Skinhead girls in Derek Ridgers photo revealed - Caroline and Debbie

Who are the subjects in the iconic "Skinhead girls, Bank Holiday, Brighton 1980" photo by Derek Ridgers used in Morrissey's 1992 "Your Arsenal" tour as a backdrop and merchandise (t-shirt, program cover)? Finally we know - Caroline and Debbie. Both were together recently and surprisingly, both learned just last weekend (Aug. 2016) about the use of the photo on Morrissey's tour 24 years ago.

Debbie writes through emails:

I am one of the skinhead girls in the photo as I have just found out my picture was used... Caroline on the left, I'm on the right (in both 1980 and 2016 photos, below). She moved to Australia and was over last weekend. That's when we found out via Google about the photo, such a shock but a nice one. Eyes nearly popped out when we saw the huge backdrop of us.

I have been in touch with Derek, he is sending us a photo as we never got one. Sent him a photo of what we look like now and he thinks we haven't changed (well, longer hair and older). Does anyone have any tour mementos?

Caroline lives in Perth, Australia, is married with 3 children and also a granny.

I live in Surrey, married, with 1 son and work in community nursing.

We was both wild when young, me being the worst as my mum tells me.

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Brilliant story. I had always wondered who they were and where they were now. Thanks for sharing
 
I remember all the Lesbians loving this pic and buying this shirt faster than a Brit/Euro buys a New York Yankee Baseball Cap and these women are married with kids. This is what I mean about all the gay crap. Look at what Jake is doing now and his life. He's definitely not gay. Morrissey is not gay. Look at my avatar. Look at the pic Nancy Sinatra posted on behalf of Morrissey on TTY. It's the same pic and yes, has been posted on this site before. Can you people wake up?
 
I remember all the Lesbians loving this pic and buying this shirt faster than a Brit/Euro buys a New York Yankee Baseball Cap and these women are married with kids. This is what I mean about all the gay crap. Look at what Jake is doing now and his life. He's definitely not gay. Morrissey is not gay. Look at my avatar. Look at the pic Nancy Sinatra posted on behalf of Morrissey on TTY. It's the same pic and yes, has been posted on this site before. Can you people wake up?

I'd say most hustlers are not gay. They might be conflicted but most of them are gay for pay. It gives them an advantage over their clientele because for them it's just business.
As far as the ladies in the photo, I'm not sure what you're point is. "Once upon a time some young ladies who were looking for positive gay imagery, finding themselves underrepresented in popular culture, found merchandise which filled this need, but, as it turns out the women in the image went on to have children, proving that no one is gay."
Is that what you meant?
 
such a great photo,really captures the skinhead movement.if you seen a bunch of skinheads you would shit yourself ,they were scary as f***.great to see they are still in touch and still good friends.good on derek as well that hes sending them a print.
 
Must be strange to suddenly discover years later that your image has been used as a huge backdrop/T-shirts/tour programmes, etc (also probably a bit gutting that no-one but Morrissey made any money out of those T-shirt sales!).

But I suppose a similar situation could happen to any of us? Maybe David Tseng will discover he was used as the backdrop of a Stevie Wonder tour one time, or Bennie the Butcher's face is on millions of Barry Manilow T-shirts?
 
Now let's hope the girl from the How Soon Is Now video makes herself known! And the girl from the Charlotte Sometimes video by The Cure. That's a video I'll never forget.
 
Best story on here for ages. Love the thought of these women getting together for the first time in years, looking on the internet for the old photo of themselves as skinheads and finding out that they were used as a backdrop to Morrissey's concert. Really love this and Derek Ridger's photographs, he seems to capture that confusing teenage period so well.
 
Now let's hope the girl from the How Soon Is Now video makes herself known! And the girl from the Charlotte Sometimes video by The Cure. That's a video I'll never forget.

Wow. I've had so many thoughts about the girl in the Charlotte Sometimes video...
 
Best story on here for ages. Love the thought of these women getting together for the first time in years, looking on the internet for the old photo of themselves as skinheads and finding out that they were used as a backdrop to Morrissey's concert. Really love this and Derek Ridger's photographs, he seems to capture that confusing teenage period so well.
Thanks for your comment was a nice shock to see our self's but everyone driving me mad on Facebook now they know it's me .
Derek took a great photo of us I look really pissed of though glad everyone likes the photo
Debbie xx
 
Thanks for your comment was a nice shock to see our self's but everyone driving me mad on Facebook now they know it's me .
Derek took a great photo of us I look really pissed of though glad everyone likes the photo
Debbie xx

"I look really pissed of though glad everyone likes the photo"
That was part of the enjoyment. As well as the clothes, the look.
Great photo. You're a star.
Gerrit
 
"tour mementos"?

I bought both the green and the red "book" that had the girls on the cover. If these girls don't have a copy, I somewhat feel like I should ship one to them.

I loved that tour.
 
"tour mementos"?

I bought both the green and the red "book" that had the girls on the cover. If these girls don't have a copy, I somewhat feel like I should ship one to them.

I loved that tour.
omg that would be wonderfull if you don't mind
kind regards
Debbie x
 
As a young American skinhead in the early 90s I had the biggest crush on you two! You are still stunners!
 
They look great. It's something of a relief to see - I'm tired of seeing the results of people trashing themselves
with booze, pills, etc etc.
Hot (grand)mamas!
 
They look great. It's something of a relief to see - I'm tired of seeing the results of people trashing themselves
with booze, pills, etc etc.
Hot (grand)mamas!

Yes, this is wonderful. Iconic photograph and they didn't know about it.
 
Now let's hope the girl from the How Soon Is Now video makes herself known! And the girl from the Charlotte Sometimes video by The Cure. That's a video I'll never forget.

The girl in the Charlotte Sometimes video is Robert's sister.
 

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