Bradford Things to Do

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Lister Park must be one of my favourite parks I've ever visited. Lister Park is Bradford's top park which was originally the home of Samuel Lister, a successful local business man who was involved in textile engineering during the 19th Century and was business partners with Sir Isaac Holden. Samuel Lister sold his home, formerly Manningham Hall, and estate grounds to Bradford Council during the 19th Centruy and this was develop as a municipal park and Cartwright Hall was added in the early 20th Century.

Cartwright Hall was built in 1904 and is an art gallery. There are a variety of exhibitions to look round and also a cafe (which is temporarily closed at the time of writing). When I visited the art gallery (January 2011), I saw the following exhibitions:

Wycinanki's "The Art of Polish Paper Cuts"
Warhol's "Marilyn" (1967). Warhol is a key member of the Pop Art Movement
Thomas Edwin Mostyn's "The Garden of Enchantment from 'Parsifal'" (1914)

The other highlights are the Mughal Water Gardens, the Park's lake and the Botanical Gardens (There is a Geological Trail available to do). Look out for The Norman Fort at one of the entrances and the monuments of Sir Titus Salt; Samuel Cuncliffe Lister and Sir Isaac Holden (latter at the Cartwright Hall).

I look forward to returning in the summer and to appecriate the bloom and colours.

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Bradford Cathedral is an Anglican church.
The church that stands on this site today was built in the 1950’s although parts of the church are a lot older. There is evidence that people worshiped here as far back as AD 627.
The church was rebuilt in 1963 and foundations of earlier buildings were found under the chancel.
The nave is the oldest part of the present building and this dates back to 1458. The tower was added in 1508. The church was damaged during the reformation in the 16th Century.
The church played its part in the sieges of 1642 and 1643 during the civil war between Charles I and his opponents.
The church defended it’s self against Royalist troops led by the Earl of Newcastle.
During the 18th Century this was Bradford’s only church and there were many changes to the building.
The church became a Cathedral in 1919 when Bradford was created a diocese.
Extensions to the church were interrupted by World War I and World War II.
In the 1950’s extra rooms and offices were built onto the Cathedral.
The east end of the church was rededicated by Archbishop Donald Coggan in 1963. The Cathedral was altered and houses built in the grounds and the graveyard landscaped.
Increasing numbers of visitors to the church was facilitated by the re-ordering of the inside of the church, Victorian pews were removed and replaced by chairs, the Nave organ was removed and new doors put in.
The kneelers were embroidered by people from many parishes in the Diocese. They depict Christian symbols and also a woolsack and the White Rose of York. The finest embroidery is seen on the cushions in the Sanctuary and the Choir.

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An amazing day at Bradford's centenary square official opening day.

A fun filled day from 2pm, There were Bhangra dancers, drums, street theatre, a Dixie band, stilt walkers and an amazing acrobat act suspended from a balloon filled with helium.

The central pool was filled with excited children (and some adults) splashing about in the water and fountains.

As darkness fell the balloon acrobats came back on, this time there was two of them and the balloons were lit up with changing colours. The firework display was amazing with the fireworks coming from the top of the Turls Green (Wetherspoons) and Starbucks on one side of the square and the city hall on the other side of the square.

I was very proud of Bradford city council, they did Bradford proud.

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CENTENERY SQUARE
1997 was Bradford City's centenary, and major development work was carried out to create a new Centenary Square in front of City Hall. The area is pedestrianised with seating and a large open paved area directly in front of the main entrance.
More work has been carried out in Centenary square in recent times with a pond with fountains and new lighting around the square.

Even though you can walk around the square and enjoy the fountains (they light up different colours at night) there is to be a GRAND OPENING DAY on the 24th March 2012 between 2pm - 7.30pm.
The entertainment will include stilt walkers, acrobat free runners, music and dancing, street theatre and the grand finale of fireworks with a laser and light show.

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Bradford town hall was opened on the 9th September 1873 and it stands tall and proud in the heart of Bradford city centre.
The building was designed by a local architect firm, Lockwood and Mawson. The previous town hall had been at the fire station in Swain street.
The cost of the town hall was £100,000 and was built by John Ives and son, a Shipley firm.
The original building was 275 feet long and 70 feet high with a 217 foot tower.
The tower was designed with the Palazzo Vecchio of Florence in mind. The tower contains 13 bells and the total weight of the bells is 17 tons.
The council decided that this wasn’t big enough so it was extended in two parts. Part one extended the building to include a new council chamber, committee rooms and a banqueting hall. This extension was opened in September 1909.
The second phase of the extension was completed in 1914 and included a new entrance and staircase.
In 1965 the Town Hall had a £12,000 facelift and became known as City Hall.
Due to decay the bells in the tower stopped chiming in 1992. Money from the national lottery helped restore the bells in 1997.
The bells toll every 15 minutes.
The tower has two flag poles and flags are flown on certain days throughout the year.
If a prominent citizen of Bradford dies the flag is flown at half-mast until the funeral of the person. The bells of the tower would also ring for an hour when the council receive news of the death and for an hour at the start of the funeral.
The welsh flag is flown on “St David’s day” and the Australian flag is flown on Australia day
The flags are flown on royal visits to Bradford as well as on Royal birthdays, weddings and coronations.
Around the building there are thirty five statues of the Kings and Queens of England. Amongst the Kings and Queens is a statue of Oliver Cromwell who ruled England between Charles I and Charles II. The statues appear in chronological order apart from the two great queens, Victoria and Elizabeth I, who stand each side of the main entrance.

Tours of City Hall are available for groups and individuals. These can be tailored to your needs, including tours to help 'sell' the area to visiting business people, or for helping local schoolchildren with their studies.

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Bradford City Centre is undergoing an extensive regeneration programme including Centenary Square and City Square. It features a large made water fountain park, the largest in the UK, and is almost completed. An official celebration is scheduled for 24th March 2012.

The six acre park is public space availalbe for people to relax and play. There is also restaurants, cafes, bars and a new art gallery. I was very impressed with the regeneration in the city centre. I look forward for the Council and business to issue/invest in the neglected former Odeon Cinema, the building facing the park, which stands out like a sore thumb in the regenerated landscape!

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I visited Bradford Industrial Museum (via getting lost with the buses! I got the right bus no. but I went in the opposite direction to Wisbey and Buttershaw instead of Greengates so I had to retrace my steps!). The museum was originally Moorside Mills, built in 1875, and operated as a worsted spinning Mill by John Moore. The ownership of the mill changed hands many times until Bradford Council purchased the Mills in 1970 to create the museum. The museum, known as 'Museum in the Mill' was opened in 1974 and the interesting innovative and informative displays make visiting the museum a popular one.

I enjoyed looking around the exhibits such as the industrial history of Bradford including its status as the 'woollen textile capital of the world' and the city's diversity. I had a look around the permanent displays of textile machinery, steam power engininery, print machinery, train engine and cars.

There is Moorside House or the Mill workers' homes but I didn't get an opportunity, because of time, to look inside but will do on a future visit. The museum hold various events throughout the year where one can ride on a train or see the letterpress printing demonstrations.

When I visited in January 2012 there was the temporarily 'Steam Punk' contemporary exhibition of steampukery fashion.

The musuem is free of charge although donations are encouraged. There is a gift shop and a seasonal cafe (presuming it was because it was closed when I visited!).

You can get bus no. 645 (Greengates bound) from Hall Ings in Bradford City Centre or you can get the hourly bus no. 660 which stops outside the museum from Bradford Interchange. Please check the website for both bus schedules.

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Bowling Park is a municipal park near Bolling Hall in South East Bradford and not far from the city centre. Bradford Council purchased land of Bolling Hall's grounds where this land had been mined for coal and ironstone in the late 19th Century. The park since 1880 had been developed and a bowling green, tennis courts and a children's playground were added.

You can get bus no. 624 from Bradford Interchange and here is the website for bus schedules.