Longlands, Bradford facts for kids
Longlands is a historic area in Bradford City Centre, West Yorkshire, England. It's on the northwest side of the city centre. Its borders are roughly Sunbridge Road to the west, Grattan Road to the south, Westgate to the east, and City Road to the north. Sometimes people mistakenly call it the "Chain Street Estate" or mix it up with the nearby Goitside area.
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Buildings in Longlands
Most homes in Longlands were once "tenement blocks." These were large buildings divided into many separate apartments. They were built in a "cottage style," inspired by the Garden city movement. This movement aimed to create communities with green spaces and good housing.
Today, only three of these original buildings remain. They have been changed quite a bit over time. Most of the land in Longlands now has industrial buildings or offices.
Some other important places still standing include the "Harp of Erin" pub. This pub was built to serve the people living in the area. You can also find the New Beehive Inn and the Bradford Irish Club here.
History of Longlands
Social Reform Efforts
The first homes in Longlands were "back-to-back terraced houses." These were houses built in rows, sharing back walls with another row of houses. Many Irish people who moved to England for work lived here.
By the late 1800s, Longlands had too many people living in it. This led to problems with health and living conditions. A social reformer named Fred Jowett worked hard to fix these issues. He was a member of the local council and led its health committee.
After more than ten years of effort, Fred Jowett convinced the Bradford Council to act. They used a special law called the Housing of the Working Classes Act 1890. This law allowed the council to declare Longlands "insanitary," meaning unhealthy.
This meant the council could buy the land and tear down the old, unhealthy houses. Then, they could build new, better homes and facilities for the community.
Council Housing Development
Longlands is very important in Bradford's history of social development. It was the site of the city's second "council housing" project. Council housing is built and managed by the local government to provide affordable homes.
While there was an older council housing project called the Faxfleet Estate, it was much smaller. It was mainly built to move people from the original Longlands area. The Longlands project was the first large-scale council housing plan in Bradford.
Interestingly, the entire BD1 Postcode area, which includes Longlands, was once listed as a top place for property investment. This shows how the area has changed and developed over time.
