blog-dougs-complete-storiesDoug emigrated to Australia in the early 1950s but fondly remembers his early days in East Leeds particularly at Ellerby Lane School
The Memories of Doug Farnill
October 1, 2008 by peterwwoodThe Lucky Dressing room Saga
September 2, 2008 by peterwwoodblog-lucky-dressing-room2Alan Allman relates the tale of the lucky dressing roomsaga which concerns the 1952 Leeds School’s Cup Final of 1952 between Ellerby Lane School and Victoria School two great East Leeds rivals and the battle for the ‘lucky dressing room’.
Knostrop Army Camp
August 31, 2008 by Wood WendyEric Janssen has made contacted from Belguim please see below, can anyone help provide further information on the Knostrop Army Camp?
I have been searching the Internet and writing letters and mails (in vain) to the Leeds Historical Section, the Army Cadet Forces, Territorial Army, the Leeds local newspaper…(none of these even answered my mail !) for information concerning the “Knostrop Army Camp”
Your article has given me a small ray of hope ?!
My maternal grandfather Major (Retd) Arnold LE PAGE was Quatermaster / Caretaker of the 154 W.E.T.C. (Week-End Training Camp) KNOSTROP from 1947 until his retirement in 1966.(He died in 1970). My grandparents lived in a house just outside the camp next to the guardroom – The camp commander was a Colonel (Retd) HARGRAEVES (I’m not sure of the spelling)
As my father was Belgian and my mother British, we didn’t live in England but visited my grandparents about every two years and all I can remember as a (10 -11- 12 year old) child is that the camp was located in Black Lane about a 10 minute drive from the town centre of Leeds.
From the Guard-Room you could see two huge cooling towers (similar to those in nuclear power stations) as well as a freight railway line used to transport coal.
The huts (Nissen type) were made of wood similar to those in the Pirbright Depot (which I know quite well having been there on several occasions to participate at the International Skill-at-Arms competition held there every year).
Many different units (probably Cadet Forces) such as The Black Watch came to this camp in the summer months (July/august) while we were on holiday.
There were also gun-pits (very similar to anti-aircraft gun positions) located uphill in the camp. I can remember going through these huts (after the cadets left) with my grandfather to check that everything was o.k., going through the empty lockers and finding bits & pieces left these such as badges, cuff-links, photographs, chocolate bars etc. These are unforgettable childhood memories Unfortunately those are all the details I can remember.
My quest is as follows:
As Knostrop meant a great deal to me during my childhood I would be most interested in any information whatsoever concerning this camp especially photographs and old Ordnance Survey maps of the area. (any costs would of course gladly be paid for).
Does it still exist ? If not what happened to it ?
Thanking you in advance for your kind cooperation,
Yours sincerely
Eric Janssen
Next Old East Leeds Reunion
August 11, 2008 by Wood WendyOur next Old East Leeds Reunion is on Tues 18th Nov 2008 form noon onwards at the Edmund House Club Pontefract Lane . All Welcome.
Maud’s Tales
August 1, 2008 by peterwwoodblog-maudMaud’s East Leeds tale is one of a series of delightful little tales uncovered in an attic clearance. Maud is no longer with us but she was a Richmond Hill lass and I’m sure she would have been happy for us to enjoy her little tales. Speciel thanks to that wise unknown who had the foresight to write down these little tales and preserve them for us to read in the present in that which was for them the future. They are reproduced here in her own words, to do otherwise would be a crime.
The Fifteen Steps
July 1, 2008 by peterwwoodblog-15-stepsRoy Marriott relates the tale of a wartime adventure undertaken with a freind in the grounds of Temple Newsam Mansion, East Leeds. They thought they were on the trail of spies but if they had taken a sixteenth step it is unlikely they would be here today to tell us this tale.
Memories of Brian Conoby
June 1, 2008 by peterwwoodblog-brian-conoby Brian relates his early life in East Leeds, particularly: air raids, trips down Black Road to Red Walls, the Princess cinema and the local pubs. And local characters: Charlie Athe and his bike shop and Bog Earnie ‘chucker out’ at the Princess Cinema.
Memories of war time life in knostrop east leeds and my mothers washing days air raids and carrying the shopping
May 1, 2008 by peterwwoodMy Early Life in East Leeds by John Gibbins
April 1, 2008 by peterwwoodMy Early Life in East Leeds by John GibbinsJohn revisits his early years in East Leeds particularly at Ellerby Lane School Edgar Street Woodworking Department The Market District Boys Club and Newbourne Methodists Chapel.
Above Green Fields by Bill Boardman
March 1, 2008 by peterwwoodAbove Green Fields by Bill BoardmanThis month’s offering is Bill Boardman’s nostalgic poem ‘Above Green Fields’. Bill’s poem gets our second book of East Leeds stories off to a good start. Bill and his wife, Anne, lived their early married life just off Easy Road in East Leeds. Read it a couple of times - no read it three times, it’s worth it.
