Going home!

I made a return visit to my home town today. I was born in Bradford and spent most of my life there, until we moved to Cumbria about 12 years ago. I love the city, despite all the dramatic changes that have taken place and often turmoil it has gone through, over the years. It still remains the place I know best and where most of my memories are attached.

So I use any excuse to visit and this was no exception. We decided to join a group from the Bradford Family History Society in a walk round Manningham. One side of my family lived and worked there during the 19th century and I have spent a few years researching and following their lives. This was an opportunity to learn more about the area.

Of course, as many will have recognised, the blip is the chimney of Manningham Mills. This was at one time Europe's largest silk mill, but also produced the worsted and velvet cloth for which Bradford was the renowned in the world. At one time it was employing over 5000 workers. The excellent guided walk took us round the area, amongst the houses, built for the workers, as well as for the owners and managers. It was strange, as I was walking in places I had walked or driven past a hundred times, but had never actually looked at or realised the significance of.

Manningham started off as a small village and there are still buildings such as a Manor House and weavers' cottages. Then it became the place to live to get out of the centre of Bradford and some beautiful houses were built, which are still there today. Then the Mill was built and everything changed. Now the Mill is a thriving community centre and apartments. In the picture you can see the pods that have been built to make luxury apartments on the top floor.

So a good day, full of nostalgia, but also inspiring me to find out more about my family and the lives they led in the area.

We managed, as usual, a real curry and got to see The Water in the centre of the city. I could have blipped that, but it started to rain and other people have blipped it before. The chimney was a part of my past and is now a part of my present also.