Mean Old Scene: Lumb Lane, Bradford from 1986-87

The following images were taken during the winter of 1986 /87 with an Olympus OM40. I rediscovered them recently whilst having a tidy and found it fascinating to see how things had changed, not least with the disappearance of Drummonds Mill which burned down in January, 2016. They are not excellent photographs but I have uploaded them as an historical record.

As the photographs show, the area was badly run down with undisguised poverty but clues remained of the fact that it had once been a prosperous and fashionable part of Manningham.

Around this time initiatives were starting to get underway to refurbish many of the properties, in particular on Southfield Square but considerable work was left to be undertaken. Peel Square which dated from 1851 is featured in the images but had yet to be renovated.

Thanks for visiting my blog, the content of which is mainly – although not exclusively – about Bradford City AFC. The menu above gives access to content published in the BCAFC matchday programme, features on local history as well as my reviews of sundry sports books that have local coverage.

I have unearthed other old photographs that I took of Bradford as well as my travels in the Soviet bloc around this time and will upload those also on an ad hoc basis.

My photos of Salt’s Mill at the time of closure in 1986

For something else completely different, you can find my photographs of the DPRK from this link.

Refer to the menu above for links to other blog features.

My Twitter account is @jpdewhirst – followers can expect a variety of stuff but in the main my photographs, archive images, Bradford sports artefacts and BCAFC / BPA memorabilia.

*** Details of my new book (2020) in collaboration with George Chilvers: Wool City Rivals – A History in Colour which tells the story of the rivalry of Bradford City and Bradford Park Avenue in the Football League, 1908-70. (Available only online from the link.)

Copies of my other books in the bantamspast History Revisited series can be purchased online as well as in Waterstones (Wool Exchange) and the Salts Mill bookshop when they reopen after lockdown.