Kathleen Skin

Kathleen Skin of Portobello Road, London, established c.1950

A conversation between Kathleen Skin and project lead Mark Westgarth.

Kathleen Skin talked about her time at Portobello Road antiques market during the 1950s and 1960s, and her time at Grays Antiques market in the 1980s. Kathleen is 93 years old, and has absolutely fascinating memories about buying and selling a whole range of things.

Kathleen told us about life on Portobello Road, antique dealing for ‘fun’, and some extraordinary things she bought – including a silver belt with Wedgwood ‘Jasperware’ plaques and a rare 18th century doll (which she sold to the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood now the V&A Museum of Childhood). Kathleen began to specialize in buttons, (she still loves buttons!), and continued her trading at Grays Antiques Market in the 1980s, as ‘Kath’s Button Box’.

You can listen to our interview with Kathleen below:

Photograph, Antique Dealer project, University of Leeds, 2014.