THE Pleasure Grounds on Prod Lane started life as Vulcan House built in 1879 by the Perry family. This article presents detailed new research tracing their history and development from that date until their closure in 2005.
* Tearooms:
Vulcan House was initially run as a modest tearoom in the garden of the house. Records suggest that basic amusements and hand powered roundabouts were added in the 1880s. Known as Perry’s Vulcan House, Jane Perry the first wife of John Perry, and then his second wife Elizabeth gradually built the business up establishing it as a flourishing tearoom.
* Expansion and Rides:
In 1905 Elizabeth started advertising on a larger scale. In April 1906 a local newspaper reported that Vulcan House had the following rides: a bicycle roundabout, donkeys, a water wheel and the Cape to Cairo Railway. The Cape to Cairo was built in the early 1900s as a wooden construction, later replaced by a metal version in the 1930s and renamed the Aerial Glide.
Elizabeth, an astute businesswoman who appreciated the importance of Sunday /Bank Holiday trading also presented her business as a test case challenging Sunday Trading Laws after she was prosecuted on three occasions. As a result, a local newspaper reported in 1906:
“Small shopkeepers...who have conducted business in the neighbourhood of Shipley Glen will be deeply interested in the report of the Joint Committee of the House of Lords and Commons on the question of Sunday trading...at present there is little evidence to show that such trading causes inconvenience to its opponents...the Committee find that Sunday trading has increased.”
Consequently, local bye laws were introduced allowing limited trading on Sundays and Bank Holidays for all businesses trading on Shipley Glen.
* Bioscope Cinema:
As an addition to the Pleasure Grounds, Benjamin, Elizabeth’s son by her first marriage started up the Vulcan Bioscope Company, putting on exhibitions in a large tent in the garden.
* Vulcan House for Sale - 1913:
Elizabeth died in 1912 aged 75, having run Vulcan House Tearoom and Pleasure Gardens for 18 years. In 1913 Benjamin put the business up for sale, profiling the unique and beautiful position and the length of time that the business had been running successfully. He also highlighted that the property had its own electric light, gas plant and water supply.
The following was offered: “A Sweet Shop, Refreshment Room, Photographers Shop, Large Tent used for Cinematography, Swings, Roundabout and a contrivance known as “The Cape to Cairo Railway.”
The advent of war had an effect on the sale of Vulcan house, and several items from the grounds were put up for sale in the period 1914 until 1918. However John Cox, a friend of Benjamin’s and fellow beneficiary from Elizabeth’s will, continued to live at and run the photographers shop until 1918.
George and Jane Voss, former Bradford publicans, are then shown in Electoral Records as living at Vulcan House from 1918 until the late 1930s and were running the Pleasure Ground side of the business during this period.
* Vulcan House Pleasure Grounds for Sale - 1942:
In 1942 the Vulcan House Pleasure Grounds were again put up for sale advertising the following: “A Retail Shop, brick built Tearoom, small lean-to Tearoom, two ranges of Swings, Aerial Glide and a large Aviary.”
Again war records preclude any mention in the West Yorkshire Electoral Rolls of names and addresses of businesses.
However, from 1945 Harry Teale is recorded as living at Vulcan House and running the Pleasure Grounds which he expanded to include new roundabouts, rides and slot machines.
He also added a small zoo/menagerie which contained several donkeys, a monkey, two lions (introduced in the late 1940s/ early 1950s) and up until 1955 also included Billy, a Himalayan Mountain Bear. The Zoo was closed in 1955 and the animals were transferred to new homes.
In 1965 Harry Teale sold the land to his nephew, Paul Teale who owned the land until 2005, having leased the Pleasure Grounds to the Breeze family in 1985.
* Closure in 2005:
For a number of reasons, including alternative new holiday attractions, the Pleasure Grounds closed in Autumn 2005, and this and other land on Prod Lane was eventually sold for new housing.
Latterly the Grounds had included: dodgems, the Aerial Glide (demolished in 2003), a bouncy castle, the Moonraker rocket ride, tea cup and 40s/50s pedal car merry go rounds, swing boats and the Glen Royal train ride. Amusements also included arcade games, a sweet shop and snacks kiosks.
* Alan’s book Bingley A Living History is available from Luscombes, Bingley and Bingley Post Office.
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