Dunstable Yesteryear - the mystery of the 'Bra Factory'

There’s been a great deal of puzzlement about an old photo of “Dunstable Bra Factory” showing ladies hard at work assembling brassieres with an array of sewing machines,

The problem was that when the picture was published in Yesteryear a few years ago no-one could trace a business with that name. Readers of the News-Gazette came up with a variety of suggestions ranging from a stocking firm which was once based in Kent’s Meadow to a workplace which operated in St Peter’s Road in the 1960s.

Now, a visitor to a recent display by Dunstable History Society at The Square has positively identified the picture. It shows the interior of V Mayes and Son in Luton Road. The fair-haired lady in white is Ann Hubbins

The so-called Bra Factory has long gone, and the area is now being substantially redeveloped. The factory stood approximately on the site of the new building seen in the colour photo taken last week. This has been erected alongside the new Lidl store next to what was once the large depot of Dunstable Supertyres which was pulled down very recently. Work on transforming that site is currently taking place and Supertyes is concentrating its work on its Luton premises. The Brewers Decorator Centre on the right, on the other side of the Suoertyes site, still remains.

Yesteryear is compiled by John Buckledee, chairman of Dunstable and District Local History Society.