Bradford

West Yorkshire

Visit to Bradford

June 2013

1.

My Visit to St Bede's School

I lived in Bradford, West Yorkshire, until the age of 18, then moved to Edinburgh, in 1963, after leaving school.

I returned to Bradford for a couple of days in June 2013, to have another look at the school, St Bede's Grammar School at Heaton, 50 years after I left the school and moved to Edinburgh

St Bede's School Frontage and Pupils' Entrance

St Bede's Grammar School, Heaton, Bradford, 2013  -  Pupils' Entrance from the Playground

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk          Photo taken June 21, 2013

During my visit, I had chance to look around the city again, and see how it had changed since I used to live there.  Here are my brief comments on a few of the things I saw.

 

2.

Food

At the time of my visit, Bradford was about to host the World Curry Festival.   I did not sample any of the curry, or any of the ice cream or fish & chips on offer here in the centre of the city !

Ice Cream Shop + Fish & Chip Shop, Sunbridge Road, City Centre

Ice Cream Shop and  Fish & Chip Shop in Sunbridge Road, City Centre, Bradford

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 22, 2013

 

3.

Clean Buildings 

Some of the older buildings in the City Centre including the City Hall and the former Wool Exchange are now looking much cleaner and brighter than they used to.

The former Wool Exchange

The former Wool Exchange, Bradford  -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk 
 Photograph taken
June 22, 2013

The former Wool Exchange

The clock of the City Hall is in lower-left corner

The former Wool Exchange, Bradford   -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk
Photograph taken June 22, 2013

 

The City Hall  -  It was known as the Town Hall when I lived in Bradford

The City Hall, Bradford  -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 22, 2013

The City Hall on a quiet Saturday morning

The City Hall, Bradford  -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 22, 2013

The City Hall and a Bradford Lamp Post

The City Hall and Lamp Post, Bradford  -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 22, 2013

The City Hall and two Bradford Lamp Posts

The City Hall and Lamp Posts, Bradford  -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 22, 2013

 

4.

Mosques and Sikh Temples

I saw several Mosques and Gurdwara (Sikh Temples) that I had not noticed on previous visits to Bradford.  Bradford now has 77 mosques and 6 Gurdwaras 

Source:  UK Mosque Searcher web site and Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara web site.

Tawak'Kulia Mosque, 48 Cornwall Road, off  Manningham, Bradford

Tawak'Kulia Mosque, Manningham, Bradford  -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 21, 2013

Mosque on the Hill, Bolton

This view is taken from close to Bradford Forster Square Station Entrance

Mosque on the Hill, Bolton, Bradford  -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 22, 2013

 

5.

Forster Square Redevelopment

I expected to see a new shopping centre at Forster Square open, as it was shown on my AZ Street Map of Bradford & Leeds, published in 2009, with an estimated completion date of 2010.  However, building work seems to have hardly begun on it .  It's, no doubt, one of the casualties of the recession.

Looking across the open area at Forster Square, awaiting development

A notice on the fence describes this area as
 '"Bradford Urban Garden - to be used by everyone in Bradford
 District for arts, cultural and community activities".

Forster Square, Bradford  -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 22, 2013

Posters advertising 'The Broadway Bradford' to be built in Forster Square

Forster Square, Bradford  -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 22, 2013

Looking across Bradford Forster Square

Background:  The former GPO stands in front of Bradford Cathedral

Forster Square, Bradford  -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 22 2013

 

6.

Horses

I was interested to see that there still seems to be at least one rag & bone / scrap metal merchant travelling the streets by horse and cart.  Unfortunately, I had no chance to photograph it.   Maybe next time ...

When I last visited Bradford, about 3 years earlier, I saw several horses tethered beside the main roads leading to Wakefield and Eccleshill, but I did not notice any this time.

 

7.

Businesses

I found several businesses that I thought might have vanished long ago.   I was pleased to see Arnold Laver, timber merchants, still in business at Canal Road.

I remember standing outside the trolley bus depots as a child, when I had an interest in buses.  I see that:

-   the small trolleybus depot (or trolleybus shed as we called it)  at Bolton Junction has been demolished, probably long ago.

-  the large trolleybus depot  works at Thornbury was being used by a wholesale lighting business when I last saw it.

-  the trolleybus depot at Saltaire is now looking very smart.  It has become a bar and restaurant, named The Old Tramshed.

 

8.

Businesses

The many and varied small businesses around Bradford could make a good topic for photography one day.  I saw several interesting businesses as I walked through the city, but took only these two photos:

Mr Ink's newly opened premises and car  -  Manningham Road

'Mr Ink', Manningham Lane,  Bradford  -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 21, 2013

S&J Motor Factors premises and car, beside Tesco  -   Manningham Road

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 21, 2013

 

9.

Mills

Bradford used to be the world centre for the woollen industry, with mills throughout the city.  I passed the mill on Moorside Road on my way to primary school, and used to hear its loud 'hooter' sounding daily to announce the start or end of shifts.  The mill has now been converted into an Industrial Museum.

On my recent visit to Bradford:

- I visited Lister's Mill.  Most of the old mill has now been converted to housing, providing 300 homes.

- I visited Salts Mill at Saltaire, which has been converted to shops and cafes and galleries. The improved road from Bradford and the railway from Bradford Forster Square Station both now provide good access  to Saltaire. 

Here are sculptures outside Forster Square station, Bradford, incorporating what look like old railway lines and cobbles:

Reply

Thank you to Bob Henderson who replied:

"I suggest that the rails in these sculptures would be tram rails."

Bob Henderson, Burdiehouse, Edinburgh:  June 28, 2013

Signpost and Sculptures to the south of Bradford Forster Square Station

Sculpturesclose to  Bradford Forster Square Railway Station  -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 21, 2013

Here, we zoom-in on one of the two sculptures.

The arches in the background are supporting Cheapside

Sculpturesclose to  Bradford Forster Square Railway Station  -  2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 21, 2013

The old cable tramway from Saltaire to Shipley Glen has re-opened, though it was not running on the day of my visit.

The Bradford artist, David Hockney, was one of the people who were enthusiastic about converting Sir Titus Salt's large mill at Saltaire to become an art gallery.  This gallery now includes an exhibition of Hockney's  work.

I discovered that Hockney  used to live in Eccleshill, and that he could often be seen pushing his pram of art equipment around the streets.  I lived in Eccleshill at around the same time, in the 1950s, but I cannot remember ever seeing anybody who might have been Hockney.

 

10.

Lister Park

Lister Park (also known as Manningham Park) lies about a mile from  the city centre, beside Manningham Lane.  The park was donated to the city by S C Lister who built the nearby Lister Mills in the late 19th century.

 I used to visit Lister Park, to go swimming to the Lido (open air pool) or to watch the bees entering and leaving their hive in the basement of Cartwright Hall.

The Lido closed long ago but I was pleased to see that the park has been renovated and now has:

-  rowing boats and paddle boats on the lake.

-  flower gardens, and a water garden beside the stream.

-  a bandstand, now being used again for concerts.

Cartwright Hall, with ornamental flower garden, sculptures, art galleries, and Gents' toilets with their original Victorian fittings, but no bees!

The front of Cartwright Hall

Cartwright Hall, LIster Park,  Bradford  -   2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 21, 2013

The back of Cartwright Hall

The back of Cartwright Hall, LIster Park,  Bradford  -   2013

©  peter.stubbs@edinphoto.org.uk                                                       Photograph taken June 21, 2013

At Cartwright Hall in Lister Park, I saw Hockney's painting of Moorside Road, Fagley.  That's the road that I used to walk along every day, 4 times a day, to and from school.

This Wikipedia web site gives a brief history of Lister Mills,  They used to be  the largest silk mills in the world, employing 11,000 men, women and children.

Lister Park was given the award of 'Britain's Best Park' in 2006.  This page on the Bradford Leisure Services web site gives more info about Lister Park

 

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  June 25, 2013

 

Bradford Photos

2013

Enlargements of all 19 thumbnail images below appear on the same page.  Here are links to the photos:

Medium size photos (640 pixels)       Large photos (1024 pixels)

 

Bradford City Hall

   The City Hall, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Bradford City Hall

The City Hall, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Bradford City Hall

The City Hall and Lamp Post, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Bradford City Hall

The City Hall and Lamp Posts, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Bradford City Hall

 

Wool Exchange

   The Former Wook Exchange, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Wool Exchange

   The Former Wook Exchange, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Wool Exchange

 

Forster Square Redevelopment

   Forster Square, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Forster Square

Forster Square, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Forster Square

   Zoom-in to the Posters

Forster Square, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Forster Square

   Zoom-in to the Painted Hoarding / Fence

 

Forster Square Station

   Sign Post, Sculptures and Arches, to the south of Forster Square Station, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Near Forster Square Station

    Sculpture and Arches, to the south of Forster Square Station, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Near Forster Square Station

 

Cartwright Hall at Lister Park

   Cartwright Hall, Lister Park, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Cartwright Hall

The back of Cartwright Hall, Lister Park, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Cartwright Hall

The back of the hall

 

Mosques

   Tawak'Kulia Mosque, 48 Cornwall Road, Manningham, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Tawak'Kulia Mosque

Manningham

    Mosque on the Hill, Bolton, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Mosque on the Hill

Bolton

 

Businesses

   The King's Arms, Highgate, Heaton, Bradford  -  2013 ©

King's Arms Public House

Heaton

Ice Cream Shop and  Fish & Chip Shop in Sunbridge Road, City Centre, Bradford  -  2013 ©

Ice Cream + Fish & Chips

Sunbridge Road

©

Mr Ink

Manningham Lane

Bradford  -  S&J Motor Factors, Manningham Lane  -  2013 ©

S&J Motor Factors

Manningham Lane

 

St Bede's Grammar School, Bradford

School Comments
 2013

School Photos
1961-63

School photos
2013

 

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