Idle, West Yorkshire
Encyclopedia
The village of Idle and its outskirts make up a mainly residential suburban area in the city of Bradford
, West Yorkshire
, in England
. The area is loosely bordered by the areas of Eccleshill, Wrose
, Thackley
and Greengates
, in the north east of the city.
The village centre consists of a small village green
, around which are various shops, banks, pubs and eateries, including most of the village's fast food outlets. The village centre is also home to a small library, named 'Idle Library', and the Thorpe Primary School, formerly Thorpe Middle School.
Leading down to the village from Highfield Road is the main High Street, on which are yet more businesses and more pubs. Also on this road is Idle's doctors surgery, and its dental practice.
On the High Street is the 'Idle Working Men's Club
'. This is perhaps the most well known feature of the village to outsiders, as when its name is read out, on face value it erroneously implies that the club provides a place for 'idle
' or lazy working men to drink, rather than simply being a working men's club situated in the village of Idle. Due to its unique name, it has a large, almost cult membership status around the world, with many clamouring for an official 'Idle Working Men's Pass'. The number of members according to the club is well over 1000, a staggeringly large number considering the apparent decline of many similar working men's clubs throughout the rest of the north of England.
Other landmarks in the village include the Holy Trinity Parish Church, a large, impressive Victorian
church dating from 1830 complete with graveyard
and bell tower, and the Stage 84 Performing Arts School, both situated on Town Lane. Many of the houses and buildings in this part of Idle date back almost a century, and provide a significant remnant of Bradford's expansion during the Industrial Revolution.
Former landmarks include the Idle branch of the YMCA
, which was situated in a large former Methodist Church building on Town Lane, and the old Watmough's Printing Factory, just off the High Street. These have both recently been demolished to make way for new housing developments.
In the area leading away from the village centre towards Leeds Road, there is a recreational area including football fields, tennis courts, a bowling green and a children's play area. This is known locally as the 'Idle Rec'. Nearby on Leeds Road is the major secondary school Immanuel CE Community College, and the Bradford branch of the British Red Cross
. Further down Leeds Road towards the area of Greengates are various pubs and further residential areas.
Idle was served at different periods by two railway stations: on the Leeds and Bradford line
in 1847-48, and then on the Great Northern Shipley-Windhill line
between 1875 and 1968.
Valley towards Shipley
and Baildon.
of Idle and Thackley
.
The village is also located in the newly created parliamentary constituency of Bradford East
(formerly Bradford North).
pitches and hosts a number of teams, including Idle C.C. who play in the highly regarded Bradford Cricket League
.
The village has no association football team of any real note, however both Thackley F.C.
and Eccleshill United F.C.
play just outside the village boundaries. These teams both play in the NCEL Premier Division.
had a factory in Bradford Road until 1954. Jowett sold the factory to International Harvester
who made tractors at the site until the early 1980s. The factory was demolished after International Harvester closed it, and the site is now occupied by a Morrisons
supermarket.
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The area is loosely bordered by the areas of Eccleshill, Wrose
Wrose
Wrose is a village and civil parish in the City of Bradford metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, about three miles north of Bradford city centre, and south-east of Shipley. It sits on top of a hillside at a height of around 600 feet above sea level, overlooking the Aire valley and...
, Thackley
Thackley
The village of Thackley is a small suburban area to the north east of the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire in England.- Geography :The village is loosely bordered by the village of Idle to the south, and Windhill to the west. The area to the east of the village is largely wooded and rural,...
and Greengates
Greengates
Greengates is a small suburban area in the north-east of the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, in England. The area is bordered by Idle and Thackley to the north west, and the large council estate known as Thorpe Edge to the west. To the south of Greengates is Ravenscliffe with the village of...
, in the north east of the city.
Area layout
Although the borders between the village and its neighbouring areas are not particularly well defined, it can be said that there are three distinct areas in the village: the predominantly working class area of Thorpe Edge to the south east of the village, the predominantly middle class area centred on the main roads of Highfield Road and Town Lane to the west of the village, and the predominantly middle class area centred on the main road of Leeds Road to the east of the village.The village centre consists of a small village green
Village green
A village green is a common open area which is a part of a settlement. Traditionally, such an area was often common grass land at the centre of a small agricultural settlement, used for grazing and sometimes for community events...
, around which are various shops, banks, pubs and eateries, including most of the village's fast food outlets. The village centre is also home to a small library, named 'Idle Library', and the Thorpe Primary School, formerly Thorpe Middle School.
Leading down to the village from Highfield Road is the main High Street, on which are yet more businesses and more pubs. Also on this road is Idle's doctors surgery, and its dental practice.
On the High Street is the 'Idle Working Men's Club
Idle Working Men's Club
The Idle Working Men's Club is a working men's club in the village of Idle, a suburb of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England.The club was established in 1928 by workmen from a local sewage works who found that their shift working arrangements and the pub licensing hours left them unable to have a...
'. This is perhaps the most well known feature of the village to outsiders, as when its name is read out, on face value it erroneously implies that the club provides a place for 'idle
Idle
Idle is a term which generally refers to a lack of motion and/or energy.- Uses :In describing a person or machine, idle means the act of nothing or no work...
' or lazy working men to drink, rather than simply being a working men's club situated in the village of Idle. Due to its unique name, it has a large, almost cult membership status around the world, with many clamouring for an official 'Idle Working Men's Pass'. The number of members according to the club is well over 1000, a staggeringly large number considering the apparent decline of many similar working men's clubs throughout the rest of the north of England.
Other landmarks in the village include the Holy Trinity Parish Church, a large, impressive Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
church dating from 1830 complete with graveyard
Graveyard
A graveyard is any place set aside for long-term burial of the dead, with or without monuments such as headstones...
and bell tower, and the Stage 84 Performing Arts School, both situated on Town Lane. Many of the houses and buildings in this part of Idle date back almost a century, and provide a significant remnant of Bradford's expansion during the Industrial Revolution.
Former landmarks include the Idle branch of the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
, which was situated in a large former Methodist Church building on Town Lane, and the old Watmough's Printing Factory, just off the High Street. These have both recently been demolished to make way for new housing developments.
In the area leading away from the village centre towards Leeds Road, there is a recreational area including football fields, tennis courts, a bowling green and a children's play area. This is known locally as the 'Idle Rec'. Nearby on Leeds Road is the major secondary school Immanuel CE Community College, and the Bradford branch of the British Red Cross
British Red Cross
The British Red Cross Society is the United Kingdom branch of the worldwide impartial humanitarian organisation the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with over 31,000 volunteers and 2,600 staff. At the heart of their work...
. Further down Leeds Road towards the area of Greengates are various pubs and further residential areas.
Idle was served at different periods by two railway stations: on the Leeds and Bradford line
Idle (L&BR) railway station
Idle railway station was a short-lived station serving Idle, near Bradford.It was built by the Leeds and Bradford Railway in 1847, but it was closed the next year. It was located near the west entrance of the Thackley Tunnel....
in 1847-48, and then on the Great Northern Shipley-Windhill line
Idle railway station
Idle railway station was a railway station in Idle, West Yorkshire, England.-History:During the 1860s, two small railway companies were formed to promote suburban railways in Bradford, the Bradford, Eccleshill and Idle Railway and the Idle and Shipley Railway...
between 1875 and 1968.
Idle Moor
To the extreme west of the village, immediately on the border with the area of Wrose, is the mostly rural area of Idle Moor. This is a particularly hilly area of the village and provides views over the AireRiver Aire
The River Aire is a major river in Yorkshire, England of length . Part of the river is canalised, and is known as the Aire and Calder Navigation....
Valley towards Shipley
Shipley, West Yorkshire
Shipley is a town in West Yorkshire, England, by the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, north of Bradford and north-west of Leeds....
and Baildon.
Local government
The village is located in the wardWards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
of Idle and Thackley
Idle and Thackley
Idle and Thackley is a Ward in Bradford Metropolitan District in the county of West Yorkshire, England, named after the villages of Idle and Thackley around which it is drawn....
.
The village is also located in the newly created parliamentary constituency of Bradford East
Bradford East (UK Parliament constituency)
Bradford East is the name of a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The constituency originally existed from 1885 to 1974 and was recreated for the 2010 general election, electing one Member of Parliament by the first past the post...
(formerly Bradford North).
Sport
The village is home to several cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
pitches and hosts a number of teams, including Idle C.C. who play in the highly regarded Bradford Cricket League
Bradford Cricket League
The Bradford Cricket League is an amateur cricket competition centred in Bradford, West Yorkshire...
.
The village has no association football team of any real note, however both Thackley F.C.
Thackley F.C.
Thackley F.C. are a football club based in the village of Thackley in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They were established in 1930 and joined the Yorkshire League Division Two in 1967. In the current 2011-12 season, they are members of the Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division....
and Eccleshill United F.C.
Eccleshill United F.C.
Eccleshill United F.C. are a football club based in Wrose, which is a ward of Bradford, in West Yorkshire, England, currently members of the Northern Counties East League Division One....
play just outside the village boundaries. These teams both play in the NCEL Premier Division.
Notable people
- Dickie WatmoughDickie WatmoughRichard "Dickie" Watmough was an English professional footballer and cricketer. He played as a midfielder in the former sport.-Football:...
, former Bradford CityBradford City A.F.C.Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
, BlackpoolBlackpool F.C.Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
and Preston North EndPreston North End F.C.Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
footballer. He won the FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
with Preston in 1938. - Sir Robert JenningsRobert Yewdall JenningsSir Robert Yewdall Jennings was Whewell Professor of International Law at Cambridge University from 1955 to 1982 and a Judge of the International Court of Justice from 1982...
("Robbie") QC, former President of the International Court of Justice and one time Whewell Professor of International Law at Cambridge University, was born in Idle in 1913 and spent his whole upbringing there until he won the scholarship to Cambridge which set him on his career. - Hannah MidgleyHannah MidgleyHannah Midgley is a young British actress best known for playing Victoria Sugden on the ITV programme Emmerdale. She replaced Jessica Haywood in 1998 and left in July 2006 to concentrate on her studies; she was succeeded by Isabel Hodgins. In 1995, she played toddler Winrow in A Touch of...
, former Emmerdale actress has lived in Idle for most of her life. She is currently concentrating on her studies but is believed to want to make a return to the small screen in the future. - Joseph WhitworthJoseph WhitworthSir Joseph Whitworth, 1st Baronet was an English engineer, entrepreneur, inventor and philanthropist. In 1841, he devised the British Standard Whitworth system, which created an accepted standard for screw threads...
, engineer and entrepreneur, was educated at Idle. - James HansonJames Hanson (footballer born 1987)James Robert Hanson is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Bradford City.-Early career:Born in Bradford, Hanson started as a youth player in 1997 at Huddersfield Town, but was released at the age of 15...
, Professional footballer - Adrian Edmonson, comedian and actor , was born in Idle.
- Edd Kimber, Obsessive baker, and winner of the 2010 BBC2 series "The Great British Bake Off" was educated and lives in nearby Thackley.
Jowett Cars
Jowett Cars LtdJowett
Jowett was a manufacturer of light cars and light commercial vehicles in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England from 1906 to 1954.-Early history:Jowett was founded in 1901 by brothers Benjamin and William Jowett with Arthur V Lamb. They started in the cycle business and went on to make V-twin engines...
had a factory in Bradford Road until 1954. Jowett sold the factory to International Harvester
International Harvester
International Harvester Company was a United States agricultural machinery, construction equipment, vehicle, commercial truck, and household and commercial products manufacturer. In 1902, J.P...
who made tractors at the site until the early 1980s. The factory was demolished after International Harvester closed it, and the site is now occupied by a Morrisons
Morrisons
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
supermarket.