Yorkshire nostalgia: Castle, railways and old town scenes from Pontefract

Initially, the fortress was of a motte and bailey design – an earth mound topped by a timber palisade encircling a central tower or keep. Situated to one side was a banked and ditched bailey containing living quarters and other buildings.

The motte and bailey Pontefract Castle was known to be in existence by around 1086. The date range for the early stages of the later castle’s construction in stone are estimated to be from the 12th century to the early 13th century. Over the centuries the castle was held by a total of 29 lords. Amongst these were the de Lacy’s, the House of Lancaster and 16 reigning monarchs.

On Monday July 28, 1884, Pontefract celebrated its 400th birthday as a borough. At 1pm a procession left the Corn Market and headed to the Castle Grounds which were formally opened by a Mr Tew who was Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the West Yorkshire Freemasons. The route passed through Newgate, Ropergate, Market Place and Horsefair. The castle grounds had been open to the public for the previous three years but there had not been a formal opening until that Monday. The Duke of Albany had promised to perform the ceremony but his death had made that impossible. The grounds were the property of the Queen, being in the Duchy of Lancaster.

In recent years, events relating to Pontefract castle’s eventful past have been re-enacted. Mainly organised by Wakefield Council or the Pontefract Heritage Group, these have involved hundreds of enthusiastic members of the public. The ghost trails held regularly at Halloween are booked up weeks in advance.

On www.pomfretian.co.uk some details of the Buttercross standing in the Market Place may be gleaned. Built in 1734 by a Mrs Elizabeth Dupier, the structure was intended to protect from the elements the country women who came into the town to sell produce. Originally it had a flat roof though this was replaced by the present hipped roof in 1763. The Buttercross has been the scene of some awful activity. The pomfretian website states: ‘In 1776, John Nutt brought his wife to the cross and sold her to a very satisfied Mr Ryder for 5 shillings. In 1815 another wife was auctioned with an opening bid of 1 shilling with the winning bid reaching 11 shillings.’

Pontefract was connected to the railway network from April 1, 1848. This occurred when the Wakefield, Pontefract & Goole Railway opened Pontefract Monkhill station. The railway was 281/2 miles in length and, beginning at Wakefield, on the Manchester & Leeds Railway, it terminated at Goole. The Leeds Times of the above date had the following to say: ‘The principal town between the termini is the borough of Pontefract, which will be largely benefitted by the opening of this line and its branches…Pontefract station, although the largest between the termini, and built too for the convenience of the town is of rather plain exterior, and internally is adapted more for convenience than for show…The station is in Pontefract Park, just outside the town on the north side.’ Monkhill station is still open today. Pontefract Tanshelf station opened on July 17, 1871 – as Tanshelf. It was renamed Pontefract Tanshelf in December 1936. Closure came on January 2, 1967, but reopening occurred on May 11, 1992. Pontefract Baghill station opened on July 1, 1879 and still exists.

On August 15, 1892, it was announced that first sod was cut to form an artificial lake in Pontefract Park. It was expected to be three acres in size, and the water would be supplied by the springs in the Park. William Green, of Garforth was contracted to construct the lake for £1, 030 19s 4d, as well as planting 1,000 trees round the area.

Another welcome addition to the West Yorkshire tramway network was trumpeted on Thursday October 25, 1906. The new undertaking was an off-shoot of the Wakefield tramways system and was owned by the Yorkshire (West Riding) Electric Tamways Co. Ltd. It was seven miles in length, and was for the most part a single line running from the Market Place at Pontefract to the Market place at Normanton. This linked up enroute the industrial communities at Castleford, Glass Houghton, Whitwood, and Normanton Common. In Pontefract, during the opening ceremony, cheering crowds of people assembled in the streets, while at various points exuberant school children were marshalled on the footpaths to give the undertaking a welcome. Between the two extreme points of Pontefract and Normanton there was to be a 15 minutes’ service of trams and the fare was sixpence. Services ended on 25 July 1932.

Pontefract people could enjoy entertainment at the Alexandra Theatre from July 7, 1908. Architects Garside and Pennington designed the building for owner Selina Anne Driver. Films were included on the entertainment programme from at least 1909. Conversion to a full-time cinema occurred in 1935. Later controllers included the Star Cinema chain and closure came in 1961. Afterwards, there was a switch to bingo before demolition in 1972.

The second movie house to be opened in Pontefract was the Playhouse Cinema in 1916. Seating was available for 853. Closure came in 1965 and demolition followed afterwards.

Whilst on strike, Pontefract district miners turned out in their thousands on Saturday May 28, 1921, to witness a series of races. These were arranged for the benefit of a local distress fund. The races involved pit ponies, employed underground at the neighbourhood collieries. The meeting took place in Pontefract Park which had been given to the promoters of the event by Pontefract Corporation and the Race Company. The Mayor (Alderman T.J. Sides) who was director of the Race Company, acted as Clerk of the Course and chairman of the Committee. The races were given names: The Pomfret Handicap; The Fryston Handicap; The Featherstone Handicap; The Prince of Wales Stakes; The Glass Houghton Plate; and the Castleford Stakes. Some of those involved in the raising cash for distress fund posed for a postcard photographer.

One of the more curious postcards I have seen depicts the Pontefract and District Linnet Singing Society. A newspaper reference of Friday May 23, 1913, gives brief information: ‘Linnet Club – The members of this club promoted a bird singing contest at the Commercial Hotel on Saturday [May 17]. The contest was open to all comers, and 46 birds competed. Five prizes were offered, the first being a copper kettle…A short address on the feeding and time singing of linnets was given by Mr Nelson, who was heartily thanked at the close.'

The Crescent Cinema opened in Ropergate on November 1, 1926. It was built by the Pontefract Cinema company to the designs of architects Hustler and Taylor. Seating accommodation was for 1,200 patrons. The building also included a stage, dressing rooms, café and a large dance hall. Later operators included the Star Cinema chain, Canon, Al and Lilian Brook-Smith, Garrick House Cinemas and Facealpha. The Crescent was split for bingo as well as films (becoming known as Studio 1) in 1970 but closure as a cinema came in 1993. Later the building was used by Breaks Snooker Club.