Garforth

Read and share memories of Garforth and West Yorkshire inspired by Frith photos

Ninelands Primary School

I was only thinking about my early education recently, then one evening I stumbled across this photo of my old school.  I was only a baby when my family, along with thousands over the years, moved to the commuter (only it wasn't called that then) village of Garforth.  I remember my first morning at this school, it must have been in 1967 when I would have been four going on five.  I went for the morning, and hid in the wendy house because I was having such a good time I didn't want to leave!  The infants at that time were housed on the ground floor and each classroom had a door so that the kids could play outside with the ...read more here
Contributed by First Name Last Name

Ninelands Primary School

I was only thinking about my early education recently, then one evening I stumbled across this photo of my old school.  I was only a baby when my family, along with thousands over the years, moved to the commuter (only it wasn't called that then) village of Garforth.  I remember my first morning at this school, it must have been in 1967 when I would have been four going on five.  I went for the morning, and hid in the wendy house because I was having such a good time I didn't want to leave!  The infants at that time were housed on the ground floor and each classroom had a door so that the kids could play outside with the ...read more here
A memory of Garforth contributed by First Name Last Name

First 24 years

I was born and lived all my life till 24 in Oulton. It was then a small village and everywhere I went someone knew me or a family member. Back then we could play in the street and roam all over the village. One supermarket Grandways which closed many years ago now. My mum still lives in Oulton and three uncles live in Woodlesford. I however moved to Castleford and have been there for 20 years. I go back all the time but never see anyone I knew from school. Guess we all grew up and moved on. However there is a new supermarket and more houses with a lot more people that you never see and no one plays out ...read more here
A memory of Oulton contributed by Karen Marsh

Seanor Match works

Actually this memory via my father and grandfather go back further than 1860. My great-great-grandfather, Richard Seanor, got interested in match making and went to London to find out the process etc. He then came back to Rothwell and started his own matchworks factory. He then went on to make the small match that we use today and of course the match box, which was made by children around 10 years of age.

Quite a few times the factory burnt down, and later when his son Jabez took over, he opened a factory in Bootle, Liverpool, but in 1904 or thereabout Jabez sold the business to Bryant and May, the match makers we all know but who have now moved ...read more here
A memory of Rothwell contributed by Eric Seanor