Ralph Ward

Ralph Ward was a buyer for the clothing firm of Nightingales who visited Baldwin's Casuals in February 1985 to see a line of jump suits which had been designed by Christine Millward for the firm and was intersted in buying them - at the right price. He asked Christine what her inspiration for her designs was and approved of her answer - that she designed clothes that she herself would like to wear. An impromptu fashion show was put on when a shy Shirley Armitage and her friend Donna modelled the suits to much hilarity from the machinists but neverthless Ward was impressed and placed an order with the firm.