In compiling the book 'Horforth at War' [2005]
some rolls of film came to light
of Horsforth during the 1930s.
These were filmed by Herbert Hodgson and his son, Stanley.
Our first glimpse of Horsforth comes in June 1931.
It's a parade along Long Row
prior to the Comic Cricket Match
which was held on a field
on what is now the Woodside Tavern [Miller & Carter]
The parade is filmed outside Herbert's chemist shop.
the one with the awning.
That man with the hat? Well...
he's Mr Archer
who organised the cricket match.
Many of the buildings in the background,
on the right hand side,
have since been demolished.
and there are modern houses there today.
The man on the motorbike
is the ice cream seller, Frankie Light of Woodside.
The parade didn't actually come down Town Street
but instead, it turned down Broadgate Lane.
These people are filmed outside cottages
near the top of Broadgate Lane.
They're opposite Lambert's greengrocers,
seen here on the right [Osteopaths today].
This is the Whitsuntide Sing in 1931.
The parade came down Town Street to The Green.
It included the congregations from the
Primitive Methodists
St Margaret's Church
Cragg Hill Baptists
and the Salvation Army.
Whitsuntide
was the very first Bank Holiday
when it was established in 1871.
Children then used to get a new suit of clothes
to celebrate.
and they joined their church
or chapel on a sing around Horsforh.
Sundays were very different then!
You wore your best clothes all day
and you'd probably have gone in the morning
and afternoon to Sunday School
as well as fitting-in morning and evening services.
On 7th May 1932
Horsforth Hall and its grounds
were donated to the people of Horsforth
by William Mathieson.
The man seen here with the bowler hat.
Surprisingly,
the formal opening was at the gate
that stood-off Hall Lane
where the entrance to the Council yard is today.
Matthieson owned an iron foundry
at Armley, that made Rayburn cookers.
He bought the hall in 1930
with the express intention of giving it to
the people of Horsforth.
He never lived there,
but at Glenburn on Calverley Lane.
The hall passed into the custodianship
of Horsforth Urban District Council.
Who in 1952,
rather than replace the roof,
in an act which many consider an act of civic vandalism
demolished the hall.
Beside the bandstand,
there were also tennis courts,
a putting green,
and a miniature golf course.
Here we see people eagerly teeing-off!
[with a cigarette in his mouth!]
There were also ponds.
You can see one here, at the bottom of your screen.
In the background is the wooden Ex-Servicemen's Club.
The hall had been built in 1699
for the Stanhope family who moved here
from Low Hall on Calverley Lane.
It was laid out with ponds and formal gardens.
The pond to the north of the park can still be seen in the film.
Until then, the park was only open on
certain occasions for cricket and galas.
It also looks quite different today,
with the removal of the shelters,
fomal gardens, hedges and trees.
We've moved on now to 1st July 1933
and the Horsorth branch of the British Legion
organised a parade of veterans
as well as a fancy dress parade
again, the parade comes along Long Row.
Perhaps somebody could tell us the significance
of the bomb on the back of that lorry?
This time, the parade continues down Town Street
before entering the park.
Seems strange to us, doesn't it, seeing Town Street
with so little traffic!
Oh no! Watch out...
But aren't those tin cars, something else?
The Earl of Harewood,
the present Earl's father [now grandfather]
inspects the veterans.
Remember, that the veterans that you see here
are from WWI.
It's amazing to think that in 2005
we had a virtual re-enactment of this event.
"Atten-shun!"
These Horsforth men, we see here, on an outing
are also WWI veterans.
Now, just watch, isn't this man keen to plant a tree?
These trees are being planted in the park in 1937
to celebrate the Coronation of King George VI.
Once again, we see William Mathieson
formally open what is known as the Jubilee Shelter
although locally known as the 'Old Man's Shelter'
for those who stopped here to put the world to 'rights'!
It used to stand next to the little bridge in the park
it was demolished in the 1980s
A Lottery grant of £16,000
has been received by the Town Council [in 2005]
for an event to commemorate the end of WWII in 1945.
As part of that, a book is being produced,
consisting of interviews
with people who lived in the town
during the war years.
"I think I would be in it,
because I'd be a Ranger, you see,
probably carrying the flag!
Huh-huh!
Knowing me, I think I would be!"
"We...we... we pushed a treadcart
round Horsforth.
and we collected jam jars.
We went all round... we were knocking on people's
doors.
I must have pushed that treadcart for miles!
There was a glass shortage y'see
glass wasn't... there was no glass for the home market
and these were all steam sterilised
and Moorhouse's [jam, Leeds] bought them.
I think we raised about £400.
A lot of money in those days, y'know."
"Quick MARCH!"
Our final piece of film is
the earliest colour footage we have
filmed in Horsforth.
It was most likely filmed after the end of the war
and, judging by the trees,
was probably Remembrance parade.
In it we see the cadet band
and those about to be conscripted
into the armed forces as National Service men.
They're parading and training with mock wooden guns.
They leave by the main park gates
probably going to the Cenotaph.
The veterans of previous campaigns are notable
for their long Gannex style macs!