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11

Celebrating Hunslet

Over three months, our Community Artist in Residence, Rozi Fuller co-created a large scale artwork with the community in Hunslet. Supported by a volunteer from the area, Rozi collected stories from many local people at community groups across Hunslet, including the Hunslet Remembers group, St Marys Primary School, Slate, Hunslet Rugby Club and more. Participants shared insights into Hunslet’s history as well as what’s important to them about their area today. Each week, a core group met with Rozi at The Involve Centre in Hunslet to collaborate on creating art reflecting these stories. Guided by Rozi, the group created collage materials, collated and reflected upon the stories that had been collected, before planning and creating collage artworks which animate.

Celebrating Hunslet Animation
1

Tiller Lion

Our group chose to celebrate the emblem of the Hunslet Lion and combine this with celebrating Jill Robinson MBE, who told us her story:

- I lived in Hunslet. I was Miss Hunslet RLFC for several years. My brother played for Hunslet when he was a school boy. He later played for England against Wales.

In 1966 I was Miss Yorkshire Rugby League.

I was a dancer, a ‘Tiller Girl’, we performed all over.

A local church asked me to put on a show - it was a big success. We eventually became a group - The Showstoppers - we performed 60 shows. It was all free but we got donations and bought medical equipment, donated to MS, dogs for the blind, hearing Dogs, so many, that’s why I got my MBE. We had some fun. It was men and women. People asked me how I got the men dancing, I said they couldn’t dance when they came to me. Showstoppers performed all over Leeds.

9

Middleton Railway

The railway starts in Hunslet”, and here is being celebrated for running the Santa train.

4

Parnaby Tavern

Previously known as the Cemetery Tavern, behind which HRLFC began. John Parnaby was a local landowner. He had Ebor House built in 1732 and was awarded Legion d’honeur for successful fish farming in the fields of Belle Isle. HRLFC members told us they remembered sitting on the pub roof to get a better view of the rugby games.

The Parnaby is still a popular local.

3

Hunslet RLFC

There is much pride in Hunslet RLFC at the moment as they have been promoted this season to the Championship League, the 2nd tier of British Rugby League, for the first time in 10 years.

One of the many, many things to celebrate about HRLFC was its appointment of Lucius Banks, the first black professional sportsman in Britain, to play for Hunslet at Headingley in 1912, in the Lazenby Cup.

Cecil Thompson was another celebrated black Hunslet player we were told about. He worked at Copper Works. He learnt to read and write while travelling on the bus to away matches. Started his own business and became a professor at Leeds Uni. Self-educated. Book about him called ‘Born on the darkside’.

6

Hunslet Lake

Old maps show there was originally a ford in the area. Various accounts claim Hunslet Lake was created from Belle Isle Beck and fed by water from Broom Pit and Balm Beck.

It was a boating lake and an archive photo shows it had a boat taking people around the lake whilst others enjoyed an afternoon walk.

Apparently the ‘Lake Bum’ was in charge and kept order.

The Lake was filled in in the 1920s. Some say because a child drowned but there is no evidence to support this.. Others say it was because it became a smelly swamp.

Once it was filled in the space was converted into two bowling greens with a pavillion and beautiful flower beds. It was regarded as quite an affluent area. There was a water fountain.

The Bowling Green was world class standard. Someone remembered as a child nobody dared walk on the immaculate green. It’s still visible but no longer in use.

In the 60s and 70s it was a popular children’s playground and Hunslet Gala was held there.

Today there is still a playground and outdoor exercise equipment. Part of the land has been left as a meadow, a grassed area with relaxed mowing and circling the park are the trees that change with the seasons displaying beautiful autumnal colours that brighten the whole area.

7

Involve

Apparently opened by 2 Australian brothers, Involve has been an alternative learning centre and is now a thriving community hub for a variety of groups. It was chosen to celebrate by our group for providing endless support, kindness and opportunities.

2

Scott Almshouses

It’s rumoured that the monks from Kirkstall Abbey visited the Almshouses when they walked to Hunslet, perhaps to collect their Abbey bell from the foundry. A nice idea, but unable to verify and the dates don’t align. These were chosen to celebrate because they are beautiful buildings and provide a home for a group members friend.

10

Tulip Retail Park

Tulip Retail Park was referred to by several people as being the site of the Clayton Moorside Foundry, and where WW2 planes and giant gasometers (including the one at Armley Gyratory) had once been built. Syd Reed verified this having been one of the skilled welders employed there. A group member chose to create her animation celebrating the industrial history of the area, focusing on but not restricted too the Tulip Retail Park. In her animation she included: the planes, the creamware of Leeds Pottery, locomotives, the rugby, the pubs (shown here The Bay Horse and The Crooked Clock), the South Leeds Alternative Trading Enterprise (SLATE), and the Pig Love Brewing company.

5

Hunslet Library

The Library is a treasured resource in Hunslet, not least for its friendly and helpful staff. It was chosen to celebrate here because it was illuminated for Armistice Day in 2024 – the only building to do so outside the Leeds City Centre.