Recently unearthed photos from the Mirrorpix archives show Teddy Boys and Teddy Girls taking over Manchester. The images were captured on August 29, 1977, just weeks after Elvis Presley died of heart failure at his Graceland home in Tennessee on August 16, 1977, at the age of 42. Elvis, known as the King of Rock 'n' Roll, was a musical and stylistic icon to Teddy Boys, who are regarded as Britain's first distinct post-World War Two youth subculture.
The Style and Origins of Teddy Boys
Teddy Boys first emerged in London in the early 1950s, blending Edwardian fashion with American rock 'n' roll. Typically, they wore drape jackets, drainpipe trousers, and brothel creeper shoes, with slicked-back hair teased into a quiff at the front. Teddy Girls, known as Judies, wore tailored jackets, pencil skirts, rolled-up jeans, velvet trim, and high ponytails.
Primarily interested in rock 'n' roll and R&B music, Teddy Boys saw a revival in the 1970s and often clashed with other youth subcultures such as punks.
Protest and Memorial Concert in Manchester
The recently uploaded images show Teddy Boys and Teddy Girls taking to the streets of Manchester city centre to protest the BBC for not playing enough 1950s music on the radio, before attending an Elvis memorial concert at Belle Vue later that same day.
Among those pictured are Terry Worral from Stafford, showing an Elvis Presley tattoo at the memorial concert, and Dave and Iris Ward at the same event. Other shots capture lighter moments, including Teddy Boys and a girl sitting on the boot of a 1950s car during the march.
Older Photos of the Subculture
The collection also includes older images of Teddy Boy subculture in Manchester, such as photos taken in the Manchester area on April 13, 1975, and a picture from September 9, 1956, showing Teddy Boys and Teddy Girls outside The Gaiety Cinema on Peters Street, Manchester, as rock and roll came to Britain. In two weeks, Bill Haley and his Comets would play at the cinema on September 21 as part of their UK Tour.
