[slideshow]Did you know that in the twelfth century the boundary between Middleton and Beeston became the focus of a legal dispute?
That’s one of the facts about Middleton that the 35 people who attended the launch of the new Middleton Life local history project discovered yesterday.
The event, held at Tenants Hall Enterprise Centre, saw local residents, members of Middleton Community Group, the Friends of Middleton Park, representatives from local schools and local councillors gather to mark the start of the ambitious project.
People enjoyed taking part in a fun quiz which tested people’s knowledge of local history, they marked their memories of Middleton’s past on a map and listed what they thought were important places and events in the area.
They also wrote down what they love about Middleton. Here’s their list:
- How the history of the community links to Leeds and farther afield
- Community spirit
- History you can see, touch and feel
- Middleton Park in all its beauty
- The Clearings – used to be great for sport (football, rugby, cricket)
- Middleton Railway – the oldest commercial line in the world – Matthew Murray – the Roundhouse Foundry in Holbeck
- The park!
- Living in a 400-year-old house
Middleton Life will see residents become local history reporters and investigate the past of their community.
Residents will be helping to put together a permanent mural about Middleton’s history and local people’s memories in Tenants Hall, putting together a short film of people’s memories and life stories and contributing to this blog and a special ‘Middleton heritage’ issue of the South Leeds Life magazine.
- It’s not too late to get involved! Our first workshop starts at 10.30am on Wednesday, February 8 at Tenants Hall. Workshops run regularly until June. Contact John Baron on 270 6903 or email john.baron@healthforall.org.uk.
- Tell us your stories about work, family and health in the past and present of Middleton
- We need older residents to be interviews and tell us their memories.
- Bring us your old photographs and memorabilia which we will copy and return to you – we may use at on our exhibition panels!
Middleton Life has received £49,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
