Bradford Eye

Leeds Road Early 80s.

Driving up Leeds Road in the Bradford Camera Exchange van, I stopped to take this set of pictures. I think the reason why, was the very old period look of the buildings that were on my left as I was heading out of Bradford towards Leeds. They made me think of the stories they could tell of people in the late 19th and early 20th century, struggling to make their way in this most vibrant part of the city. These buildings would never receive listed status, but in looking at them you're aware that there is as much history in those humble buildings as in any of the stately homes of England.

I have to be honest, in that I felt a tug from this area still, remembering having come from Ireland in 1958 to live in the Leeds Rd area for a short time staying at my grandmothers' house on Napier Street. The area housed a large Irish community, indeed quite alot of my family lived there. I recall people who worked and played hard but still found time to engage in their community, with neighbours and relatives looking after children while their mothers and fathers worked in the surrounding mills, engineering works and the large bakery (Newboulds). Mother and Father worked at Whiteheads Mill (now a housing estate) affording them both jobs, convenient as it was only a five minute walk to the mill from where they lived.

Laisterdyke, the area in which we lived had its own Railway Station , a main transport artery between Bradford and Leeds, and was well used by the people of Laisterdyke to commute between Bradford and Leeds. The lines' still there but the Station has long since gone. Sad really! Leeds Road is a very busy road and I'm sure it would takes some of that traffic off the road. Unlikely to happen I know, but then who knows what the future holds!

If you happen along Leeds Road today you'll find another set of immigrants that have made there way from half way round the world. The Asian community, a large number from South East Asia, make up the majority of people who live there now, granted not as many of the mills and large employers around to give them jobs as there was in the 50s but still a busy place with shops, curry restaurants and self employed business's in abundance. Yes! Its still the vibrant area that I remember, so you see it hasn't changed its status that much. No! The area may after all never receive a listed status as say Saltaire, but Leeds Road can hold its head up with the best of them, saying I gave you food, warmth, shelter and work. And you know its still doing that to this present day. As you can you see, I still have a fondness for the area I first came to live in when coming to England from Tullamore, County Offaly Republic of Ireland in 1958.

BradfordEye 12th June 2011

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