SHORT trousers for boys, skirts and dresses for girls and headgear for nearly everybody formed the fashion for these pupils from Hothfield Street and Aire View Street schools as they watched the cutting of the first sod for Silsden’s recreation ground early in 1934.
Local schoolchildren had contributed towards the purchase of the Shooting Croft site and were encouragingly classed as shareholders.
Richard Fletcher, chairman of both Silsden education committee and the playing fields association, is telling them how he intended planting the removed sod in his own garden as a momento of the occasion and how the site would eventually provide a bowling green, tennis courts, football and cricket pitches and a paddling pool. He also hoped somebody would donate seats for the elderly “to sit and watch the games in progress”!
The playing fields, now Silsden Park, would be officially opened by the Princess Royal later in 1934.
Another photograph from Kevin Seaton.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here