Vintage Stockings Archive

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Vintage Stockings Archive

Sue Simpson

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The Problems of Reincarnation

Ever since we set eyes on these pictures of lovely Sue Simpson, we've been worried by a terrible problem. It's kept us awake at night, sleepless and tossing and turning, gnawing our knuckles, sitting up in bed reading back issues of RELAX in desperate attempts at sending ourselves to sleep. But it's no good. However long and hard we try; we never arrive at a decision.

At the bus queue in the morning, we mumble quietly to ourselves. People edge shiftily away from us. Well, at least that gets us a seat, even in the rush hour. But the problem remains.

You see, it's like this. The other day we read a book, about reincarnation. Apparently, we don't just have one life on earth, when we die, we're born again as someone else. And it happens over and over again. But there's a snag. (There always is, isn't there?) You see, when you're born again, you may not be born again as a person (so this book says). You might be a frog, a flea, or a woolly necked tapir. Or even a flower. Somehow we don't fancy the idea of being born again as a pansy.

But now perhaps you see the problem. Bearing in mind we might be born again, we've been wondering, wondering, wondering what we'd rather be. Would it be best to be that tree that Sue Simpson is embracing so warmly? Or maybe the grass, where she rests her delightful derriere? Or even-dare we suggest it-those black net stockings that hug her so tightly?

Relax No 17 - Gadoline Publications 1969

Martina Evans

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Mixed Up Martina

It all began with nothing but good intentions. MARTINA EVANS, sales- girl in the lingerie department of a London store, decided to do mum a good turn and put the cleaner over the carpet.

But before she could say, "Someone come and help me switch this thing off, it's getting recalcitrant," the long lead got all mixed up with her long legs.

From then on it was chaos.

At first Martina was determined not to be beaten, and a rare old struggle ensued. Martina was grounded like an all-in wrestler who'd slipped in a moment of over-confidence. The cleaner whirred and Martina went bump.

It wasn't the bump that mattered so much, it was the indignity. Climbing to her feet Martina thought right, monkey, you wait only for the cleaner to throw her again with a double-ankle knee-lock.

"Well," panted Martina, nineteen and with an ambition to be an air hostess, "you saucy old carpet- cleaner, you."

No more. That's your lot.

Beautiful Britons No 188 - July 1971

Nostalgia Publications (NPL York)

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Nostalgia Publications produced and published a selection of glamour and stocking fetish magazines throughout the 1990’s. They also had a small shop in York, which I am sure many of us were familiar with.

Titles included Nylon Parade/Flash - a nice quality A4 size magazine. Nostalgia also held a large selection of ToCo prints and negatives, which I guess they had acquired when ToCo themselves ceased trading. Nostalgia went on to use some those negatives to publish a selection of themed stocking and nylon interest A5 magazines. They also published a range of magazines featuring many well-known Harrison Marks girls, who had been frequently seen in Kamera, Solo and other Marks publications.

I have, over the years, acquired some of these magazines and have now decided to make copies of them available as eBooks for us all enjoy for a little longer.

It would be good to hear from anyone who has a full collection of these books, which would enable me to fill in the gaps in my information. Some years back I was offered Jim Barker’s stock of negatives, which Nostalgia Publications held at that time, but sadly we could not agree on a reasonable price for them, and they slipped my grasp. I often wonder if they did get sold and, if so, where they ended up. Jim would now, I think, be in his late eighties. Any more information - or just your thoughts on NPL - would be of interest. Please do get in contact.

Janus

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Janus – Mixed Selection

I have recently been preparing some early editions of Mentor and Janus, and was surprised to note how many familiar faces there were. In its early days, Janus Publications was obviously a buyer of pictures from ToCo.

Most, I think, are quite familiar, but can you put names to faces?

Janus Volume 1 No 6 - 1972

Michelle Dolan

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It's Lovely in Yorkshire

It's always lovely in Yorkshire, actually. It's got grandeur.

It's got dishy girls.

It's got MICHELLE DOLAN.

Michelle lives in Bradford, she's nineteen and her vitalistics for the mathematically-minded-add up to 37"-21 "-34".

In case you live in Dorset and are thinking of writing to Michelle and asking her to leave Yorkshire to live in a Dorset cottage with you, don't bother. Michelle is quite happy, thank you. Move your cottage to the Yorkshire Moors and propose to her up there, and then she might be so impressed by your burning devotion that she'll think about it.

You can't expect to win the loveliest things in Yorkshire without making some sacrifices.

Span No 191 - July 1970

Angela Jones

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Girl With a View

BIRMINGHAM is famous as a manufacturing city, and it's a well-known fact that the gift you may buy in Singapore to bring home to your folks in Ipswich is just as likely to be made in Birmingham as anywhere. But don't think of Birmingham just for its exports spare a few moments to consider its girls, of whom blonde ANGELA JONES is typical. Angela models with a view of becoming the city's most famous export.

After all, what have the famous figures of Hollywood and the Continent got that Angela hasn't? At the moment, only extra minks, Cadillacs, pools and poodles.

Other than these materialistic extras-which are only a matter of having the lolly-Angela can match the talent and looks, which makes it certain that she can view her prospects with equanimity and confidence.

Span No 92 - April 1962

Relax No 13

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That Green-Fingered Girl Next Door

It's been going on for weeks, now. Ever since the summer weather started, the girl next door's been out in her garden, and we've been making fools of ourselves staring out of the window at her and wondering…. wondering, why is she always on her own? And haven't we seen her face somewhere before?

We watch her sunbathing, hanging up the washing, putting the cat out at night, but most of all tending to the garden. We wonder why she takes so much trouble over her plants and flowers - like a worried mother with her watering can, tending gentle kindness. The other day, she bought a bench and now she often sits there for hours, just watching the flowers grow.

But someone as lovely as her, always on her own It doesn’t make sense. But maybe, she's a notorious jewel thief, hiding out from the police till the heat goes down. Maybe she's got a fortune buried in the garden, that's why she sits out there, imagining all the things she's going to spend the money on. Maybe . . . but no, she just isn't the type.

Too quiet and shy.

Perhaps she's just lonely, her flowers are the only friends she's got. We think that must be it, she's so fond of her green things. Maybe we should go and see her, sit on her bench with her and watch the garden grow. But no, it wouldn't be right to intrude in such a beautiful relationship. We couldn't bear to come between her and her plants. So, expect we'll just go on watching. Watching and wondering. Wondering, haven't we seen her somewhere before ?

No name given for this model but I think she looks a lot like Linda Deane.

Relax No 13 - Gold Star Publications 1967

Joan Russell

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Song of the Hot Stove

There's all this terrible talk about getting housewives out of the kitchen and sending them down the mines. It's going to be catastrophic if when you get home in the evening your gorgeous, better half is just on her way to the night shift. It means the hot stove is all yours.

While there's still time the hubby of Scots girl JOAN RUSSELL is making the most of her kitchen flair. And Joan doesn't really want to go down a mine, anyway. She likes her hot stove. She sings over it.

"And after all," she says, "if it's that hot you don't have to keep your overcoat on, you can just wear something cool and comfy."

How lovely.

Spick and Span Extra No 55 - Summer 1975

Spick and Span 2000

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Lola

Ruth Cavendish

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In The Money

We're delighted to bring you more pics of RUTH CAVENDISH in this issue. Ruth has so many fans that if you laid them head to feet all the way from here northwards, they'd reach as far as Edinburgh High School, and they wouldn't half get in the way of the traffic.

Ruth is in the money.

She's cashier in a Glasgow store. She handles so much that it's a wonder it doesn't go to her head.

She says it would if it were all hers.

Ruth is really rather delicious, as well as delightfully curvy. She likes disco dancing and holidays on the French Riviera.

Beautiful Britons No 188 - July 1971

Helga Reichwald

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Lovely Ladies

Extremely lovely is German mannequin HELGA REICHWALD-so much so that this month Helga monopolises this feature.

Seen and admired in the fashion salons of West Berlin, HELGA is also much liked as a pin-up girl and it's only a mannequin who could wear a white top-hat as delightfully as this.

Lovely Ladies from all over the world are invited to submit their photographs for reproduction herewith. Two Guineas for acceptance. Send to L.L., SPAN, 88 Park Lane, Croydon, Surrey.

Span No 102 - May 1962

Bettie Page

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Cheese Cake - a la Bettie

To quote the dictionary, "Cheese cake. A photograph featuring a girl's legs: used in photography." It's also a delicious, creamy confection. Either definition describes Bettie Page as she arches her dainty feet to accentuate the perfect curves of her famous legs, she thrusts her youthful bosom toward the camera as she bares a dimpled shoulder provocatively as her wide-set eyes twinkle roguishly below her dark bangs all the while smilingly with a merry and innocent cunning that hints she could be all things to all men.

That's "Cheese cake - a la Bettie!''

Focus On - Bettie Page 1963