Hunslet - cricket and rugby ground at Woodhouse Hill
Posted: Sat 21 Dec, 2019 11:31 pm
There was a sports ground at Woodhouse Hill where Hunslet Cricket Club and the Hunslet rugby team were based in the late nineteenth-century. Cricket was played there from the 1860's at least, including one county match for Yorkshire. Hunslet rugby shared the ground from 1883 to February 1888, before moving to Parkside.
In terms of visual records this ground is like a ghost. I have been unable to find any images of it - photographs or drawings, and it does not even appear on a map! (The few ordnance survey maps of the time either pre-date its existence, or post-date it. For example, one such map was made in 1889, but by that time, the ground had already gone - having been converted into a bowling green, with houses built on some of its other parts.)
I've checked out cricketing and Hunslet rugby sources, but haven't found a dicky-bird. And the distinguished Goldthorpe and Gilston rugby families have nothing in their personal archives either. The archive of the Thoresby Society also appears to have nothing relevant.
Surely, somewhere, there must be an image of the ground - perhaps on an old postcard. There were some cards issued by the Baines company of Bradford featuring pictures of Hunslet players of the time, but the background scenery in the pictures is apparently imaginary as it is also used in relation to players from other teams.
If any 'Secret Leeds' folk know of an image of the Woodhouse Hill ground, it would be wonderful to see it posted.This is one Leeds secret that needs to be revealed. Spread the word...It would be a real discovery!
Cheers,
Paul
In terms of visual records this ground is like a ghost. I have been unable to find any images of it - photographs or drawings, and it does not even appear on a map! (The few ordnance survey maps of the time either pre-date its existence, or post-date it. For example, one such map was made in 1889, but by that time, the ground had already gone - having been converted into a bowling green, with houses built on some of its other parts.)
I've checked out cricketing and Hunslet rugby sources, but haven't found a dicky-bird. And the distinguished Goldthorpe and Gilston rugby families have nothing in their personal archives either. The archive of the Thoresby Society also appears to have nothing relevant.
Surely, somewhere, there must be an image of the ground - perhaps on an old postcard. There were some cards issued by the Baines company of Bradford featuring pictures of Hunslet players of the time, but the background scenery in the pictures is apparently imaginary as it is also used in relation to players from other teams.
If any 'Secret Leeds' folk know of an image of the Woodhouse Hill ground, it would be wonderful to see it posted.This is one Leeds secret that needs to be revealed. Spread the word...It would be a real discovery!
Cheers,
Paul
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