| Title | New Road Side |
| Date | c1890 |
| Location | Rawdon |
| Photo ID | G869 |
| Comment | See below… |
A stunning photograph of New Road Side, probably taken in the early morning on a damp winters day. Here, the absence of tram rails in the road and power posts carrying the electric cables denote that this image was taken well pre 1909 when the first trams came to Rawdon and Guiseley.
The stone terrace houses on the right still stand today unlike the Yeadon and Guiseley Gas Company’s premises on the left hand side where the large chimney stack can be seen, long since demolished.
Just left of centre is the junction with Henshaw Lane with the corner shop and then the long straight road disappearing in the distance where Westfield Avenue on the left and Whack House Lane on the right are located. How quiet and peaceful it must have been unlike today.
K793 – New Road Side, c1910.
New Road Side – c1910
People lining the road. We don’t know what they are queing/waiting for but quite a few adults and children are carrying what appears to be clothing wrapped up in a brown paper parcels.
The photo was taken on a glass slide by Ernest Slater.
C119 – New Road Side, Undated.
New Road Side – Undated
The tram is traveling in the direction of Guiseley.
To the right are the premises of R H Bottomley, Painter and Decorator, this later became an off-licence shop and is now a private house (September 2012).
The street entrance further down New Road Side is for Gladstone Road.
Donated by Geoff Gaster.
PU033 – New Road Side, Undated.
New Road Side – Undated
The view looks in the direction of the junction with Green Lane, the first house on the left was once the home of Mrs Hilda Dyson, grandmother of the donor of the photo, Geoff Gaster. On the right is the Rawdon, Empire Cinema, demolished in 1964.
I074 – New Road Side, 1949.
New Road Side – 1949
A Leeds City Transport bus Regent 3020. is outside the old Temperance Hall which became the Rawdon Empire cinema, the site was used for a garage and now has a small housing development on it. (January 2015)
Previous Comments:
Great to see the old Rawdon Temp. Went to dancing class there in the basement and saw lots of films. I think that when it was built Mitchell Yeadon builders and Quarry owners, supplied the stone for the Facade. The last piece put in was the keystone center top. When it was fitted it was found to have been cut at the wrong angle and my great Grandad (Mitchell ) wanted to take it back to be re-cut. He wasn’t allowed as somebody “posh” was coming to do the opening and there wasn’t time. It annoyed him all his life. You can just see the change of angle if you look at the photo. Sad that it has gone. So many old memories have been demolished.
07 March 2015.
Davidteale1
It was good to see the 1949 photo of New Road Side. The shop to the right of the entrance to Rawdon Picture House sold sweets and took bookings. The one on the left was Peggy Shiltons ladies hair dressing salon. Joe Jowett who lived in the cottages opposite was the commissionaire. He wore an old style uniform with epaulets and a peaked cap. The cost of a ticket for a matinee performance was 3 pence for the front two rows and 6 pence for the rest. Just below the picture house was a well used ginnel which connected the shops on the Harrogate Rd, with those on New Road Side.
26 March 2015.
David M Ryder
Tom Benson’s mention of the wooden shop across the road from the Empire caught my eye. Tom’s Great Grandfather was my Uncle, Harry Bellerby, incidentally he was on crutches nearly all his life as a result of a botched operation. The shop was a general store and I believe Uncle Harry bred budgerigars in the back. Harry moved into that shop around 1935 after selling his original business down Yeadon High Street, to my parents, My mother being his younger sister.
18 February 2020.
Previous Facebook Comments:
Tom Benson. My grandmother worked as an usher at the Empire when she was a teenager, they lived round the corner at Derby Place. My Great Grandfather had a shop just out of view on the left-hand side of the road, I think it was a wooden structure, either sold sweets or hardware, I can’t remember which. I’ve heard stories about The Empire but never seen a picture, thanks!
Matt Yates. Thanks, I was lost for a minute because of the Pub which is no longer. Does anyone know what it was called?
Matt Yates. Is this leading up the hill towards Rawdon Lights with JCT roundabout at the bottom of the hill, was a petrol station on the site before the small housing estate?
Jean Robinson. I remember it as the Empire. And Flash Gordon on Saturday afternoons for 6d.!
John Denison. I don’t recall it being The Empire, always referred to as Rawdon Temps.
Pete Sutcliffe. Have never seen this photo and I love it !
Phil Todd. Remember illicit booze from the office before Benton Parks discothèque, probably my first taste of the amber nectar!
David Firth. I remember the demolition of the picture house.
Philip Horwood. Love old photo’s like this. Times change don’t they!
Colin Prendergast this photo was taken in1949 lct stopped running to guisley in 1953 when west yorkshire and sammys took over
Christine Stewart Matt – It was an off-licence shop not a pub.
Consolidated by Jack Brayshaw. 14 April 2021.
Last updated: 18 September 2023 – Photo ID: G869. 02 November 2022 – All images updated.
