SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Driving from Leeds to Skipton (no pun intended) yesterday I noticed numerous youngsters going to parties and the like but additionally how many under 7's appear to skip rather than walk or run (I don't mean with a rope). Is this the most efficient way of covering the ground from A to B - if you don't care what people think!Where did they learn this habit - from their peers - or does it just come natural. Wonder what the earliest film (or reference) is of this "childish" behaviour is and whether children behaved the same throughout history.In a similar vein - has the way people walk (or run) changed in Leeds (or anywhere else for that matter). Seems 100 years ago if you ran anywhere you were viewed with suspicion. Likewise people would "promenade" around the Leeds parks in great numbers when they were first build - now if you walk through a park (rather than jog or walking a dog) it's sort of perceived as suspect behaviour mainly because on one else is doing it. Looking at old films of the streets of Leeds one thing that is noticeable is how many people are "loitering" or simply promenading in fine clothes rather than rushing to go somewhere - maybe the result of having no where better to go.Just some stray thoughts on how "footpath" habits have changed (or have not) over the years in Leeds. Didn't it use to be the done thing to walk on the outside for a man if accompaning a woman - or to queue in a line for a bus.

Hi Leeds Hjppo t still walk on the outside when out with my wife.Also do it with any woman i might be with i also open doors for the same reason but then thats how we were tought when we were kids, we might have been rough and ready but we we still had respect.Sorry i cant say that for all the kids now ive been on the bus and seen kids sat down while an old person has had to stand that would not have happened in my day.There i go on and on and on.

The most well known story of anyone skipping along has to be little Red Riding Hood, she was skipping through the woods when she came upon the Big Bad Wolf.Although when I saw her last she wasn't doing that lol     

A footpath habit that seems to have become more common is when there are a couple of people together walking towards you and taking up almost all of the footpath width. As you approach them one will not briefly go in front or behind the other and so to pass you have to go onto the road or squeeze by brushing against a hedge. OK that is also briefly, but still a risk if traffic is passing. If you stop because it is just too risky to go on the road they usually still stay together and then brush past you with no care at what their action may be doing.    

Never pass a lady who is walking down the stairs. Just something I was taught.    

I can remember skipping along when I was a little boy. I think cause you are small and light when you are under 8 years old skipping comes very easy and I recall that it used to feel almost like gliding along it was so effortless once you got a momentum going. Of course you'd look a right doilum doing it when you are a grown-up! I might try doing it past the Headingley Arndale Centre and see how long it takes for someone to chin me...Anyroad, back in the days when I was aged 6 years old, myself and my friends would walk ourselves the mile or so to school. Blimey there were only a few people in our street even owned a car, and this was only the late 1970s / early 80s. Absolutely nobody got a lift to school, it was unheard of and would have been considered very exuberant if anyone did get dropped off at the school gates in a car. Strange that many kids get taken to school in their mum / dads car now - and they moan about childhod obesity and congestion on the roads. I make no wonder!

I secretly skip along the long corridor at work when nobody's looking.

Geordie-exile wrote: I secretly skip along the long corridor at work when nobody's looking. There comeing to take you away HaHa

In the days of muddy roads and horse muck a man would walk road side so if a cart splashed up any muck the man would cop it saving the womans clothing and dignity. An other explanation dates back to the time that upper stories of building protruded over the footpaths and chamber pots were emptied onto the street hence the term the faecal excriment hit the fan the fan been Anglo Saxon for path edge.    

Having worked at various railway(not train)stationsaround the old West Riding it was great fun to watch the various running styles of people dashing down platforms to catch trains.Some were definately NOT built to run !