Banstead Village

Winifred Mills née Swan – Dancer/dance teacher

Winifred Swan was born in London in 1910. She trained as a dancer in the Natural Movement Style inspired by Isadora Duncan.

Through the 1930s she ran dance studios in London teaching a wide range of dance styles. She also performed at small venues, arranging recitals of music and dance.

In 1949 she and her husband, Walter Mills, moved to Garden Cottage, High Road, Chipstead, where she ran classes for adults and children. Walter (sometimes Wally) preferred to use Chris as his first name, and worked as a photographer.

Banstead History have been given a collection of photographs from this time, all of which need some serious researching however, we would be delighted to hear from anyone who has memories of Winifred, the studio or any performances. The collection includes many photos of performances some of which are annotated with the performers' names.

The couple left Chipstead in 1957 and emigrated to Rhodesia. They divorced three years later and Winifred returned to England in 1977 and danced and ran classes up until she was 90. She died in South Hams, Devon, in 2006.

We are grateful to Verity, Winifred's niece, for lodging this collection with Banstead History.