Wilf: Art Deco revisited

Jul 11 2009 by Wilf Lunn

I don’t know what it was supposed to do but I can still remember the lovely taste. Outside the market was Howarth’s fruit and veg stall. The family once owned the Princess Cinema, now a closed down casino. Outside to the right is an iron grille in the pavement. Hot air came up through this from the restaurant inside. Local down and outs in the 1950s would stand on this to keep warm.

A boy I knew thought it highly amusing to collect cigarette ends putting them in a tin of pee.

He’d then dry them out and scatter them round the grate for the warming gents to find to smoke. You had to make your own fun in those days.

Also on view was a small selection of art deco objects in the rear window and a display of printed articles on young criminals.

Of particular interest to me was the case from 1910 of Morris Park Lunn aged 12. He’d been found begging for bread. His mother denied he was her son. He’d run off when she blinded him with dirt. Good old days!

This was a fascinating exhibition and an excellent use for the premises. Unfortunately it ended on that Saturday. If it were permanent it would be of great interest to visitors.

I know it’s a great shame that a lot of good buildings have gone. I remember the row of Georgian houses on Ramsden Street. They housed the deaf club, the school dentist and the blind club. There was a rubber pavement outside that told blind people they had reached their destination. These have all gone.

It was for the best intentions at the time as it was thought it was an insult to house these essential services in dilapidated unsuitable buildings opposite the nice library.

Other towns didn’t do this because basically they were skint. Huddersfield was prosperous and could afford to improve. Down south we have a lot of preserved old thatched cottages: it’s not because they had the foresight to keep them but because they didn’t have the money to get rid of them. It was all up here – but unfortunately not any more.

If you ever go to Tropical World at Roundhay Park look out for the chrome, green and black Art Deco fish and chip shop on your way. If it’s still there.

PS Pam a friend of mine taught at Spring Grove School when Trevor Burgin was headmaster. In her class was a young lad who was often late but he always had an excuse.

On one occasion Pam was so fed up with this she took him to Trevor and said: “Tell Mr Burgin why you were late this morning.”

He replied: “I’m sorry I’m late this morning Sir, my flight from New York was delayed by fog.”