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As for the leisure of the working man in Bradford in the 19th century,to start with this was patchy: infamous public houses and beer parlours (porn?), (prize) fighting (the British football supporter abroad today?) and various unsalubrious pastimes with animals (not the shooting and fox hunting of the aristocracy? - they couldn't aford these or had the space or land). Also the made good working man had a tendancy to build over the free spaces in the centre or increase the working hours and reduce the pay so his fellow working man had no time or money to enjoy a leisure pursuit. Again from mid century onwards the middle classes tried to civilize this recreation by making parks (Peel Park - named after the founder of the UK police force at about the same time), Mechanicis Insititutes for lectures and a little entertainment, and theatres and music and concert halls. But think the working man was absent from these diversions, think again. Step forward original wool comber William Morgan renowned for making a lot of money and perhaps a forerunner of the commercial entertainment business as any man - he was noted for the Star Music hall, The Prince's theatre and saw a particular opportunity in entertainment at the seaside (one of the earliest to realsise that the sea had anything to offer as a diversion). There was the Morecombe and Blackpool Winter Gardens and the People's Palace in Scarborough (East and West coasts from Bradford). Also forerunner of the Saturday Night Concerts (towards the end of the century Saturday afternoons and evenings were freed up from working). Then there were the German Merchants who came later and were instrumental in funding the intimate environs of St George's Hall for example.

It is surprising how many lesiure pursuits (of many 'classes') originated from the so called 'working' class leisure or pastimes, and have yet paradoxically turned into vehicles of abuse and problem for some elements in society (often now labelled the working classes), as well as having much wider appeal. Thus the public houses and drinking parlours, perhaps at once stage the islands of safe drinking amidst polluted water supplies, now spawn alcoholism and bouts of drinking by students (the learned classe once gentlemen's and clergy's offspring). The debauchery and sexual liberalism of some of these places the forrunner to prornography(?) with mainstream acceptance in many cultures. Gambling (dogs, horses, cocks etc.) spawning a multinational and sophisticated business, where several womwn have made vast fortunes. Football (soccer in the USA), rugby and cricket, perhaps not initiated by the working classes (only gentlemen or students had the time or space to participate was avidly enggaged in by working men and is today pretty much universally popular. Athletics (track & field in the USA) was alos a minority interest of both upper and working class (space and time for the former again) , and there has often been an athletics track in even the most industrial of places. Alas, this one probably remains a specialist interest.

Here we see at Dudley Hill (the area about the cross roads just to the left of Terry's Mill (centre left)) an athletics track in 1905. This area is very near the centre of Bradford - at the time a short tram journey away. So the working man and the aristocrat of Bolling Hall (and once Bierley) could have participated in athletics (track & filed), then.