Collected stories as research for projections around the city in 2007

Senior Action – Burmantofts

Barnsley Bob

There used to be a guy knocking round on the streets called Barnsley Bob, he wern’t reet clever like, but they used to take him in and bath him, y kno every few months


Danny Freeman

Danny Freeman used to raise money for St James hospital out side Marks and Spencer, he was a true legend that man and is worthy of a mention.


RockingHorse patrols the bank

There was a man, who used to patrol the bank area of Leeds, who were massive, he used to keep it free of trouble at night as it was a real rough area.


Haunting at the Palace Pub, i’ve seen it!

I used to work at the palace pub near the parish church cleaning n that, and i seen her twice, well i think it was a her.

The first time i saw her out of the corner of my eye, she walked past me and i got goose bumps and went all cold like, n i just saw her through the door.

Second time i was with owner and he was mopping the floor, this faded white figure came past us and walked up the stairs, i even saw her turn the corner at the top.  He said  ‘did you just see what i just saw’    ‘yes’ i said ‘i told ya  it were haunted’

well, i were used to it, but his face was white as a sheet ans were beat wi perspiration, ‘i’ve been sleeping upstairs for weeks he said i aint goin to anymore’


Penny to see a Hole for the spitfire fund

In Rockwood estate near Temple Newsham a bomb were dropped in war, but never went off, well they evacuated the whole estate, i went to have a look and people had just fled. There were windows open with the curtains blowing in the wind, it was like a ghost town.  Anyways when they let everyone back in where the bomb had dropped it was in this womans house and she charged us a penny to look at the hole, we didn’t know if the bomb were in there or not, but she used to say, ‘go and ask your grandparents for a penny for the spitfire fund and you can see the hole’


Woodbine Lizzie

Woodbine Lizzie used to hang round the streets in the 1930s wearing a 1000 mens overcoats cadgin cigs from everybody, if you failed to give her cigarettes she would come out with all sorts of terrible language directed at you.

She died on the streets and had apparently leaving a small fortune.


Cars on Rooftops

The was a old Austin Standard perched on a rooftop on the corner of marsh lane for donkeys years.


How Call lane got its name

My father used to light the boiler on swinegate years ago and he told me when i was a little girl, i sometimes go to work wi him, y’kno. You can always expect a caller on call lane he said, its where they used to rob ya. and thats how i got its name he said.