How staff at a tailoring factory toasted Leeds United's 1974 league title win

The photo was taken inside tailoring factory Hepworths on Claypit Lane in 1974 after Leeds United had been crowned First Division champions.

For the staff of Hepworths to be honoured with a close-up view of the trophy was a very exciting moment; it is believed that they had made the blazers for Leeds United's visit to Wembley in May 1972 when they beat Arsenal in the FA Cup final thanks to an Allan Clarke winner.

The Don Revie's team enjoyed a 29 match unbeaten run on their way to the title in 1973/74 with the Whites losing just four league games all season. They won the league by five points from Liverpool with Mick Jones the club's top scorer with 17 in all competitions.

Hepworths was started by Joseph Hepworth in 1865 at premises on Bishopgate Street and by 1881 had moved to Wellington Street. At one point Hepworth was operating from Marshalls mill in Holbeck. The company had their own retail outlets, specialising in men's suits. When the tailoring industry began to lose customers to foreign imports the company began to focus on other retail outlets, launching 78 of their stores as 'Next' in 1982.

The photo is published courtesy of photographic archive Leodis, which is run by Leeds Library & Information Service. They also run heritage blog The Secret Library Leeds, which provides a behind the scenes look at the Central Library and highlights from its special collections, including rare books hidden away in the stacks.

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