Where are the lost playing fields of Leeds?

buffaloskinner · Post by **buffaloskinner** » Sat 04 Sep, 2010 10:39 pm

View of the U.Y.M.I. Football Ground situated on Skelton Road on Leodishttp://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?resourceIde ... SPLAY=FULL

Leeds Hippo · Post by **Leeds Hippo** » Sat 04 Sep, 2010 11:33 pm

drapesy wrote: godfather wrote: Oldfield lane football ground has gone, this was the one used for many years by leeds schools. This is what it looks like now If it had been sold off for development you could partly understand it - but its simply derelict now - why??? I was always led to believe that the Oldfield Lane ground was held in trust and couldn't be used for anything but sport. Not sure why it was called the TV Harrison ground (as a kid I always thought it had something to do with television.- does anyone know who TV Harrison was?) I've been studying old maps of this area and the sports ground goes back a long time. I was originally a cricket ground then part of this was used for Netball then finally a football ground (I remember playing there as a school boy) I think it was the home ground of Leeds United school boys team at one time. (Map from 1875) Interesting article herehttp://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Glo ... .218796.jp

jim · Post by **jim** » Sat 04 Sep, 2010 11:53 pm

I believe that the Leeds schools playing fields were named after Leeds headmasters who were in some way involved in school sports. Certainly one was named after Archie Gordon, after he retired as head of Lower Wortley Primary.

zip55 · Post by **zip55** » Mon 06 Sep, 2010 4:35 am

Unlike my now demolished schools, my childhood playing fields are still there, Soldier's Field & the Fearnvilles, and before that even, the field that borders Sussex Ave and Pepper Rd. in Hunslet. Does (or did) this have a name at all?

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Mon 06 Sep, 2010 8:53 pm

The wealth of sporting facilities at Leeds schools in days gone by can scarcely be believed now.At the now demolished Braimwood there was a full sized football / rugby pitch in front of the school, half a dozen hard standing tennis courts, some of which doubled up as netball / basketball courts, a proper long jump, a high jump (including sand pit!), a full sized hockey pitch and another full sized football pitch above the playground, then above those there were some abondoned (by the time I got there) sports pitches - possibly a cricket field and I'm sure I can remember a rounders pitch too. And all this on top of a gymnasium (complete with full gymnastics equipment) and the dreaded cross country runs around Roundhay Park, up the Gorge, along the Ring Road and back across the golf course.Schools would kill for facilities like that nowadays, but some money grabber at Education Leeds has had it all demolished ready to be sold off for unaffordable "executive housing" the minute the market picks up.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Mon 06 Sep, 2010 9:20 pm

When I was at Cockburn High School (1955-1962) at Burton Road its playing fields for games was a long walk away up and then off Dewsbury Road. I wonder if the fields are still there or now built over (I would suspect the latter).

uncle mick · Post by **uncle mick** » Tue 07 Sep, 2010 8:05 am

Leodian wrote: When I was at Cockburn High School (1955-1962) at Burton Road its playing fields for games was a long walk away up and then off Dewsbury Road. I wonder if the fields are still there or now built over (I would suspect the latter). I was at Cockburn from 1960 to 1965.The playing fields were on Middleton Grove and yes they have been built over

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Tue 07 Sep, 2010 8:28 am

godfather wrote: the ground was owned by Leeds UYMI football club in the 50s and 60s was bought by East End Park WMC in the mid 60s and used by there football club. which includes 2 saturday sides in the West Yorkshire League and a Sunday League side on Sunday morning plus a youth side on Sunday pm. the groundsman is a committee man from the wmc. When Parkside was sold and Hunslet RLFC needed a home ground in the early seventies the Skelton Road "fortress" was on the cards to be developed for the Rugby Club.......

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Tue 07 Sep, 2010 8:31 am

Tetleys had a sports ground at Sharp Lane Miggy, then bought the Cabtree Vickers ground at Weetwood opposite meanwood park. We had two soccer pitches, cricket and tennis courts and changing rooms.It was sold and abandoned, but sits there derelict and overgrown. I have popped along for a few great memories of the place.......

peterg · Post by **peterg** » Tue 07 Sep, 2010 11:17 am

St. Michael's College had use of a sports ground way out on the outskirts of Leeds, a good walk from the (I believe) Lawnswood Tram Terminus. They then acquired property in Cookridge, with a bus service to the doorstep. The property included a house where we could even get tea and cakes. There were at least two football pitches, an athletics track and cricket on a matting wicket somewhere in the middle.