In early November I featured a series of photos of Shipley Glen, including some of the attractions and rides in the Pleasure Grounds. I am delighted to say that Yorkshire Film Archive Online have recently released an incredible piece of film showing Shipley Glen on Easter Monday 1910, when around 200,000 people visited the Glen. Do click this link and have a look at it. It's wonderful in showing what this area was like then, and in conveying something of the atmosphere and excitement.
As well as some footage of the Glen and the amazing rides, the film also shows people streaming down Victoria Road in Saltaire, and a pleasure boat on the River Aire just beside the Saltaire boathouse. The Boathouse is still here on the riverbank opposite Roberts Park. It now runs as a bar and restaurant and has recently been completely rebuilt following a fire. There is a beautiful photo of how it used to look before the fire, on Pamela and Patrick Reynolds website Home Life Images.
In Victorian/Edwardian times this part of the river was wide enough to allow boats to turn round. The park is currently being extensively renovated, including removing vegetation which had started to choke the river and you can now see much more clearly how it once looked.
Great shot and great link. Yorkshire Film Archive On-Line had slipped under my radar, I am so pleased you pointed me in its direction.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Boat House !! Loved the shot !! Would like to spend some time there for sure..Unseen Rajasthan
ReplyDeleteHello Jenny,
ReplyDeleteI like the way in which you have framed the boathouse within the framework of the bridge. Another excellent shot of a special place.
Ah I was wondering if the boathouse was still there. Visited it sometime in the mid-80s after we'd taken the tramway down the glen. I remember reading sometime that it was threatened by the route of a new road.
ReplyDeleteGerald - they've been talking about a new road for years - the latest idea was to build a tunnel under Saltaire!! Hope it will never happen.
ReplyDeleteI visited the boathouse when I was little and I loved it, looking at your photograph has brought back a lot of money. I just hope they don’t go ahead with a new road or tunnel.
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