12 replies to this topic

[Sebastian-Smythe]

Looking through old photographs of the village there were a few things no longer there.
Where for instance did the trolley buses turn round? When did the fountain at the end
of Station Road stop running? Likewise the one in the park? What happened to the Police
Box at the Otley/Bradford Roads junction? What were the rectangular holes in the wall
in front of Burley house for? Why is Iron Row so called? Lastly, when was Greenholme
demolished at he end of Leather Bank?

[catbazza]

Sebastian-Smythe, on 19 October 2011 - 12:46 AM, said:

Looking through old photographs of the village there were a few things no longer there.
Where for instance did the trolley buses turn round? When did the fountain at the end
of Station Road stop running? Likewise the one in the park? What happened to the Police
Box at the Otley/Bradford Roads junction? What were the rectangular holes in the wall
in front of Burley house for? Why is Iron Row so called? Lastly, when was Greenholme
demolished at he end of Leather Bank?

I can answer some of your questions Sebastian, ie-;

The so called police box was a RAC patrolmans telephone box & I can recall seeing seeing him stood with his motorcycle & sidecar outside the box saluting all vehicles going to Otley or Guiseley which were displaying the RAC badge (could have been the AA but I think the former).

The square holes in the Burley House walls were made by the Home Guard for them to fire there guns through in the case of invasion, & they also strung telephone cables from the Drill Hall in Peel place across the river to keep in touch with Asquith.

Iron Row is so called because in the old days all the houses in the Row had iron bars up at the windows to protect the weavers who lived in them from the anti weaving protestesters protesting about the new mecanical weaving machines at Fisons mill.

[ex-user]

Sebastian-Smythe, on 19 October 2011 - 12:46 AM, said:

Looking through old photographs of the village there were a few things no longer there.
Where for instance did the trolley buses turn round? When did the fountain at the end
of Station Road stop running? Likewise the one in the park? What happened to the Police
Box at the Otley/Bradford Roads junction? What were the rectangular holes in the wall
in front of Burley house for? Why is Iron Row so called? Lastly, when was Greenholme
demolished at he end of Leather Bank?

I thought Iron Row was so called because it had Iron doors.
to keep out the machine breakers
the 1st floor were stone flags over vaulted ceiling.
Must have looked like they were building a viaduct.
Did looms lived upstairs?
Or was it an obsession with fireproofing.

Just after the Great War
was when the manor house was demolished.
Because of death duties?
Or lack of demand for big houses in sight of Industry?
It was a luxurious place.

Do you refer to the water fountain
in the recreation ground?
Donated by a Mill school head
if i recall correctly.

Question: what was the oddest thing to fall off the back of a lorry
on Burley mainstreet? A. A ships propeller, weighing several tons!
That photos around somewhere.

[Jorty]

My version of answers to your questions of the 19th "Sebastian" :-
Trolley buses turned round at junction of Station Road & Main Street. Think there's a photo. in the Archive showing the poles.
Think drinking fountain at end of Stat. R'd. stopped working sometime in the 50s ?
The one in the "Rec". at about the same time. It was a welcome feature there for sporting activity.
R.A.C. box at junction & gun ports in "Burley House" wall correctly explained by "Catbazza", but I seem to remember R.A.C. box being demolished once by a wayward vehicle ?
"Iron Row" was called "New Row" when first built at Main Street end of Mill Road. I've seen this on an old map/plan, copy of which may also be in the Archive. For its metalic name I partially agree with "Greenhowleadman" re. the metal doors. However Iv'e heard that when first built it was used as storage for cotton (quite valuable) on its way to & from the mill(s). I'm sure it was never used by hand loom weavers, they occupied premises with preferable large windows facing north for a steady light. No doubt weavers lived there but they would have worked on machine looms in the mill(s). The Ludites never reached B.-in-W. from Airedale, but probably Addingham. We had a troop of Huzzars in the village chance they did.
"Greenholme House" was demolished in 1923 & some of the masonry used to build Great Pasture. Yet again there's a photo. of demolision in progress in the Archive.
Re. "Greenhowleadman's" ship's propeller falling off lorry; this was near West Terrace according to my wife & we presume it will have caught the corner of Robinson's shop in "Bottle Neck" where other things fell off like leaning
loads of straw bales. I remember the propellers passing through, east to west, once saw two, second on a trailer, but I'm mad I didn't get to see one on the floor, just the thing for us young lads.
More on things passing through & "Rec." fountain etc. later.
"Jorty".

[Sebastian-Smythe]

Thank you, all.

It was meeting folk new to the valley at white Wells a few weeks back which prompted me to ask the questions. Apparently they had seen some old photographs somewhere but, obviously, when it came to finding that which was in them it wasn't there. The piece about the ships propellers is fascinating. When I've time will follow that one up. There is one 'tale' from years past I would love to know if it be true.

I was told the owner of West Lodge(a Mr Benn)on Moor Lane had a habit of throwing his boots from the bedroom window if his valet had not cleaned them properly. On one such morning a plumber was walking along the gravel path in front of the house, apparently tradesmen were not allowed on this patch, saw the boots and thinking they were surplus to requirements made off with them. Is it a local Urban Myth or did it really happen?

[ex-user]

is anyone on this forum
part of the local history group?
My questions are;
Are there any maps showing early water supply pipes.
Why is Leatherbank so named?
Are there any wells in the village?
Why did Potts Farm fall down?
What did Jake Wrights used to be and Darnbrooks?
Were they farms?
What is the biggest fish caught locally?
Are all the allotments publicly owned
or are some private?
Was the old Swannery a commercial venture?
Who built Manor Park?
Who built Greystones Manor

[catbazza]

greenhowleadman, on 23 October 2011 - 06:17 PM, said:

is anyone on this forum
part of the local history group?
My questions are;
Are there any maps showing early water supply pipes.
Why is Leatherbank so named?
Are there any wells in the village?
Why did Potts Farm fall down?
What did Jake Wrights used to be and Darnbrooks?
Were they farms?
What is the biggest fish caught locally?
Are all the allotments publicly owned
or are some private?
Was the old Swannery a commercial venture?
Who built Manor Park?
Who built Greystones Manor

I can answer acouple of your questions ie,

Jake Wright's belonged previously to Gusdeks motor repairers who came as an imigrant to Burley & set up as a blacksmith in those premises & gradually moved into automobile repairs, prior to him it was the owned by the Co-op coalmerchants to stable the Co-op stallion carthorse which was well known for showing it's gender.

Darnbrook's was previously owned by Jack Lofthouse coal merchant for whom I used to drive for & who left a lot of money to Burley, & as Ilkley Urban District council could nmot find a use for this money it was used to build an extension to the old folks centre in Ilkley in his name.

"Were they Farms",
The short asnwer is no!, there was a farm directly opposite Jake Wright's at the other side of the main road called Pullan's (Now a private house) & the open barn (Previously Pullans) at the back of Darnbrook's premises was used by Jack Lofthouse to store his coal stocks.

[Jorty]

Further to my post of 22nd re. things passing through village. Anyone remember the tanks that damaged the pavement kirbs in "Bottle Neck" ? The serrations remained for many years after the war. Most were just Brengun Carriers but we did get the occasional proper battle tank roaring & rattling through the village. Another curious regular were Leyland chassis from Lancashire on their way to, I presume Roe's in Leeds, to have buses built on them. They were just 4 wheels & an engine/transmission, with drivers dressed like motor cyclists, no protection in all weathers. I think the ship's propellers were from the N.E., probably heading for Birkenhead or Barrow shipyards ?
"Greenhowleadman's" reference to the "Rec". fountain is wrong. It was paid for by public subsription in memory of Thomas Clark schoolmaster of "Greenholme School" at the "Lecture Hall" ("Queen's Hall"). Think that's what's carved on it ?
Other vehicles passing through were lorries from Lancashire. Most common were blue W.& J. Riding ones from Longridge & red ones were Feather & Kent ? I still read names on lorries, lost now with the bypass.
"Jorty".,

[Jorty]

Re. "catbazza's" reply of the Jake Wright area, in the 50s Victoria Road Dairy was somewhere there. Prior to that it was "Hill Top" farmyard, but that wasn't there in 1847, just a garden. Pullen's farm was called "Pear Tree", big orchard behind & more agricultural buildings in fields to N.W. about where Far Mead Croft (where did they get that name ?) is now.
Further answers for "greenhowleadman" :-
The Archive has a plan & I think text on water mains, supply & reservoirs, etc. Probably B.U.D.C. or before.
I don't know where the name Leatherbank came from. Sorry.
Don't think there's any wells in the village but there will be water underground. There are several springs at Woodhead, although some are seasonal.
Think "Potts Farm" just fell down due to neglect. It may have been robbed of stone because present remains are insufficient. A family called Nixon lived there in 40s.
Big fish !? I'm not an angler but there are a few in the village.
Parish Council allotments are mainly south of Prospect Road. South of those are privately owned East End Allotments.
Mansfield, Wrexham & Stirling Road were West End Allotments. Originally owned by Fisons. P.C. are on the lookout for land for more allotments with about 80 people on their waiting list.
Youv'e asked about this "Swannery" before. I havn't a clue, is it a joke ?
Prior Houses built Manor Park in the 30s.
Not sure who had "Greystone Manor" built, although I should do. Archive again ? It was called "Walton House" & chap who changed it's name owned a mill called "Greystone.
This correspondence got me thinking about all the farms we had around the village & now we only have 4 working ones left : "Greystone Manor", "New Goit Stock", Eastfield Lane & 2 at Woodhead, "Hag" & "Stead Hall". I'll have to make a list of all the ones we've lost.
"'Orty".

[catbazza]

Jorty, on 26 October 2011 - 03:50 PM, said:

Re. "catbazza's" reply of the Jake Wright area, in the 50s Victoria Road Dairy was somewhere there. Prior to that it was "Hill Top" farmyard, but that wasn't there in 1847, just a garden. Pullen's farm was called "Pear Tree", big orchard behind & more agricultural buildings in fields to N.W. about where Far Mead Croft (where did they get that name ?) is now.

In former years The top of Victoria Road was a slaughter house owned by Mr Johnson a butcher whose shop was opposite the Conservative Club who slaughtered his own cattle.

This was then bought or rented by Harry Deaton Pearson & turned into a dairy which when it closed down Mr Gusdek blacksmith/car maintainance moved in & turned it into the present garage.

[Sebastian-Smythe]

catbazza, on 26 October 2011 - 05:35 PM, said:

In former years The top of Victoria Road was a slaughter house owned by Mr Johnson a butcher whose shop was opposite the Conservative Club who slaughtered his own cattle.

This was then bought or rented by Harry Deaton Pearson & turned into a dairy which when it closed down Mr Gusdek blacksmith/car maintainance moved in & turned it into the present garage.

Just reacently I found one of my late Uncles did the plumbing for new houses which we know as Manor Park. Unfortunately my cousin tells me sales brochures and plans for the houses were thrown away when Uncle died. How often do we here that?

[Malcolm]

catbazza, on 19 October 2011 - 08:24 AM, said:

I can answer some of your questions Sebastian, ie-;

The so called police box was a RAC patrolmans telephone box & I can recall seeing seeing him stood with his motorcycle & sidecar outside the box saluting all vehicles going to Otley or Guiseley which were displaying the RAC badge (could have been the AA but I think the former).

It was the RAC, catbazza - there's a photo on the History Group site (you need to "hover" over the image).
View the page

[Sebastian-Smythe]

Malcolm, on 04 November 2011 - 11:38 AM, said:

It was the RAC, catbazza - there's a photo on the History Group site (you need to "hover" over the image).
View the page

Again I was privy to a heated discussion about former parts of the valley only this time by two chaps in Otley bus station. I realise this is a bit out of the Burley area but do any of you remember a revolving door at the front entrance to The Crescent Hotel in Ilkley? So heated was the argument it's my belief they could have come to blows had the bus not arrived.