Middleton Life: Middleton’s Garden Suburb in 1934

In answer to our fun poll yesterday, by 1934 a total of 2,377 dwellings had been built on the new housing estate in Middleton. Well done of you knew the answer!

In 1919/20 it was decided a new estate in Middleton was needed to replace slum housing. Houses were built over a period of time in various styles and sizes to accommodate the needs of tenants.

The estate was the brainchild of social reformer the Rev Charles Jenkinson (1887-1949). He was also vicar of Holbeck and was responsible for clearing many of the slum dwellings in the area during the 1930s and replacing them with state-of-the-art council housing. Jenkinson, who was also the person responsible for the Belle Isle estate and Middleton, was the first incumbent of Belle Isle Parish Church. A blue plaque to mark his achievements was unveiled in Belle Isle earlier this year.

Don’t forget, there’s a free open meeting of the Middleton Life local history project tonight at Tenants Hall Enterprise Centre, Acre Close, Middleton, starting at 6.30pm. The meeting will feature a talk on the history of Middleton Park from the Friends of Middleton Park group.