SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

cnosni wrote: Ian Atkinson wrote: TenDaysaLoiner wrote: I grew up in Sherburn in Elmet, on the old A1, 14 miles from Leeds.Doing some family history, recently, I came across what must be the most gruesome story I have read in my life. Put it this way - in one 1888 newspaper, the very NEXT story to this, is an account of one of the Whitechapel Murders which were happenign the very same week - and this story, from Sherburn, is more gruesome and scary than the Ripper story beneath it! Any relation to Albert Mountain VC who had the Miner's Arms at Garforth? Might be something to look into for your tree!Ian. Albert VC was born in Leeds 1897 (not 1895 on wikipedia),son of a James Mountain born Farnley 1860 and Mary Ann Cowling born Ripon 1865 (possibly not her maiden name)James father was a William Mountain born Tong 1734. Should that not be 1834? He'd be pretty old otherwise!

Yorkshire Pud wrote: David Raven wrote: scottishmagic wrote: Hi, just joined, ex Leeds (Horsforth) girl. Was spending some time searching the internet on my day off, and like most, can get side tracked into all sorts, when I came across a folklore name 'Barguest' - this sparked memory's for the past. ... Leeds has a long and colourful history of Black Dogs or Barguests.They were usually referred to as 'Padfoot' in Leeds though. Bob Trubshaw's excellent book 'Explore Black Dogs' relates that a man called Nichols, writing in 1828, said :-'Leeds has it's distinct Padfoots, distinguishable one from another (as I am told), for almost every street'.That's a lot of phantom Black Dogs for one town! There was even a reported sighting last year, in a park somewhere in Leeds (Armley area I think).Another name for them is 'Gytrash', used mainly around the South Pennine area. Although one was reported near Hawksworth by that name.CheersDave I was looking through a book about Leeds recently (Leeds, A Miscellany) and it mentions something about an old folklore belief which says, "An old folklore belief in the Leeds area was that the souls of babies who had died before they were baptised would return to haunt their parents, in the shape of devil dogs known as Gabble Retchets" Is this another name for these Black Dogs that you mention? I'm reading a book about Wortley at the moment called "Wortley de Leeds" by William Benn published in the 1920's by the Thoresby society. In this there is mention of the "Gytrash" or "Guytrash" haunting the Wortley Manor House on Green Hill Lane. Very little remains of the manor house.More info here - interesting reference to the novel Jane Eyrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gytrash

I remember the Mary Judge murder,mainly because she only lived a few streets away from us in East End Park , if it was 1968 I would only have been 10 at the time !!Ex- detective Bob Taylor had a book out called ' Crime Buster' that featured one of the murderers mentioned earlier, the Balne Lane,Wakefield shoe fetishist. Turned out to be a guy from Cookridge.

GarforthLad wrote: Right, I'm wondering if any of you have heard of this tale or whether it's just a load of old tosh. When we were kids, we used to mess around in Parlington Woods (between Garforth/Aberford and Barwick) and just off Barwick road where it narrows to one lane we found a rope swing over the little stream which runs through the woods. However just next to the rope swing was a gravestone and some stones laid in a rectangular grave shape in a large hedge, which as I remember had the name of Christopher Robin on it (not the lad from Winnie the Pooh). Well my mates Dad at the time said this lad was murdered in the 50's or 60's or something when he got caught up in a load of gang related stuff, but as Garforth is not Brighton I never quite believed him. Anyone heard of this? I'm pretty sure the grave should still be there as well. It seems a pretty weird place to bury someone. I appreciate this is an old post, but there is some information about this on the Parlington site Quote: Murder in ParlingtonA body was discovered not far from Lakeside Cottage, across the Cock Beck from the house. A small plaque on the site commemorates the victim's life stating In loving memory of Christopher Robin Cooper whose life was taken 26th July 1975 A thread to the story was picked up on Secret Leeds and also a forum site had the following reference to the murder: ... http://www.parlington.co.uk/oddstuff.la ... cess=2Does anyone know if the marker is still there?

Leeds Hippo wrote: Yorkshire Pud wrote: David Raven wrote: scottishmagic wrote: Hi, just joined, ex Leeds (Horsforth) girl. Was spending some time searching the internet on my day off, and like most, can get side tracked into all sorts, when I came across a folklore name 'Barguest' - this sparked memory's for the past. ... Leeds has a long and colourful history of Black Dogs or Barguests.They were usually referred to as 'Padfoot' in Leeds though. Bob Trubshaw's excellent book 'Explore Black Dogs' relates that a man called Nichols, writing in 1828, said :-'Leeds has it's distinct Padfoots, distinguishable one from another (as I am told), for almost every street'.That's a lot of phantom Black Dogs for one town! There was even a reported sighting last year, in a park somewhere in Leeds (Armley area I think).Another name for them is 'Gytrash', used mainly around the South Pennine area. Although one was reported near Hawksworth by that name.CheersDave I was looking through a book about Leeds recently (Leeds, A Miscellany) and it mentions something about an old folklore belief which says, "An old folklore belief in the Leeds area was that the souls of babies who had died before they were baptised would return to haunt their parents, in the shape of devil dogs known as Gabble Retchets" Is this another name for these Black Dogs that you mention? I'm reading a book about Wortley at the moment called "Wortley de Leeds" by William Benn published in the 1920's by the Thoresby society. In this there is mention of the "Gytrash" or "Guytrash" haunting the Wortley Manor House on Green Hill Lane. Very little remains of the manor house.More info here - interesting reference to the novel Jane Eyrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gytrash Was Wortley Manor House at one time used by a company called Union transport Finace? This would be in the 1960's. My wife worked there for about 4 years and as a teenager was scared by other members of staff who told frightening tale of Guytrash and Padfoot who were reputed to haunt the building!

Croggy1 wrote: GarforthLad wrote: Right, I'm wondering if any of you have heard of this tale or whether it's just a load of old tosh. When we were kids, we used to mess around in Parlington Woods (between Garforth/Aberford and Barwick) and just off Barwick road where it narrows to one lane we found a rope swing over the little stream which runs through the woods. However just next to the rope swing was a gravestone and some stones laid in a rectangular grave shape in a large hedge, which as I remember had the name of Christopher Robin on it (not the lad from Winnie the Pooh). Well my mates Dad at the time said this lad was murdered in the 50's or 60's or something when he got caught up in a load of gang related stuff, but as Garforth is not Brighton I never quite believed him. Anyone heard of this? I'm pretty sure the grave should still be there as well. It seems a pretty weird place to bury someone. I appreciate this is an old post, but there is some information about this on the Parlington site Quote: Murder in ParlingtonA body was discovered not far from Lakeside Cottage, across the Cock Beck from the house. A small plaque on the site commemorates the victim's life stating In loving memory of Christopher Robin Cooper whose life was taken 26th July 1975 A thread to the story was picked up on Secret Leeds and also a forum site had the following reference to the murder: ... http://www.parlington.co.uk/oddstuff.la ... cess=2Does anyone know if the marker is still there? Back in the day we lived at town end in garforth. While walking the dog in the fields near sisters villas my mother came across Christpher Robin. He was very young and had decided to run away from home. My mother promptly returned him home.Years later my mother worked at faircloughs offices(behind tesco, now a housing estate) when the police dug up the other bodies associated with the christopher robin/hells angels murders

Regarding the grave of Christopher Robin Cooper in Parlington Hollins woods - yes it is still there, I was standing by it yesterday. It is covered by a large laurel bush.

With regard to the Christopher Robin murder. In the late seventies I was working for the National Coalboard Survey department and part of the job involved a once a year check on all known mineshafts in the Garforth, Parlington area (yes there is a capped shaft on the Parlington estate).One morning we were visited by two investigating officers from the murder squad who were interested in the whereabouts of any shafts where bodies could be disposed of. I believe that after an arrest of a local man, bodies were found in Stocks yard, shallowly buried and at least one other location. The papers reported at the time that the accused was a "Fonzi" type character to the local youth, regaling them with tales of the Hells Angels and claiming to be involved with them. Never the less his grip of terror on the people he chose to hang around resulted in a wall of silence for sometime hence the delay in investigation and the victims being given a proper burial.

billio wrote: Regarding the grave of Christopher Robin Cooper in Parlington Hollins woods - yes it is still there, I was standing by it yesterday. It is covered by a large laurel bush. Thanks, billio. It's good to know it is still there. I'll have to go for an explore in that area soon.

Can't recall if mentioned on here, but I recall over near Garforth a gruesome accident/car crash.A vehicle accellerated up a road to a T junction without stopping and crashed into cars with priority.Turned out the driver was already dead before the crash. Think he/she had driven under a rail bridge, loose brickwork fell and killed driver.By reflex accellerated and into accident.And, sadly, I know a few more like this