Broomfields, Bradford
To the east of Broomhall the southern boundary was not precisely defined but approximated to the northern limit of "Spring Fields".
From an early date Broomfields provided the people of Bradford with country walks and the opportunity of catching trout in the becks.
From 1774 with the opening of the Bradford Canal this idyllic picture started to change, though very slowly, as the coal and iron deposits were worked on a commercial scale.
[3] In the last decade of the 18th century Sir Francis Lindley Wood (owner of Bolling Hall and Lord of the manor) sunk coal mines in Broomfields – much of which was part of his extensive estates.
[4] Broomfield Colliery was at the junction of Hall Lane and Wakefield road close to the ancient "Wheatsheaf" public house.
It was built for Dr Samuel Lodge on part of the garden of Mr Addison's house – which in 1864 had become the vicarage of St. Luke's church.
[9] In 1838 The Bowling Iron Works Company built Victoria Mill on the southern boundary of Broomfields, also for letting out on a "room and power" basis.
Prospect Foundry established a flourishing business in domestic ironware: its black iron kitchen ranges were installed in many Bradford houses of the Victorian period.
To deal with the increased traffic the Broomfield tunnel was opened out into a wide cutting, occupying much of the area of the former Broom Closes.
Despite many attempts by the council officials to clear out and close cellar dwellings all those in Sturges Street were still occupied at the time of the 1911 census.
Over the space of a year or so they cleared the spoil heap, saving the building fund £350 and receiving from Mr Peason an undisclosed sum in exchange for the brick making materials.
The 1908 map has been marked up to show the Midland Railways scheme for a through line with an indication that demolition of working-class houses in Broomfields was already in process.
[20] Richardson estimates that three quarters of the congregation of the Roman Catholic church of St Mary's were of Irish birth or descent.
Although Irish immigration reached a peak in 1840 it continued at a high level through the middle decades and only declined towards the end of the century.
Their income status gave them little choice ..they occupied the lowest occupational groups"..."They made up 81% of the population of hawkers, 62% of "other labourers" and 25% of the charwomen and washer women..." and 15% of the hand wool combers -"the average pay of this group was 7/- for a 60 hour week"..."Crowding was more or less a necessity because rents were relatively high at two to four shillings a week for a workers cottage"..."Twenty two per cent of the households occupied by the 9,687 Irish in 1851 were two or more family households; in 1861 fourteen per cent were in this category".
He built the twin tunnels under the River Hudson in New York before moving his residence and company headquarters to London Dr. Samuel Lodge originated in Oxfordshire and in 1868 named his new house and surgery[21] at No.
He retired from this post in 1897 to be succeeded by another Dr. Samuel Lodge (probably his nephew) but continued in general practice until his death in the opening years of the 20th century.
Skilled craftsmen, self-employed tradesmen, school teachers, white collar workers and supervisors were typical of the residents.
In 1861 he lived with his wife Emma (daughter of Mark Oddy the rope maker) in Mill Lane following the trade of "Master millwright and engineer".
In the 1890s he moved to a newly built house in Bowling Park Drive: the 1901 census describes him as proprietor of an engineer's tools supply company.
The "Tide Field" next to Hall Lane was filled by the rides and roundabouts of the travelling showmen and with stalls, coconut shies and boxing booths.
Russell notes "it must be remembered that the public house was not merely a source of drink and company, but acted as a focus for such divers activities as music, botany, geology cricket and bowls."
The bylaws laid down opening and closing times, prohibited football, meetings, dogs, alcohol and any form of unseemly behaviour.
[26] On Saturday afternoon it held the "penny rush" with a program of films, singing and competitions for the children of Broomfields.
Bradford Borough Council initiated its first slum clearance and urban regeneration schemes (although on a small scale) in the first decade of the 20th century.
The Midland Railway Company had acquired Ladywell fields and a strip of houses along Bolling Street for its planned Bradford Through Line.
The corporation continued the demolition program initiated by MRC and built not a railway but an up-to-date dual carriageway road.
Over the next few years Wakefield Road was widened to a dual carriage way and the remnants of Broomfield's 19th century houses were cleared to make way for it.
A satellite view of the area today is dominated by the anonymous grey sheds of modern warehousing and distribution and a number of smaller office buildings.
The imposing buildings of St Ann's RC church with its presbytery and school are well cared for and in use as a company HQ The site of the Lady Well and its sylvan pool, the historic centre of Broomfields, can still be identified.
