April 2021
Today, Broadstones Park is a smart, fully residential site with 38 park homes for the over 50s. It is in Gilstead, a small village adjacent to Bingley. In the 1950s it was a sort of holiday park with old trams, huts and chalets used as weekend retreats. I have no idea how they could afford it, but some of my aunts and uncles from Bradford had places there. Presumably, like their terraced homes in Bradford (Tyersal or Laisterdyke), they were rented. It was also the place where we lived when I was born, 21 January 1953. Initially we lived in one of the huts/chalets, but soon moved to the flat in the big house. This was owned, as was the site, by Harry Haddock and his wife (Swiss? Marianne?). Harry Haddock, according to my dad, was 'Deputy Education Officer' for Shipley. My Uncle Bill and Auntie Annie lived down the road in Rose Cottage, near the 'The Glen' pub.
I think the pictures below show something of life at Broadstones in the 1950s.
Broadstones 1
Broadstones 2
Broadstones 3
Broadstones 1. My cousin Vareena with one of the many children that seem to have populated Broadstones at the time.
Broadstones 2. Dream holiday home.
Broadstones 3. Another dream holiday home. Not sure who the girl is, but she looks like one of ours. The person seen through the window looks like Auntie Maureen.
Broadstones 4
Broadstones 5
Broadstones 6
Broadstones 4. Note the bunting on the chalet and the flag on the discarded bike. Bunting is also seen on some of the other photographs. It was probably due to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, 2 June 1953.
Broadstones 5. Auntie Joan on the left. Her Grandmother, my Great Grandmother, Florrie Warren in the centre. Don't know who the others are, but they obviously had too many children. Don't worry, Vareena isn't far away.
Broadstones 6. My first home? Mum in the doorway, Auntie Joan holding the baby (me?), Florrie Warren.
Broadstones 7
Broadstones 8
Broadstones 9
Broadstones 7. Lost Boys. They're probably still playing there.
Broadstones 8. See Broadstones 6.
Broadstones 9. Florrie Warren gazing in awe at the most beautiful child she would ever see. I did actually win a beautiful baby competition apparently. It's on my CV.
Broadstones 10
Broadstones 11
Broadstones 12
Broadstones 10. A young Jack Gavins (Uncle Jack), looking remarkably like the old Jack Gavins. I don't know who the child is, but my Grandmother, Lily Hird, is in the background.
Broadstones 11. Auntie Joan on the left, next to my mum. I don't know who the others are.
Broadstones 12. Me. First bid to escape.
Broadstones 13
Broadstones 14
Broadstones 15
Broadstones 13. Michael. Ready to paint.
Broadstones 14. Michael and our mother.
Broadstones 15. Brilliant photograph. Clockwise from Florrie Warren - me, Michael, Dennis (our cousin) and Vareena (Dennis' sister). Probably the best photo of Dennis ever taken. For me, this was always how he looked. Don't know what Vareena has to smirk about.
Broadstones 16
Broadstones 17
Broadstones 18
Broadstones 16. Auntie Shirley from Leicester, Florrie Warren and me. Shirley wasn't a real Aunt and I have no idea where the Leicester connection came from.
Broadstones 17. Vareena hard at work developing her childcare skills. It must have been hard being the oldest cousin.
Broadstones 18. Ditto. I wonder how many children Vareena has looked after in her lifetime.
