A Charra’ Down Memory Lane
Whilst reading last week’s Telegraph & Argus piece on the submission of planning permission for the Bradford Odeon, a smile came across my face upon remembering its previous names, The Gaumont and The New Victoria Theatre.
I always knew it as The Odeon, a place I once took a rare girlfriend to see “Coming to America” with Eddie Murphy in 1988. That relationship went well, she ran off with a friend and it was back to the delicious Madame Webster for me. She was always there for me 7 days a week and lingered most mornings.
As a youngster I was always perplexed at my Mother’s insistence that we catch the bus home from Bradford outside this mystical New Vic, a drab bus stop at the bottom of Thornton Road opposite a paper shop with a greasy spoon café above.
in those days trips to “town” meant Keighley, invariably on a Saturday morning as my Dad worked Saturday’s repairing televisions, a busy day and hell to pay if there was no Grandstand or ITV 7 to watch for many dependent on those huge old sets.
Sometimes a trip further afield was planned and it was off to the sparkling lights of Bradford, seven and a half miles away. After being dragged around the shops and the delights of St James Fruit, Meat & Fish Market it was then off to Baxendalls Cafe before being hurried down to t’New Vic for the bus.
Buses up to Denholme were not in the blue & cream livery of Bradford Corporation Transport for they terminated at the city limits of Thornton. They wore the red and cream of the delightfully named West Yorkshire Road Car Company, “Westies” to us hill dwellers. After boarding it was upstairs and the fug of the smoking saloon to await your ticket from the conductor.
Up Thornton Road the road car chugged on through Girlington towards the “City Limits” of Thornton. It was then a long slow drag up James Street to Hill Top passing Thornton Cricket Club’s delightful ground and onwards to Keelham then Denholme Clough and finally alighting home an hour later.
To a youngster a journey to Bradford was to a faraway place, a day out and a rare treat. Sadly now my enthusiasm to visit my home city is not as enthusiastic. I sincerely hope that we will see a return of the building to its former glories with a chance to see concerts back in Bradford. However, for an old nostalgic, it will forever make me smile as I think of a young lad, stood with his Mum waiting for a Westie outside t’New Vic.
Leave a Reply