Take a Little Walk With Me …

… around my memories of The University of Leeds in the 1970s and 80s – with apologies to those of you who know the location, and can see what a giddy route I've taken.

Read more about the images in this gallery HERE …

About This Gallery of Images

The title, 'Take a Little Walk With Me', is ‘borrowed’ from a song by Scott McClatchy.

If the present-day, 60-something version of me invites you to take a little walk with her through this gallery of images she’ll start with two in the middle – you’ll walk into St. George’s Field with her and hear about its history.

Previously Leeds General Cemetery, first used in 1835, last used in 1969 and then converted to a public park, the headstones are re-used as paths. She’ll tell you about the Guinea Graves – ten names on each gravestone, ten laid together in the same plot. Perhaps she’ll show you the image alongside; then talk about the cemetery chapel, the lodge, the Fire Brigade Memorial; that Atkinson Grimshaw is buried there, and Charley Hull, a VC holder.

She’ll respect it as a place of other people’s memories.

The 20-something student version of me would also start with the same two images. But not referring to their history – I’m not sure she ever thought of that (even though it was still being used as a cemetery only 2 years before she knew St. George's Field).  And it wouldn’t be a gentle walk – instead, you’ll run along the path beside her after lunch on Mondays (winter and spring), over to The Student Union to check the hockey team lists for the coming week. Running over with anticipation – would she be selected? – running back for the 2pm lecture; rushing past Clothworkers’ Court; up the wooden stairs into the Field; past the chapel; past old Ever Ready (the Fire Brigade Memorial) and through the lodge’s archway.

Memories yes. But these are my own memories, not other people’s.

And the other images, Parkinson steps – always a meeting place, especially for hockey teams; and passing by the Almshouses on the way to Civ. Eng. – walking down from Headingley along Woodhouse Ridge (now part of the Leeds link to the Dales Way); or crossing the main road outside Civ. Eng. to the Sandwich Company or maybe the pub (The Packhorse for Civ. Eng., never The Eldon, that’s for Mech. Eng.)

Or moving on in time, there’s a third walk to take, with a nearly 40-something me and pre-school Matt; driving past St Mark’s church in the old white Renault, Jim Croce on the tape (always Jim Croce, only Jim Croce); or leaving The Children’s Centre, and sharing a small person’s perspective of The Parkinson Building.

Those are the stories and the memories I’d share with you when you take a little walk with me around the University. And these thoughts, in turn, seemed to self-select the photographs I want to share with you and their style and appearance – the impatient urgency of the student, the energy of a youngster – I couldn’t stop and put the camera on a tripod, could I? And the distance back in time and imperfect memory define them too – with colours faded, detail withdrawn.

But there’s something more that this gallery gives me – first signs of healing, perhaps. These are memories and connections to other times; times when, like now, I was uncertain of myself, unsure who I am – as a student emerging into adulthood, as a young mum new to parenthood.

I’m minded that, both times, I found a way, I found a self.

So perhaps the healing’s here inside to make me whole again; perhaps Pete Seegar's right and it’s the ‘season’.

… time to heal; to build up; to laugh and dance …

Take care

Paddy