That Was A Great Gala – by Chris Parapia

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P1020674The sun shone, the crowds came and the band played on.  Friends of Parkinson’s Park Gala was truly a community event with lots of new residents to Guiseley coming along with their families and enjoying the community atmosphere.

The park was looking very festive with lots of stalls representing different aspects of Guiseley life, including Guiseley Baptist Church, Guiseley Methodist Church, Guiseley Brass Band, Aireborough Camera Club, Aireborough Historical Society and the Community Policing Team.

Thank you to Aireborough Extended Services forphoto 2 organizing the Community Games, and to Professor Dan for keeping the children enthralled with his Punch and Judy balloon modelling and magic show.  Also our thanks go to Ian Dawes from Subway who kindly sponsored the programme, and brough subman.

A wide range of goodies were available from Tods Treats and Marcus the ice cream man.
As well as a range of ‘produce’ on the manned stalls, buns and cakes, books and plants.

Thanks also to the help from local scouting organisations and the magnificent support from the Station Pub – Richard deserves a special mention for Continue reading →

Raffle Winners – Parkinsons Park Children’s Gala

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Whoever was responsible for the weather deserves a huge pat on the back as the sun shone down on a successful children’s gala today on Parkinson’s Park. As promised the RAFFLEwinning  raffle numbers were:

28 – Glenlivet whiskey set
30 – Milk Tray chocolates
113 – 3 day Kelcliffe cattery stay
116 – 1 week LA Fitness pass
120 – Easy Yo yogurt maker
127 – Station pub meal voucher
139 – £40 Zen Rendezvous voucher
167 – 1 month LA Fitness pass
637 – Maynard’s sports bag

To collect a prize contact Nicola Denson on 01943 874613.

Congratulation to the winners and thank you to everyone who took part.

All Our Stories – Medieval Fields Cover Kelcliffe

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LIDAR data showing the park and the various ridge and furrow, including an old medieval ridge

LIDAR data showing the park and the various ridge and furrow, including an old medieval ridge

Throughout the Summer Barbara Winfield and I have been ploughing on with the research for All Our Stories: we now have a good record of owners and tenants throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (which will be useful for local family historians), and have even been able to get back into the sixteenth century manor court rolls, with the kind help of Stonyhurst College in Lancashire, where some records are kept.

However, our most fascinating discovery has been with the help of English Heritage and LIDAR data (a remote sensing technology that uses high altitude laser to produce reflected light off dips, lumps, bumps and ditches – more information here).  With this, academic papers,  and our research on the evolution of local field names,  we have established that the whole Kelcliffe Area, including the park,  is awash with ancient ridge and furrow,  and field lynchets : indicating that the area has probably been farmed in open fields since early medieval times around 600AD – 1000AD and then into the high medieval period 1000AD – 1400AD (remembering that William I laid wast to the area around 1069).  There is also the possibility that some markings in fields around the park show the remains of Romano-British enclosure systems.  This would link with the enclosures that have been found on The Chevin.

This is the medieval ridge shown on the above LIDAR map

This is the medieval ridge shown on the above LIDAR map

This is the same ridge going across Kelcliffe Lane. The lane dates to the early 1700's.

This is the same ridge going across Kelcliffe Lane. The lane dates to the early 1700’s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We now need to write our findings into a report and seek academic help with specialists on verification,  probably with a field survey.   At some point in the future, we also want to obtain a grant to do some test pits to see if we can find dating evidence – but that is for the future.

Announcing the 2014 Parkinson’s Park Children’s Gala

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Presentation1Well the grass has been cut, the park is prepared and so we are very pleased to announce that the 2014 Parkinson’s Park Children’s Gala will be held next week, 7th September, between 2pm and 4.30pm,  in the Park.  Funding has come from Leeds City Council, Outer North West Committee.

Invitations have started going out to all surrounding houses,  but all who want to come and enjoy this annual event are welcome – we will just keep our fingers crossed for a day as lovely and sunny as today.

As last year,  we will be having Punch and Judy,  Guiseley Brass Band,  Fairground Stalls,  races and games, plus a raffle and tombola for fund raising for the Friends:  refreshment stalls will have goodies.

Gala goers are encouraged to come dressed up as your favourite book character,  and there will be prizes given for the ‘best dressed’.

So,  come and enjoy this Guiseley event, which was first started by Crompton Parkinsons for the children of their employees back in the early 1950s.   We are always especially glad to welcome back any of the Crompton staff and their families.

Most people will probably walk,  but car parking is available in the car park on Netherfield Road.  For people with a disability,  level access is available via the Oxford Road entrance;  Kelcliffe Lane still has a number of large pot holes.

If you have any queries, please email parkinsonspark@gmail.com, or call Chris Parapia on  01943 877282.  Please also call Chris if you would like to help on the day.

Child’s Play In The Park – by Chris Parapia

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vcm_s_kf_m160_160x120Twenty five children, their parents and carers, enjoyed a mostly dry and sunny afternoon in Parkinson’s Park on Thursday 31st July 2014.  The event was part of a series of mobile play sessions throughout Aireborough organised by Leeds Play Network in collaboration with Aireborough Extended Services.

The session in the park included arts and crafts, parachute games and den building. Let’s hope this can become a regular annual event for local children. Many parents said they had never been in the park before, and some were new residents from the Edison Fields and Redrow estates.

The sessions run throughout the school holiday and are free; you can just turn up. For further information about these sessions which are continuing in the area till 21st August contact www.leedsplaynetwork.org.uk.

 

Guiseley Marks ‘The Lamps Going Out’ – 4th August 2014

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Royal British Legion Limited Edition Candle

Royal British Legion Limited Edition Candle

“The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime”, the words attributed to British Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey as he looked out over Whitehall on the eve of World War 1.

To remember and reflect on this event, and the sacrifice made by so many of our own family members and their peers, Guiseley will be hosting a series of events this coming Monday, 4th August 2014.

10.30am: A wreath laying service at the Cross, Towngate, followed by the laying of flowers on the war graves in the churchyard

6pm : Children will create a ‘peace and hope’ mosaic, Springfield Park

7pm : Walk of Remembrance, meet Cross Towngate to parade to Springfield

7.30pm : Reflective, Music, Poetry, & Stories, – Springfield Park

10-11pm: National Candle Vigil – turn off all your house lights and leave one candle burning. Special British Legion limited edition, fund raising, poppy candles are available from M&S. Westminster Abbey will be leading the nation with a First World War vigil liturgy which will be broadcast live on the BBC. Corporations will be joining in as well with flood lights being turned off on public buildings, to create a gloom with only pinpricks of candlelight in homes.

The Guiseley events have been organized by the British Legion, together with the Baptist, Methodist and Parish Churches and are the start of 4 years of ‘We Will Remember’ Events which will culminate in a new Commemorative Garden in Nunroyd Park for the whole of Aireborough.

If anyone can help deliver leaflets in their local street, to make sure everyone knows about Monday’s events please contact clerk@rawdonparishcouncil.gov.uk.

Please share with friends and neighbours.

PS  In 1914 – 1918  Parkinson’s Park was hay meadow, and pasture;  the first F & A Parkinson factory was not built until 1919.  However, post WWI, new houses were built for returning soldiers on the old allotments and recreation ground which is now Kelcliffe Avenue.  It is thought that the Park, the land for which was brought in the late 1930’s, was the Parkinson brother’s contribution to the loss of this community recreation ground.

Fund Raising at Guiseley Farmers’ Market – by Chris Parapia

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Barbara Winfield on the FOPP stall

Barbara Winfield on the FOPP stall

The Friends of Parkinson’s Park took a last minute decision to have a stall at the Farmer’s Market on Sunday. Barbara is seen here selling our herbs and seedlings. There was a lot of interest in the Park with many people new to Guiseley not being sure where to find it or even having heard of it.

The weather just held off and we were pleased to make £27.70. Its a pity that more people dont support the market. The next one is on Sunday 17th August. many thanks to the staff of the Station Pub who put in such an effort to get this up and running

Park Maintenance Update

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Site Ownership Is A Key Issue

Site Ownership Is A Key Issue

Five foot high grass,  an ugly clay mound that would not look out-of-place in a mining district,  and dog excrement everywhere, is not exactly what the Friends had in mind for the Park in 2014.   Since last  year we have been trying to get something done about all these issues – and at long last may just be getting somewhere.

Park Ownership

The issue firstly is the ownership of the Park.  As is now known,  the papers that gave Continue reading →

Planting Poppies For Aireborough’s WWI Commemoration Launch on 4th August 2014

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The Poppy Planting Team

The Poppy Planting Team

As part of Aireborough’s World War I commemorations, Parkinson’s Park have been sowing poppies.  The idea is for the poppies to be in bloom on 4th August, when a whole host of events and special features are due to start as a means to recognize the sacrifice and say ‘thank you’ to all the local people who took part in the First Wold War,  in whatever way.

On the morning of Wednesday 30th April  Chris Parapia joined in with Oxford Road Pre School Playgroup  to sow wildflower and poppy seeds at the play area in front of the playgroup building.

In the afternoon six pupils from Guiseley Infants School and their teachers, Daisy, Matilda, Oliver,Jake Evie and Harriet and their teachers Janet Munnings and Helen Gastel,  walked up to the Park,  and worked very hard sowing seeds in the newly extended wildflower area by the Farmgate; helped by Betty, Josie, Chris and Barbara from the Friends.

Brass Cap Badge from The Royal Artillery & 1914 Half-Penny recently found in the Park.

Brass Cap Badge from The Royal Artillery & 1914 Half-Penny recently found in the Park.

The poppies should give colour on August 4th, when there will be a wreath laying ceremony at the cross in Guiseley at 11am followed by flowers placed on the war graves in St Oswald’s cemetery: Guiseley Brass Band will be playing  music from 1914, from 10.30am.  Later in the evening the Guiseley churches will be holding an evening reflection.  Nationally there is to be a ‘blackout’ from 11pm when people will be asked to turn off their lights, and light a British Legion candle.  Special  WWI candles will be available from The Royal British Legion’s partner,  Marks & Spencer’s from early July,

Entry from Guiseley Town Council Minutes of 12th November 1918.

Entry from Guiseley Town Council Minutes of 12th November 1918.

The Aireborough Commemmorations are designed to bring together in remembrance the townships of Yeadon, Guiseley and Rawdon – not forgetting Hawksworth and High Royds, whose families were all part of the Parish of Guiseley.  The events will last from 2014 until 2018 and compliment national events.    The idea was started by Stuart Andrew MP, last year,  after discussions with the local Royal British Legion.  The organizing committee, of which Parkinson’s Park is a member, along with Guiseley in Bloom,  Guiseley Carnival, Rawdon Parish Council, local churches, and the British Legion,  is chaired by WWI historian Cllr John Davies from Rawdon Parish Council.   Anyone who wants to be part of the committee,  or has an event they are organizing that could link into the WWI programme, should contact John on 0113 250 4403.

 

 

 

AGM Presentation – All Our Stories, History of Parkinson’s Park

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Attached is the presentation given at the AGM about showing the results of our All Our Stories research about the History of Parkison’s Park.  This is just the tip of the wealth of data we now have,  and which will be going into leaflets, information boards, and eventually a book – maybe.    We can arrange to talk about our work to local groups,  just email us on parkinsonspark@gmail.com