If you take a walk down Bramley Town Street, heading towards Armley, you will come across what is said to be the oldest house in Bramley, writes Mark Stevenson.
You cannot miss it. Nothing else on Town Street looks like it.
Whenever I hear mention of this I always think it depends on how you define old.
The oldest house in Bramley. Photo: Mark Stevenson
At one time the house was part of Killingbeck Yard (possibly named after the Killingbeck family who owned the land at one time) but now the yard has gone and has been replaced with the houses you see today.
Parts of the Old Cottage, as it is also known, dates from the 1500s, mainly the wooden frame on the inside. The brickwork you see today was added in the 1800s and may not even look like the original building. Would you date the building from the inside or the outside?
If you date it from the inside then the cottage wins the title of being the oldest house in Bramley by a long way.
Cottages on Bramley Hill. Photo: M\ark Stevenson
If you were to date it from the outside then the cottages on Bramley Hill near Houghley Gill would be classed as the oldest. They date from 1646 at least.
A Calverley & Farsley councillor is asking residents to share their concerns with him about a cull of Canada Geese in Rodley.
Cllr Peter Carlill (Lab, Calverley & Farsley) said he is concerned about incidents of dead birds being found in inappropriate locations, including a local football pitch. Rodley residents’ concerns were first reported by the Dispatch and followed up by the BBC.
The cull was carried out in early September by Barry Swain with the landowner’s permission. Mr Swain has a licence to carry out the cull.
Cllr Peter Carlill
Posting on Facebook, Cllr Carlill added that the cull was “not a practice I would like to see in the area” and added:
“This is a very serious situation as carrying such a licence does give the licence holder a responsibility to make sure these acts are carried out in line with the guidelines, and that all other methods to deter geese from the land have been attempted first.
“I am aware residents have also expressed their concerns to our MP Stuart Andrew, so following a call with his office today I have asked that Stuart assert pressure to get answers to residents’ questions and ask that the appropriate agency investigate these acts and the methods used.
“I was also made aware that some of the licences to kill wild birds are under review and I will be happy to submit the concerns of local residents into this review and to further campaign for changes in the legislation to ensure these licences are fit for purpose going forwards and are only used when strictly necessary and all other methods have been attempted.”
He is encouraging people to contact him on peter.carlill@leeds.gov.uk.
In a letter distributed to residents announcing the shoot, Mr Swain described himself as a section 1 & 2 arms licence holder. He apologised in advance for any distress caused and said that the cull was much-needed.
He added: “…legal licensed fire arms will be used to do this for a humane management of the bird’s infestation.”
Read his letter in full below.
The Dispatch contacted Mr Swain for comment at the time.
Residents say they feel ‘unsafe’ after increasingly heated rows broke out between parents fighting over picking up pupils at the gates of a West Leeds school, writes Democracy Reporter Richard Beecham.
A resident said police were called to ‘scenes of violence’ and neighbours complained they didn’t want to leave their homes because of the chaos when parents use the street as a pick-up and drop-off point for Co-op Academy Priesthorpe pupils.
The Pudsey school has applied for extended opening times for a gate to a ginnel off the road which is used as an alternate entrance for pupils, but councillors raised concerns that longer opening would aggravate the ‘bedlam’.
Claims were made at a Leeds council planning committee that locals have been met with intimidating and abusive behaviour from some of the motorists.
A representative of the school admitted there was a problem with a “hard core” of parents who park inconveniently and drive dangerously on the road, and that the school was doing all it could to try and combat this.
Currently the school has permission to allow one of its gates at a ginnel off Rockwood Road to be open for 30 minutes at either side of the start and end of the school day.
But a retrospective planning application had been submitted by the school to allow it to open the gates until 75 minutes after the end of the school day.
The school said the measure is to help deliver after-school activities and reduce hazards caused by accessing the school’s main entrance from a main road.
“Over the years residents have been subjected to threatening and violent behaviour from parents of the pupils who attend the school to the point where I personally have seen the police that have been called to scenes of violence that the school cannot control. When groups of parents are fighting among themselves.
“That is what the community that live on that road are subjected to. It’s led to residents feeling quite intimidated to the point where those that are retired don’t leave their homes at school pick up or drop off times – they feel confined within their own homes.
“People don’t want to be caught in the chaos outside their homes.
“I have personally seen people parking outside my home and they are there for two hours with their engines running, so the effect the pollution is having on local residents does need to be addressed.”
Martin Blacoe, the school’s principal, said:
“There is a hard core of parents and a significant number of taxi drivers who at best park inconsiderately, and at worst park and drive dangerously.
“We see it as 20 minutes being the peak period. The traffic is really unpleasant and dangerous, but after that point, it becomes a ghost town.
“I’ve written to parents repeatedly, we’ve handed letters to them about parking there. We put the message out about working sensitively with the community.”
He added that members of school staff also attend Rockwood Road at peak times in an attempt to co-ordinate the activity.
The new proposals asked for permission to open 30 minutes prior to the start of the school day and close 15 minutes after the start; while it would reopen 15 minutes before the end of the school day and close 75 minutes after the school day has ended.
Cllr Caroline Gruen
Chair of the committee Coun Caroline Gruen (Lab, Bramley & Stanningley) said she took part in a visit to Rockwood Road just before the school’s closing time. She said:
“Already, the roads were completely lined with idling cars on double yellow lines. I am now told that they had probably been in that position a good hour or even more before then.
“It was unhealthy, irresponsible and illegal to start with.
“Then when the children came out of the ginnel and the cars started picking up people and taking them away, it was absolute mayhem.
“As Coun [Keyleigh] Brooks said, she got nearly run down by a taxi, vehicles were mounting the pavement inches away from students, altercations were happening, the one-way system was not working.
“There was a senior member of [school] staff and, to be frank, although she was working very hard, the impact of her visibility there was virtually negligible.
“I have seen this kind of chaos outside lots of schools in Leeds because we are often called to see it as councillors in our wards. But I have never seen anything quite as extreme as this.
“My initial reaction was that I couldn’t see how opening the ginnel any longer or shorter, as long as it is open and that chaos happens, I don’t think it will make any difference whatsoever.
“Opening and closing the ginnel is a clumsy gesture, and it’s just not going to work.”
Coun Sharon Hamilton (Lab) added: “To the residents, I sympathise with you. In my ward and elsewhere, it is absolute bedlam – parents don’t care. We can’t blame the children, it’s the parents.
“Most of the schools I am talking about, we have two teachers out, enforcement, tickets are issued and it makes not a blind bit of difference – parents do not care. They are just bothered about picking up their child and dropping them off.
“We need more officers out at every school.
“Parents don’t walk, children don’t walk, you would be lucky to see children use the walking route in some schools.
“We hear about the extra opening and closing time, but it make no difference whatsoever – parents will still come to make sure they have a spot.”
She added that the issue should be looked at by the council’s highways department.
The proposals for the gate’s extended opening times for the gates were rejected by the committee.
A cycling expert from Copenhagen has visited Kirkstall Forge to tell a sell-out crowd that Leeds needs to take brave choices to change the way people travel.
Klaus Bondam, Danish Cyclists Federation CEO, highlighted how Copenhagen has ensured more people now commute by bike than car following decades of planning, investment and strong political leadership.
In Copenhagen almost 50% of all journeys made to work and study to/from Copenhagen are made by bike.
Klaus Bondam, the former Technical Mayor of Copenhagen, said:
“I cycled to Kirkstall Forge on the canal towpath from the city centre and see there is a fantastic opportunity as part of this, and the Temple developments, to create the best possible active sustainable mobility.
“It will not happen overnight. It takes a vision that many need to sign up to, but it is great to see CEG embracing that opportunity.”
Aisling Ramshaw from Kirkstall Forge developers CEG, said:
“At Kirkstall Forge we have embedded cycling, walking and rail transport at the heart of our development and we are constantly looking at the best examples from around the world to learn from.
“With a new railway station on the site, a cycle spa, bike hire, bike maintenance sessions and cycling and walking clubs we are already achieving a modal shift encouraging those who work here to choose more sustainable ways of getting to work.
“We now have even more ideas for how we can make Kirkstall Forge a low carbon and active travel destination.”
At Kirkstall Forge, CEG runs regular ‘Different by Design’ thought leadership events inviting renowned speakers from around the world to share their knowledge on topics including design, regeneration, sustainability and wellbeing.
All proceeds from last night’s event were donated to local cycling charity Wheels 4 Fun. This Leeds-based cycling group helps adults with physical disabilities to access bikes and cycling opportunities.
The UK’s largest independent builder’s merchant has opened a new state-of-the-art branch in West Leeds, creating 18 jobs.
The new MKM Building Supplies branch is based on Whitehall Road in a 20,000sq foot warehouse.
The outlet is designed to be a one-stop shop to local building trade, offering a wealth of expertise and an extensive range of products.
MKM Leeds will welcome both trade and retail customers to showcase a wide range of building essentials including a range of facing bricks and blocks, plasterboard and insulation. Structural timber and joinery, specialist electrical, plumbing and heating products.
The branch also offers a range of services including a timber machining and cutting facility, free local deliveries, a brick matching service, as well as free measure and 3D design services and stunning kitchen and bathroom showrooms.
MKM Leeds is headed up by an experienced industry duo, Peter Mawson and Dean Schofield.
Peter is Chair of the Builder’s Merchant Federation for Yorkshire. He said:
“Our aim is to provide customer service that is second to none and put MKM firmly on the map as the merchant of choice in Leeds”
With over 35 years experience, Dean started his career as a plumbing and heating apprentice in Barnsley, and has since held numerous positions from yardman to managing director. He said:
“MKM is built on the concept that skilled local people, who understand the needs of local customers, should serve the local trade. For us, this is an unprecedented opportunity to become the premier builder’s merchant in Leeds.”
A major exhibition of art work reflecting on the past, present and future of a Leeds-based arts charity will be held at a new cultural venue on Kirkstall Road.
Pyramid invests in artists with learning disabilities through the discovery, development and disruption of the arts.
It was originally set up as the Arts Club at Meanwood Park Hospital in 1989, incorporated as an independent charity in 2002, and has since continually grown and worked with artists with learning disabilities to explore and develop their creativity, and to make great art for a wide public.
The exhibition will be at Archive on Kirkstall Road, a major new cultural venue for the Leeds, and will feature films as well as 2D and 3D visual art.
Works include sculptural imaginings of a future Pyramid HQ by Next Step Pyramid, remarkable work by individual artists such as ‘The Sausage Atlas’ by Andrew Towse, and recreations of work by the original Arts Club at Meanwood Park Hospital.
Director James Hill said
“This is an amazing range of work by a wide group of very talented artists. Some of it is fun, some of it is anarchic – we are, after all, celebrating our birthday.
“However, much of the work also critiques and responds to historical and present day frustrations in the lives of people with learning disabilities who, 30 years ago, were often confined within the walls of hospitals for life and who now still face many social and institutional barriers to their involvement in the arts and life in general.
“There is so much incredible work in this exhibition which responds to those barriers and disrupts them through playful, critical art. We at Pyramid are incredibly proud of these artists, some of whom have been working with us for the entire history of the charity, and we are really looking forward to sharing this work with a much wider public.”
The exhibition runs from 13th – 18th October at Archive, 94 Kirkstall Road.
Limited tickets are also available for Pyramid’s 30th birthday party, on the evening of Thursday 17th October at Archive. Details here.
Opening Times Sunday 13th Oct 10am – 2pm Monday 14th Oct 10am – 3pm Tuesday 15th Oct 10am – 3pm Wednesday 16th Oct 10m – 3pm Thursday 17th Oct 10am – 5pm Friday 18th Oct 10am – 3pm.
The organisers of the second annual Kirkstall Festive Lights switch-on are looking for potential stall holders.
The free event, now in its second year, will be held on Wednesday 20th November 2019 (3pm-8pm).
Stall holders will need their own gazebo and tables for the event in Kirkstall Leisure Centre car park. The area by the West End Public House is exclusively reserved for the event.
Lights will be switched on at 7pm,
More details from Facebook page Kirkstall Village Action Group or e-mail Mel Robbins at thekvag@gmail.com.
Armley residents concerned about Network Rail’s felling of trees near the railway line have formed their own campaign group.
Armley Trees group has been set up in response to Network Rail cutting down trees on the railway cutting next to Armley Park Road and Armley Park woods, off Canal Road.
The group is made up of people who live in the Armley Park Road area who are standing up for their local environment and campaigning for meaningful community engagement with Network Rail.
Armley Trees has the support of Armley’s councillors and MP Rachel Reeves, and the group now has its own blog. On it, campaigners wrote:
“We invite others in our community to join us so we can come together and continue to have constructive engagement with Network Rail.
“We want to make sure that Network Rail listen to and act on the complaints and concerns made in the last few weeks by people across our community regarding their tree felling programme.
“We want to get answers and clear information about what they are doing, and aim to influence their plans and to work towards positive outcomes.”
With the support of the Woodland Trust, the group says it has started to have constructive engagement with Network Rail, which has led to the mid-week work which was taking place at street level being temporarily halted until an independent review by The Tree Council has taken place. The group adds:
“Network Rail have also assured us that they will not be doing any work along the bottom of the railway cutting next to the Armley Park Road area this weekend: this was planned to take place in the early hours of Sunday morning (29 September).
“We have written assurance that the fig trees along the fence will not be removed.”
The group will be organising a public meeting once the independent review has taken place:
“One of the aims of this meeting will be for people in our community to ask questions directly to Network Rail, raise concerns and make suggestions as to how this situation can be positively resolved.
“We are aware of the need to ensure passenger safety on the railway (and many of us regularly use the Airedale line as passengers) but we still believe that the wider impacts on the environment and our inner city community as a whole have not been adequately addressed. “
Residents have also complained about poor and contradictory communication from Network Rail, who have apologised and said the communication ‘was not good enough’.
In a statement, Network Rail said:
“Network Rail is constantly balancing the needs of the environment and those who live by the railway with the needs and safety of the 4.6m people who use and rely on our railway every day.
“The work to remove vegetation from the railway cutting is essential safety work.
“The cutting is made up of rocks and the work to remove vegetation from this area is vital to prevent rocks and trees falling on the line, which could impact on the safety of the railway and disrupt train services.”
Come and dip your toe in the haunted waters of historic Bramley Baths this half-term, if you dare!
The spook-tacular Monsters Ball Disco Dip is a Hallowe’en-themed treat at the Leeds-based Edwardian pool on Friday, October 25 at 6.30pm.
Spooky Hallowe’en music will give you goosebumps under the atmospheric disco lights – and there will be a pool full of creepy ghost, skeleton and pumpkin inflatables.
At the end of the night, you can walk through our garden graveyard and collect treats amongst the ghoulish gravestones…
Bramley Baths CEO Jayne Young said the evening promises fun
for all the family. She added:
“Here at Bramley Baths we have a long tradition
of scaring up a real treat for Hallowe’en and this year is no different.
“Our Monster’s Ball is sure to prove popular with youngsters and families – with a pool full of spooky Hallowe’en inflatables and our disco lights dimmed low, this is a great way to have some Hallowe’en fun!”
Booking only via reception or on 0113 256 0949 or hello@bramleybaths.com. Normal prices apply, or try a family swim for just £10.
The Baths has also got a whole host of Hallowe’en activities planned over half-term, including a Skeleton Scavenge (where you race against fellow bone hunters to find bones at the bottom of our pool) and Hallowe’en Fun Swim (with Hallowe’en inflatable toys).
And staff will also be judging the results of the pumpkin-carving competition on Hallowe’en eve.
If you’re lucky you might even catch a glimpse of Bramley Baths’ own resident ghost, nicknamed Bob by staff. Bob is said to haunt the building, which dates back to 1904.
Police are appealing for information following a road traffic collision on the Ring Road at Wickes Roundabout.
At around 3.12pm on Thursday 26 September, a grey Fiat Punto and a white BMW car collided at the roundabout.
The driver of the Punto, a man in his 70s, sustained a serious injury in the collision.
Officers in the Roads Policing Unit are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision or anyone who may have dash-cam footage of the incident to contact police.
Anyone with information can contact police online via www.westyorkshire.police.uk/contact-us, quoting reference 13190497675. Or call West Yorkshire Police on 101.
A crisis meeting has been held to secure the future of Armley Conservative Sports and Social Club, writes Martin Heaton.
The meeting was held to try and encourage some of the members to join the committee and help in running the club.
President Chris Stockdale and secretary David Stockdale were running the meeting. David Stockdale said:
“There are only five members on the committee and they are having to spend more and more of their time trying to organise events and generally helping with bingo, raffles etc.
“The Treasurer has had to resign, for health and personal reasons. Which is why going forward extra help is urgently needed to save the club from eventually closing.”
A number of people approached David after the meeting and some signed up for the committee.
There are already a number of events organised – A Hallowe’en Party on 26th October, Bonfire party on 2nd November and The Enchanted Drag Race Show on 7th December plus Christmas and New Year entertainment to be announced.
Armley Conservative Club was established around 1895 and was based at The Dennison Hall.
It later moved to The Primrose Hall and then to its present location Farfield House Theaker Lane / Armley Ridge Road Leeds LS12 3NU.
Mark’s History: The oldest house in Bramley
If you take a walk down Bramley Town Street, heading towards Armley, you will come across what is said to be the oldest house in Bramley, writes Mark Stevenson.
You cannot miss it. Nothing else on Town Street looks like it.
Whenever I hear mention of this I always think it depends on how you define old.
At one time the house was part of Killingbeck Yard (possibly named after the Killingbeck family who owned the land at one time) but now the yard has gone and has been replaced with the houses you see today.
Parts of the Old Cottage, as it is also known, dates from the 1500s, mainly the wooden frame on the inside. The brickwork you see today was added in the 1800s and may not even look like the original building. Would you date the building from the inside or the outside?
If you date it from the inside then the cottage wins the title of being the oldest house in Bramley by a long way.
If you were to date it from the outside then the cottages on Bramley Hill near Houghley Gill would be classed as the oldest. They date from 1646 at least.