H PARK

Before the year 1908, Lofthouse Park was a private estate, enclosed on the Leeds Road side by a massive wall of stone, six or seven feet in height and about two feet in thickness. The southern boundary was indicated by a stream or brook, being the recognised boundary between the Urban Districts of Stanley and Rothwell administrative areas. In 1908 "Yorkshire West Riding Electric Tramway Company" decided to open a Tramway Amusement Park, the first in Great Britain, a company was formed "Lofthouse Park Limited" which purchased the park estate, With the intention of converting the area into a first class amusement park.
The Pleasure Park was eventually opened about Whitsuntide 1908 and a cutting from the Wakefield Express of Saturday 30th May 1908 stated Lofthouse Park is to be opened as a pleasure park next Wednesday and there is to be a series of galas daily during Whit week, with fireworks at night, free admission is to be given on ordinary days, to people holding train tickets. A decorative arch spanned the entrance to the Park and this, as well as the pavilion, bandstand, buildings, trees and bushes were illuminated by coloured electric bulbs, The amusement sector contained such things as a Helter Skelter, (a wooden tower about forty feet tall, gaily decorated, it had a spiral slide from top to botton, on which, seated on a coconut mat, patrons slid down at terrific speed) and this proved very popular, especially with the kiddies.
There were also, two Ariel Flights, each consisting of two thick steel cables, suspended between wooden structures with platfoms, from which the riders were launched.
A 'House of Mirrors provided great amusement, by a series of mirrors set at varying angles.
There was also Kelly's Cottage, in which all kinds of weird things happened, gusts of wind from unexpected directions, sacklike cobwebs across one's face, holes in the floor and revolving drums in your path etc, and finally you were confronted with a rattling skeleton, suspended from the roof. There was a most intricate Maze, constructed from privet hedging about six to seven feet tall and one had to have experienced several ventures within its depths to be able. to find a way into the centre and back out again. There were many more sideshows and entertainments, in addition to which, in the centre of these amenities, stood a huge pavilion of wood, painted white, with a frontage composed of shops, which sold sweets, tobacco, cigarettes, magazines etc., The pavilion was very similar to one at present in use at Yarmouth and contained a marvellous dance floor and full-sized stage, with all the accoutrements, including a cinena screen, but this of course was in the days of the silent screen and musical accompaniment had to be provided by an orchestra. On the opposite side of the pavilion, a roller skating rink was constructed where hundreds of local and other people, first learned to roller-skate.
Various attractions were engaged by the Park Entertainments Committee to pull in the crowds, one I well remember was the bringing over from Abyssinia, a group of natives, scantily dressed in skins and grasses, with fur anklets and rings of brass or bone skewers through nose or ears, the Group were accommodated in huts constructed of straw or rattan. A further attraction consisted of a huge wooden ramp or sloping platform, supported by massive timbers. The rear of the platform would probably be about fifteen feet in height, sloping downwards over a distance of around twenty feet to a lower level of about ten feet. At the front of the lower end, stout buffers were erected and the "act" involved an open touring car being released from the top end of the platform, with several men in it careering down the ramp, crashing into the buffers, turning a somersault and landing on an enormous mattress at ground level. Almost every day, we had the exciting experience of witnessing flights by the Blackburn Brothers, in addition to other aeronauts, amongst whom were B.C. Hucks, who I think won the 'Daily Express' or 'Daily Mail' flying trophy and a sizeable cash award.
In the latter stages of the Park it functioned as an entertainment centre, a small Zoo was established on the northern side of the main drive, where several brick built cages were erected. There were Lions, Tigers, Bears and other wild beasts, but this attraction did not appear to survive very long and ultimately, after the outbreak of the war in 1914 the whole of the Park was commandeered by the Government for use as an internment camp for enemy aliens. After the war, Lofthouse Park became more or less derelict and the magnificent Pavilion was finally destroyed by a fire. In the 1930s, Roper's Brickyard came into being and so terminated the turbulent history of Lofthouse Park.

The Park was situated in Leeds Road halfway up Lofthouse Hill on right looking from Wakefield.

Based on the book "Going Back a Bit 2"

by R.P. Rhodes