leeds

I think we paid 2/6d which was expensive compared with our local barber who charged 1/- for the regular all-off cut

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 59-66

Current location (optional) Gilsland -Cumbria

I know the barber's shop referred to in the street next to the Drill Hall used by the Duke of Wellington's. I got my money's worth there while I still could. As for the shilling crop, I had mine done as a young'un at the barber's shop on Bfd Rd between Marlborough St and "the park". It was someone else's coining - but I like the soubriquet for the local shilling barber "Bob Orloff". The Bfd Rd shop was inundated with fair workers during Gala week and they invariably had thick, greasy hair - to avoid cutting their hair and losing his regulars, the barber posted a notice "Haircutting by appointment only". This confused lots of Lawkholme/Eastwood locals and they went without a crop till the fair had gone.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

Current location (optional) Lincoln

My dad used to get his hair cut once a week, or once a fortneet if he were strapped.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65

Current location (optional) leeds

Hi David-- your local barber would have been Vernon Daley, who had one style-short back and sides eh? Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 47-51

Current location (optional) Auckland NZ

Folk were spoiled for choice in Haworth, Birt Feather on Main Street with his cheap short back n sides, and Clarrie someone or other on Mill Hey who was a Gents Hairdresser and you paid more for it. I wasn't one of those spoiled folk tho', my dad also used to cut my hair with a pair of hand sheers that he used to give a (what he liked to think) professional flick at the end of the run that ripped hair out.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-61

Current location (optional) Blue Mountains via Haworth

Ah! Birt Feather.. The memories..I remember a chap who was a regular at Birt's that had a 'condition'. He couldn't sit still but rather swung his upper torso in a circular motion. It was a source of entertainment watching Birt following him around the circle trying to cut his hair.

Regarding the barber in Drill Street. I seem to remember that he disappeared without trace about 20 (or more)years ago. The shop remained closed and untouched until his relatives had him declared deceased and presumably sold it off, along with several other properties he owned in the area. Kerching! Berhaps Mr Boddy could check this out with Adrian round the corner on his next visit?

The barber who went missing was Malcolm Berry, also ex KBGS. He was in my class in 1947.There was a lot of publicity at the time.Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 47-51

Current location (optional) Auckland NZ

Just found it in the archives, Bill. Thanks. In Silsden, we had three barbers of note. Tom Lowis was a gaunt droll old bugger. Johnny Lythe used to operate a production line. His scary wife used to do the heavy duty work, then you swopped chairs and Johnny did a sort of damage limitation exercise, then slapped on some foul gunk. When the ordeal was over you got a sweet. In pre KBGS days he'd kindly see me safely across the road. I'd wait till he'd gone back in, then recross Skipton Road back to the side I lived on.
Then there was Mr Wade, who, for some reason, had spent some time in "Menston" and was therefore known as "mad Wade". Schoolboy imagination decided that he had been incarcerated because of homicidal use of the tools of his trade. Cut, blood, artery, spurt, as M. Palin memorably said. Those who had the courage to enter his premises were rewarded by a pile of "adult" books beneath one of the seats.

Malcolm Berry

The mystery of his disappearance has never been solved.
Various theories were put forward but nothing was proved

The sketchy story is covered in http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/4133858.stm

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 50 - 55

Current location (optional) Keighley

The barber on Mill Hey in Haworth was Clarrie Holmes ,a rather flambouyant figure with a sports car and a perm .My cousins Peter and Michael (Jim) Green had their hair cut there .
He had an assistant called Darcy who was a ladies man and told us tales of encounters in the barber's chair with his various girlfriends.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 59-66

Current location (optional) Gilsland -Cumbria

"Clarrie Holmes."
.
I got my first 'semi- crew cut' there..

I recall the trouble I was in when I arrived home with something other than the standard 'Feather's' short back and sides.

I owe Clarrie a debt of gratitude for helping me make one of the first steps on the way to my independence.

Arthur,

I must apologise for breaking the bridge on your violin at the bus stop before school one morning

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-61

Current location (optional) Blue Mountains, Australia via Haworth

All is forgiven John..My Dad was quite pleased..:)