Adel History Group (Affiliated to the Adel Association) 2009 Review  

Val’s History of Adel

This is perhaps the most notable achievement to date. Launched in December in aid of the Bell Tower Appeal, sales have already covered production costs. One consequence is that we are now receiving more information on Adel’s past. A book “The Commons, Waste Lands and Urban Moors of Leeds” by Graham Branston and notes on Adel in the 1950’s and 60’s from a long-time resident are two examples. An appeal for photographs in the local magazines at the same time has resulted in some offers – tours, photographs, maps, deeds (property in Headingley on Eddison land) and properties (Stairfoot Cottage, Aisling Cottage) which all add to our knowledge.

Original Objectives

The publication of a history book is now achieved but material is being collected which could be useful for a future publication on the more recent past. With regard to the objective of producing a history page in Adel Bells, we usually seem to have much more than one page, including event reviews, trailers etc. We are grateful to Richard Perkin, Don Cole and Di Lawer, a collector of Sternberg postcards, who have contributed memories or articles for the local magazines (and for supplying the display material for the first history event in 2010). Publicity for the group (supplied by Ann or Val) also appears monthly in Adel Life & sister publications and as notices in the Parish.

The Churchyard trail is still very much in the future but our knowledge of families has been added to as we answer queries that are posted on the Church or Adel Association website. Enquiries have been answered and information received on the following names: Briggs, Bedford, Burwell, Driver, Dean, Dockray, England , Fell, Gamble, Hainsworth, Hartley, Huddleston, Jackson, Kirke,  Ludolf, Newsom, Sternberg and Twigg…adding to names previously researched. Margaret Steele and the Churchyard work-party are very much involved in answering queries and finding graves. Not all queries are to do with family history – we received a copy of a Victorian painting with Mill Fold Cottage written on the reverse and were able to identify where that was. The artist’s illegible signature remains a mystery. We have just received a photo of a chest in Atlanta with a replica of Adel’s door knocker – inscribed with the name of the church on the handle. Donations to the Bell Tower Fund are often received from grateful recipients of information. As a result of work done by John and Meryl Auty for one enquirer, they attended a garden party in September to witness the hand-over of the Yorkshire Chemicals Archive to the West Yorkshire Archives Service.

Work done prior to this year is added to.  The Royal Armouries presentation was based on the work on Adel’s war dead done by Ann Lightman & others. This was also used in the Leeds DFAS (Decorative and Fine Arts Society) church record which was presented to the Church in June.  Ann also produced a wall chart which was presented to three local schools and the Church.  As a result of this work the war memorial is now on the UK National Inventory of War Memorials at the Imperial War Museum http://www.ukniwm.org.uk  (Some of the churchyard memorials can be found at  http://www.gravestonephotos.com though we cannot claim any credit here).

Illustrated talks, walks & visits instigated/arranged/given by Group members:

* “Cookridge Hospital 1867-1953” by Matthew Hall, at the Stables and the Church (Feb & May)

* “Adel History” illustrated talk, Val Crompton, Adel Church (March)

* “Adel’s Victorian Villas” a walk, Janet Douglas (June)

* “York Gate history” illustrated talk Val Crompton, York Gate Festival (July)

* “Purple Perkin: To dye or not to die?”  talk, John Auty at the Stables (Aug)

* “Leeds Reformatory/ Eastmoor School, Adel” a walk, Ann Lightman (Sept)

* “Burgodunum, Roman Adel & Leeds” Lauren Ryall Stockton of Leeds Museums at the Adel Association (Sept) & visit to the Discovery Centre (Nov)

* “Anglo Saxon & Norman Builders” (a look at architectural features of early churches in evidence today) illustrated talk, Professor Joyce Hill, (Oct).

*  “Lest We Forget” presentation, Royal Armouries interpretation team, the Church (Nov)

*  Caring for Life,Crag House Farm, Cookridge visit (Dec)

In addition members have been notified of a number of mainly Leeds based historic talks, walks and events in the regular newsletters.

With the exception of events at York Gate talk and Crag Farm, where donations went directly to the charity (some were free), Adel Church Belfry Fund was the recipient of all other money charged or donated.  At least £2000, representing almost 8% of the total raised to date, has been raised. John Hartley, the Chairman of Adel Church Bell Tower appeal committee wrote (to Ann) “Congratulations and thanks go to Val, you and your group for this considerable figure”. Much of the credit for this figure goes to speakers John, Joyce, Matthew, and Val and the Church Social Committee who provided refreshments at the latter three talks.

The above figure also includes donations from the numerous tours that Val hosts on behalf of the Church. She is usually assisted by members of the Church but sometimes by Ann. History tours were given for the WEA family history study day, the Treasures Revealed open day, Adel school children and for groups including those from Bramhope, Harrogate, Settle & Oxford.  The tours are much appreciated by the recipients but informative to those involved too. For instance the Yorvik Festival guide pointed out Viking emblems adopted by the Christian church and the Greater Elland Historical Society added to our knowledge of Tubal Cain (on the Eddison window) and the Bray family (their most interesting visit to date!). The history group can perhaps claim credit for the visit from Barwick –in-Elmete’s local history society as last year we had been their guests. Val has also raised money by giving versions of her history talk to groups in Adel school, Cookridge, Kirkstall and Mirfield.

Working with other organisations

History talks advertised under the Adel Association banner were instigated by the History Group.  Val is on the board at OPAL (Older People in the Locality) and they have run a few history-related events at which supporters participate. Muriel Warriner and Richard Perkin spoke to schoolchildren at both Adel’s Primary Schools on their school days in Adel.  Richard also gave a fascinating talk about farming in Adel and the history of High Farm in particular in September. A dialogue on the history of York Gate has opened – and a meeting with the Eddison student research group was hosted there.

Members were invited to an open day at The Friend’s Meeting House (April) when an exhibition of Ford family (of Adel Grange) memorabilia was arranged to celebrate the opening of the new extension. The history group supplied a little information, but received so much more! Ann & Val were also guests at the unveiling of a blue plaque at Adel Grange in October, where Quentin Fowler had laid on an exhibition and Janet Douglas gave an interesting talk on the Ford family.

Behind the Scenes

Student reports on Cookridge Hospital and Adel Reformatory were received and teams investigating the Eddison family of Adel and the Lawnswood Cemetery and Crematorium were met. We look forward to their reports in 2010.

Two Adel Parish registers: Marriage 1837-1917 and Burials 1876-2006 have transcribed onto computer by Meryl Auty and Ann Lightman and the originals deposited in the Archives. The Church Wardens wish to deposit further registers, so volunteers to transcribe them onto computer are needed.

Ann & Val were invited to do a presentation on Adel Reformatory at the Leeds Civic Trust meeting for affiliated societies in March when the theme was “Buildings at Risk” (a short version was given at an AA meeting).  As a result an application for listing was made by Peter Hirschman jointly for the Adel Association and the Victorian Society and it is now awarded Grade II status by English Heritage, based on it being the largest, most complete and purpose built example building of its type to have survived.  Ann did the research to provide names of architects and dates for the various parts of the building but the first student project was the starting-point.