Monthly Feature Page
The monthly feature for August is an article about the little known Henge on Birkwood Common
Very few people know about the scheduled site at Birkwood, which is thought to be a late Neolithic henge. Situated in the field next to the garden centre it can be seen quite easily from the roadside. Henge’s generally consisting of a round flattened area surrounded by a boundary earthwork, usually consisting of a bank and/or a ditch. The one at Birkwood is a sub-oval enclosure, surviving as an earthwork circa 100 metres by 80 metres, with an enclosing bank surviving to a height of circa 0.5 metres. There are interruptions in its circuit, presumed to represent entrances, at both the northern and southern ends. A few years ago a paper was written about the henge at Birkwood that proved very inconclusive, no mention of whom, why or what it was put there for. It also said in the paper that the henge could be modern, possibly the site of the coal dust mining blast tests that took place in Altofts during the early 20th Century. If research had been done by the author of the paper, he would have seen the news paper reports of that time which gave clear locations for the tests in lower Altofts. It later turned out that the bit about coal dust was a throw away comment at the end of an unsuccessful exploration dig. However this comment almost led to the WYAS downgrading the site, which appears to be of great importance. If you look at where the henge is within the landscape you will see it is near to the Roman Road between Lingwell Gate and Pontefract and close to the Roman Station Farm over the River Calder. There is every reason to think there could have been a connection between these two sites, considering the short distance between them, and if there was a ford on the River (and it is understood there was) then it seems probable we could have some kind of Roman settlement which dealt in metals being built nearby to a much earlier site. During the big archaeological dig over Newland a few years ago there was an iron ore mine found next to the footpath that runs from the henge to Newland. Unfortunately, no one is allowed to dig or metal detect on the site, so any local knowledge that people have uncovered is not as public as it should be. For example people who have dug around the area of the footpath found it was very heavy in metal deposits indicating that iron ore may have been transported along this path between the two sites adding weight to the theory that there could have been a foundry on the henge site at some time. Considering that Romano Brittan artefacts have been discovered on ground at Newland, indeed that report made mention of a "camp" One can see that a picture is building up that should be all too easy for WYAS to investigate. It is well known that when Romans arrived in Britain they would make use of existing sites such as henge’s, and in many cases adapting their uses. Such sites were used in the Neolithic period as meeting places, built to direct the eye towards hills or mountains of special importance to early settlers, the henge at Birkwood could have been built to direct peoples attention to the Newland site that stands at the top of Birkwood Hill, which would make Newland a far older, much more significant site. Another possibility is it was built to look over the low lying hunting grounds that run along side the River Calder in Stanley, as they would have been of great importance to these early settlers. Many finds dating to this period have been found around Stanley which would support the idea. Unfortunately nobody has the money to do a proper site survey to help better understand the area, leaving WYAS to give their interpretation of the area, which is a best very vague. Hopefully in time and given the right funding some of these questions maybe answered.
The earth works at Birkwood can be clearly seen in this photo
Thank you to Paul Dainton for his help with the above article
This month’s feature article is a look back at one of the Villages most colourful characters. Well liked and respected by all, this article is a look back at the career of Dr Merrick.
Doctor Ronald Herbert Merrick became GP for Stanley in 1947, taking over from the long serving Doctor Tocher. Doctor Merrick graduated from Leeds University in 1944, soon after he was appointed Resident Doctor at Leeds Infirmary before serving as a Captain in the Army Medical Corps in Düsseldorf between 1945/47. Without a doubt he is best remembered in Stanley for his sense of humour. He spoke with a broad Yorkshire accent and always found the perfect one liner for every situation. On one such occasion he diagnosed a woman as being pregnant much to her disbelief, she went on to tell him that it could not be correct and that it would be impossible for her to be pregnant. His response to this was to go to his surgery window and gaze at the sky, when the woman asked what he was doing he responded “well last time this happened there was a star in the sky”. Being old fashioned he was not one for modern trends, when in the 1970s beards and long hair were all the rage amongst young men he would often ask “well lad, what have you come here for? A packet of razor blades?” He was also very fond of children and always sought to reassure them, never failing to bring a smile to their faces. As well as having a great sense of humour he was very observant, never failing to notice things. If he saw a patient out he would remember the event next time he saw them, especially if they had been off work with something like a bad back. Upon their next visit to his surgery they would be greeted with something like “thought you were feeling better, I saw you cycling up Stanley Hill the other day” He served the Village for 40 years, for many of them was the only Doctor in Stanley. If you speak to people who remember Dr Merrick they will tell you of a Doctor who would go above and beyond his duty as just their GP, someone who would always go the extra mile. His lasting legacy is the surgery we have today, after becoming its foundation he helped build a team of well liked Doctors and staff which carried on with the same values and spirit he started all those years ago.
This month’s feature is one of our own articles that is set to appear in the Going Local magazine for June. Hopefully this will be a regular page in the magazine that is delivered free in the area.
For the month of May we have an article written for the site by Paul Dainton President of RATS (Residents Against Toxic Scheme). Amongst many things he has campaigned tirelessly against the Welbeck tip to protect the environment and local people. Unlike many of our councillors and MPs he has done all this for no personal gain, just to protect the area he loves. Also a keen local historian Paul has kindly allowed us access to his photo archive for use on this site, many of which we will be adding to the site in the coming weeks. The following is a little about Paul’s life to date.
Growing up in Walton and having been born in the former home of one of England’s most intrepid explorers and Natural History exponents, Squire Waterton, of Walton Hall I must suppose that becoming an Environmental campaigner was to be expected. Squire Waterton is revered throughout the world as a leading Natural History campaigner and is made famous by the international peace park in Canada being named after him, but as usual in the UK no one outside of Wakefield is aware of this fact.
Having left the merchant navy where I learned the trade of the trade union movement and socialism (many say communism) at 23 years of age, I married Joyce and moved to Altofts subsequently having two fantastic children.
Once I moved to the same house that I still live in 43 years later I became involved in all aspects of the local community, whilst working for the National Coal board I became the youngest person ever to be a regional delegate to the Barnsley area office of the National Union of Mineworkers, I was also lucky to win a 3 year placement at Leeds university on a part time course studying political history, economics, and modern politics. I ended up doing 6 years at Leeds University on various projects including the effect of advance technology on the working man. Not IT, but issues like the advances of coal cutting machinery, and the effect of machinery in the tailoring trade. All lead to the devastation of thousands of jobs in the West Yorkshire area, making the poor even poorer and the rich filthy rich.
All this must to many people sounds very mundane, yet my university work was a torment as I have dyslexia and working at the pit 5 days a week and 3 nights a week and Saturday mornings overtime as well as university was a nightmare, especially as I also had allotments to look after (and became chairman of the allotment society). I also became involved in politics eventually becoming Labour Party District Chairman.
My hopes for a Labour Government that would defend the working class have come to nought and I resigned my party membership some ten years ago when I discovered that my local MP of that time was drawing £114,000 year office expenses, but didn’t have an office or even an answering machine in the constituency.
After gaining certification at Leeds University, I applied for a full time post as trade union official with the National Union of Public Employees and was fortunate to gain such a position, went to work in a suit, shirt, and tie, had a company car, and for the first time after the merchant navy had enough money to keep the house going without part time jobs.
I threw myself into the best job in the world, helping working class people whilst getting paid for the pleasure. With hindsight I now believe I gave my all to the union and perhaps should have spent more time with my family. I became the union’s most prolific recruiter in the UK. I also recruited more people into the Labour Party than any other person in Yorkshire. I did this through constant work with the people who count in life the true working class, the rest are there to destroy for profit anything the workers created.
When I became Chairman to the district Labour Party I finally had a little influence in the politics of the time. However the people whom I helped to become MP’s all seemed to start with the old old story that if the working classes would just tighten their belts!!! Just as soon as it was possible they would bring us the rewards we so richly deserve. Unfortunately the good times never came and the belt has got tighter and tighter, whilst the gap twix rich and poor gets greater and greater.
Looking back on life in the Labour Party I can see the deceit that the leaders of the party lead us to believe, IE equality for the working man, whilst setting themselves above our aspirations and finding themselves well paid jobs, becoming Lords and Ladies whilst telling us to tighten our belts until the day of rewards would come. Why did I never see that these self same people were the very ones becoming rich and famous, whist the workers were branded luddites, communists, revolutionist, and left wing extremists. (Some of these Lords and Ladies stating that I am such a person)
The rich continued to rape our environment, dumping toxic waste on the now defunct mining villages, stating that we were used to muck and grime, that there was no difference to pit muck than the new toxic waste they now dump on us. The establishment decided to put every dirty bit of waste at Welbeck and convinced the local people that this was to be just a short term reinstatement project that would keep jobs open at the pit and help reclaim St Johns, Park hill, Sharlston, Primrose colliery and the sand quarries at Stanley. As usual the reinstatement turned into the largest Toxic waste site in the European Union, and instead of 2010, then 2018 the tip will now last until 2030 long past the lifespan of most people over 60, breaking every promise ever given to the local population. The new height of Welbeck of 72 meters will cast a shadow on our communities for hundreds of years and leave a monument of rubbish to 30 years of labour party dominance in Wakefield.
Photos from around the tip courtesy of Paul
(article continiues below these photos)
Waste from the Welbeck tip, an all too common sight in the River Calder these days
Oil drums, gas bottles, plastics are amonst some of the things entering the River
Bank errosion along the River Calder, the edge of the Welbeck tip is slowly slipping towards the River, who will be accountable for these problems when the tip closes?
Photo taken inside the Welbeck tip
The membraine in the photos purpose is to line the ground before tipping takes place to avoid leakege of chemicals into the ground. As you can see the membraine has not been fitted or sealed along the bottom of the photo where tipping has already taken place
At times of flood the Calder penetrates into the tip that contains toxic chemicals, the photo below shows the River at its normal level
Rolls of Membraine from the tip have on occasion fallen into the River due to the poor work practices of the site. This photo shows rolls that have fallen down the bank.
At times of high wind much of the surface debris from the tip end up in the River
Whist RATS have not been successful in forcing WMDC to keeping the promised time scales for Welbeck, we have without doubt improved what can only be described as a monument of crap to 15 years of Labour Party domination at local and National level, in one 5 year period the tip broke the site licence (PPC) 60 times, yet only once has the incompetent and rotten Environment Agency ever taken any legal action against the management of this Toxic Tip. Indeed that action only came about due to the pressure from RATS, after all, how can the Environment Agency defend a 5 kilometre long oil slick 30 meters wide in the river Calder? Well they certainly tried to do so in court.
It should also be noted that Wakefield MDC who own the lease of this site have never attempted to take legal action despite the lease stating that there should be no pollution to air, land or water!
I have been very fortunate to have grown up in Walton and then moving to Altofts both rich in history and their wonderful areas of green land, many people living in Stanley and Normanton are unfortunately totally unaware of their history and some fantastic environment/wildlife areas. My love of walking, bird watching, and fishing can all be done within easy walking distant of home, and this is the main reason that I chose to devote much of my life to its protection.
I always remember finding a swan tethered to a shrub by its leg obviously the swan had got some binding twine round its leg then this had stuck to the shrub. I had to climb down the steepest part of the river Calder bank to try and release the bird. So with trusted Swiss army knife I waded out into the river only to be attacked by the swan, I eventually managed to grab the bird that bit half my hand off in the attempt. As soon as I cut the band the swan was off and I attempted to get back to the bank unfortunately by this time I was stuck in the mud about ten feet from the bank and a mile from the nearest footpath. As I tried to gain the bank the swan came back and hit me like a missile knocking me completely over and then my hands and feet were stuck in the mud, and I thought that this was the end. Eventually I got my hands out and stood up again only for the swan to come back and hit me one more time. Eventually I did get out looking like the tar baby and had to skirt everyone on the way home as I looked a right charley. The next time I see a swan in such a problem I will go get a gun. It would be a lot safer for me.
Of course my other love outside of the family is Rugby, both Normanton Knights and Wakefield Trinity (Wildcats), this week I attended the ceremony of making Neil Fox a freeman of Wakefield the highest prize for any Wakefield sports person. I am proud to state that I initiated the campaign to get our political masters to grant the title and within weeks the campaign worked, Neil is now the only sporting hero to ever achieve this award.
We are now in the run up to national and local elections, I could no longer support either of the two labour candidates MP’s Balls, and Yvette Cooper, as I believe they are totally unaware of the aspirations and hopes of the Working classes, they have failed to tackle the ongoing problems of Welbeck, both have refused to call for the reopening of the Upper Altofts Post Office, indeed the two of them voted for post office closures whilst voting to support private banks to the tune of two billion pounds. How strange that two Labour Party members can vote for the closure of the people’s bank that is government owned, to try and save a few million pounds, yet vote to keep open private banks and banking bonuses for failed management staff to the tune of billions, leaving the old and vulnerable unable to use post offices miles away.
Do these people not understand about the public transport system, that not everyone has a car, or can afford six pounds return journeys in taxis? the simple answer to that is no, yet they know how to fill in expense forms for themselves, flip houses between London and Castleford for purely personal gain and occasionally making the “mistake” of claiming even their poppy day expenses from the public purse.
Perhaps these people should study our past local history and learn who we are, and just what has created the communities in our locality, try to understand that at present over 1 in 10 in the Wakefield area are unemployed and have to live on under £100 per week, to pay rent heat, food, and clothing, whilst they have a food allowance of £100 pounds per week each which they introduced after the expenses scandal!!
Over the years I have met some wonderful characters all who have made me laugh with such Yorkshire humour, kept me on my toes politically, and help me keep up the fight for our rights, to name them all is an impossibility but Ronny Kay of Heath, Barny Brennan of Altofts, Mick Appleyard of Sharlston, Martin in Wakefield Market, Ken Capstick, Colin Parfitt the dog walker from Stanley, John Goodchild the best local historian in the UK, all have made my life well worth the effort, unfortunately the world seems to give us less and less of these characters’ as we are pushed and shoved into social brackets that our so called worthies want to keep us down with, and characters are people they simply can not control.
We on the other hand have to break down the barriers of village against village, community against community; we must learn to stand together on issues such as Welbeck, opencast, over Greenfield development, keeping our environment clean, because if we think an issue does not affect us it doesn’t matter, nothing can be further from the truth. The time old adage remains true today as it ever has “united we stand and divided we fall” that is exactly what the establishment don’t want us to understand, for if we remain divide we will never become a threat to the lifestyles.
One may think from my ranting above that I have no joy or pleasure in my life but nothing can be further from the truth, laughter has been a major part of my life, satisfaction in what I have is paramount, from my cosy little bungalow and garden in Altofts, to my few pints a week in Lee Brigg club. People and the hundreds of friends I have bring a love that can’t be bought with money and all bring great joy. My family are my pride and joy, my inspiration and my life, I doubt if there is a happier man in England.
Thank you to Paul for the above article and we look forward to working closely with him in the future
A link to the RATS site can be found on our links page
The monthy feature for April is an article that in 1970 was aimed at attracting people to come live in the Stanley area. The M62 was under construction and the large housing estate between Canal Lane and Rooks Nest Road was on the cards. Not since the large council estates of the 1950s had we seen such rapid change.
The difficulty in writing about Stanley village is to tell the truth, finding the place. Oh yes – its big enough; the are the administered from the Grange head quarters of Stanley Urban District Council, covers 4866 acres.
There are 19,000 people living in 6622 dwellings in the village, so you can’t miss it. But the figures don’t tell the whole story. The area of Stanley known to the Ministry of Housing and local government (or whatever it is called nowadays) includes Outwood, Wrenthorpe, which have 4000 people each. Stanley and Lake Lock wards have only 5000-odd between them.
So where is Stanley?
Saint Peters parish church – incumbent, the Rev John Crabb – has regarded for the souls of the people of Stanley and Lake Lock wards. And the admittedly very knowledgeable Clerk to Stanley U.D.C, Mr Arthur Warden, suggests that this area constitutes Stanley proper, perhaps.
Happenings But if I and thank goodness everyone concerned that I not were the authorities. I would forget this and lay claim to the whole of the urban district as being the real Stanley. So much more seems to have happened (and historically speaking has happened) outside this small central core.
True, a friend in the office scoffed at the idea of Stanley having a history, but it is a fact that two collections of arrow heads and other flints, relics of prehistoric times have been found near Lee Mount.
Of even bigger interest was the Bronze Age canoe which was recovered quite recently, Mr Warden tells me, from the bed of the River Calder at Stanley Ferry. Now in York Museum, the canoe has a squared stern, and rounded bows and is probably more than 3000 years old. This proves people have found Stanley worth living in for a long, long time.
Coming a bit more up to date, local historian Mr L Elgar Pike (and there’s a man who has forgotten more than most of us know about the history of our county) will tell you that; “As a result of residential and other redevelopments considerable and more interesting remains of the former local pottery industry were discovered in the Stanley Urban District in 1963 and Subsequently”
Potovens
“Over a dozen kilns dating from the 15 to 18 Centuries were excavated at Potovens and near the Silcoats School. The sites were well chosen, with clay, water and coal easily obtainable, while the stone for the kilns and the potter’s homes was quarried at Lindle Hill. Some of these houses are still to be seen at Potovens”
So… you don’t need me to spell it out where Potovens Lane gets its name. But Mr Pike has even more information “it has been established that the main production was cups, both plain and decorated, which were finished off with a dark glaze of galena, or raw lead ore. Jugs and jars, bowls, lids, bottles and egg cups were also being made when the industry attained its maximum production towards the end of the 17 Century.”
And of course when you come to think about it, we are ourselves living through a moment of Stanley history. The famous – infamous is what Normanton people who work in Wakefield would say – Stanley Ferry Toll Bridge is currently being rebuilt and is likely to be completed in six months time.
When work is finished it will be a free crossing which will leave (and wait for letters telling me I am wrong) only Selby as the pay to cross bridge in Yorkshire. But never mind about the past. What has Stanley got to offer today? A great deal in my view.
Upsetting
Consider; the Northern area of the district is located immediately at the interchange of the M1 and the Yorkshire-Lancashire Motorway, which although the workings are upsetting a lot of people at the moment, will put the area very much on the map so far as communications are concerned.
Stanley is ideally situated for industrial development and there is a 160 acre site at Outwood, which is currently being publicised as a Mecca for expanding industrialists.
The village has of course been a coal area for a very long time. Despite closures, this is still true to a very great extent, with Lofthouse and Newmarket colliery’s employing a lot of local labour. But there are diversifications.
For example an old established firm of an entirely different type is William Lamb and Co. (footwear) Ltd, which employs about 70 workers. They send footwear notably very fine football boots to the extent of 200, 000 pairs a year all over the world.
And Kenneth Lunn and Co. Ltd, Potovens Lane, are industrial oil fired heating experts in a big way. Mr Lunn started as a jobbing electrician and like Topsy, his firm just grew. Then we have Farm Stores Ltd, Lingwell Gate lane (Ziegler’s, Bramhams and Bradbury are theirs) where meat and pork products are prepared under modern conditions.
Fame in Print
The Northern Carlton and Skillet Co. Ltd has made a national mark with the production of printed matter ranging from boxes to posters to county council and government publications and bingo tickets.
So Stanley, as you can see is in anything but an industrial straight jacket.
Nor is it in a religious one. Consider the diversity of the religious option. Thee are Methodist churches at Ferry Lane, Lane End, Bottomboat, kirkhamgate, Outwood, St Johns and Wrenthoprpe free Methodist Church. The former Rehoboth Methodist Church, Outwood, is now a centre for Roman Catholic worship. Lieutenant Derek Harrison, Wakefield’s M.P ministers to a thriving Salvation Army corps at Outwood.
There’s Kirkhamgate Mission, the Four Square Gospel Hall at Wrenthorpe, Stanley’s Zion Congregational Church, and Anglican churches at Stanley, Outwood and Wrenthorpe. All within this “village”
Stanley gas seven working men’s clubs, a British Legion branch, two women’s institutes, at least two young wives groups, a Toc H women’s section, a Comrades and United Services Club, three youth clubs and nine community organisations catering for the elderly.
Plenty to do
One overworked cliché which the reporter rarely encounters in Stanley is that there’s “nawt to do”
Schools? There are no fewer than nine catering for junior and infants, and two excellent secondary establishments; the one at Outwood , Headmaster Mr L Gibson; the Stanley Secondary School (soon to be come a comprehensive) Headmaster Mr C Wilson.
There are evening courses, nurseries, preparative schools and several other educational establishments within the urban district. But, unarguably, the school with most claim to fame is Silcoates, anciently established to cater for the sons of dissenting ministers but now open to boys from backgrounds much wider than its congregational founders perhaps anticipated.
Stanley has 117 allotment plots, facilities for cricket, tennis, soccer, bowls, and golf. There are 10 football clubs and at least 2 cricket clubs. There are 8 community associations for older people. And how many local authorities can equal Stanley total of 34 wardens to look after its senior citizens? This is also one of the few remaining local communities with a brass band. Lofthouse Colliery Band rehearse in Outwood Memorial Hall under their conductor, Mr Peter Kitson.
Low Rates
Sold on Stanley? Well if your not there’s a small point I haven’t mentioned yet.
The rate levied at Rothwell is 13s 6d. At Horbury it is 13s 3d. Garforth is 112s 10d. At Normanton it skyrockets to 14s 5d.
Stanley’s rate?
Eleven shillings and seven pence in the pound. Need I say more?
There is just one P.S. There is bound to be some know it all in the British Oak tonight who says “Ah, he reckons he’s found out all about Stanley’s, but he hasn’t mentioned t’racecourse.”
Well I do know there was a race course at Spring Hill where at one time there was strong support from horses from all parts of the North.
Stringent standards and controls for horse racing led to its decline and the course fell into disuse. The only present day reminder is Grandstand Road.
The March feature is on Brian Robinson, a local photographer, In his own words Brian takes us through his interest in photography
I have been using a camera for as long as I can remember, and that's from way back in the 1940s. We had a little Brownie box which we usually used on our annual holiday at the seaside, looking into a viewfinder and seeing the subject upside down before sliding the lever to release the shutter and expose the film. Most of my photos were of the family on holiday, or holiday views.
My parents bought me a 35mm camera for my 21st birthday and I started taking colour slides, mainly family and holiday record photos, and the only thing holding me back was the cost. A projector and screen added to the fun and I could send friends and family to sleep with shots of Wales, Lake District, the West Country and in later years Europe and beyond. Several S.L.R cameras followed and my slide boxes increased in number.
I was lucky to be able to combine other interests with photography, and my curiosity about my surroundings led to a collection of local photos some of which can be seen by visitors to the site. I have a number of local history books which make interesting background reading.
Another big interest of mine is Rugby League and for several years I helped Wakefield Trinity by providing photographs for their programme and sponsors. During the 1990s I probably photographed every rugby player of any quality, including a number of Australian internationals and some of these can be seen on Facebook in the Rugby League Players past and present section. I have been lucky enough to have a small number published by players in their autobiographies. My rugby photos include action shots and informal portraits and on the rare occasion that someone famous has managed to wander through my lens I have snapped them. My two best ones are Diana Ross and John Major when he was Prime Minister.
In 2001 I eventually admitted that in spite of the lesser quality of the photographs a digital camera would reduce the weight of equipment I had to carry round with me and the massive fall in cost and improvement in cameras encouraged me to buy another, better digital last year. Now most of the photographs I take during the year are of my two grandsons and like every other proud granddad with a camera I have taken hundreds.
Basically, I take the photos for myself, and if people don't like them for any reason.....tough! On the other hand, if they do bring pleasure to anyone it pleases me and I can easily become big headed about it.
Brian
Thank you to Brian for the above write up
His contributions to the site are appreciated
Februarys feature is on Shaun Parkin, Local Photographer & Historian
Shaun was born on Ferry Lane in Stanley June 20th 1964, the second child to John and Kathleen Parkin; at the age of eight he got his first camera. From that day on he took a keen interest in local history, when he had film for his camera he would always taking pictures. His interest grew when he and his family moved to Rooks Nest Road in the mid 1970s, just over the acres from their house was Hatfeild Hall.
Shaun in 1974 (right of photo)
Shaun took an instant fascination with the building and surrounding estate, if he wasn’t at home or at school he could always be found somewhere near the Hall. At School he did local history and photography. In the late 1970s he took many photos of the Hall and surrounding outbuildings, unbeknown to him at the time he was documenting the Estate before the most turbulent chapter in its history. When the Hall was bought by the manor wine bar in the early 1980s he got an evening job working behind the bar, he was offered the managers job at the Hall but declined the position because of his day job, working for Bradford Council. The outbuildings of the Hall were demolished by the new owners who sold the stone from them.
Old coach house at Hatfeild Hall
Within a few years the Hall had also been burnt down. His photos of the Estate are amongst the best photographic documentation done. The photographs of the building and surrounding area capture it from every side and angle. After the fire he took several pictures of the burnt out building, again documenting its history.
One of Shauns many photos of the Hatfeild Estate
His interest in local history did not stop at Hatfeild, in the last 35 years he has photographed many other historical buildings in the area. Many of his photos are on this website, his style of photography is unmistakable, rather than just taking a picture of a building or scene his photos are taken from interesting angles that include several layers and include more than one focal point.
Photo taken from Newland Estate
Aqueduct can be seen bottom left, Hatfeild Hall to the centre of the photo
Shaun still works for Bradford council today, a job he has had since leaving school, married with two children he still finds the time to walk the area looking for the perfect photo opportunity. His photos today are taken with a Panasonic Lumax camera, giving his photos real depth and quality. As for the future, well let’s say just watch this space.
Shaun today
Photo taken by his son Callum aged 13
