Heritage Open Day: Lofthouse Park's Forgotten History, 1900 - 1919

People from South Leeds, Rothwell, Lofthouse, Outwood and Wakefield are invited to discover what went on in the now vanished Lofthouse Park between 1900 and 1919.

People from South Leeds, Rothwell, Lofthouse, Outwood and Wakefield are invited to discover what went on in the now vanished Lofthouse Park between 1900 and 1919.

Historical documents and a guided neighbourhood walk reveal why and how the park was turned from an aerodrome and place of popular entertainment to an internment and prisoner-of-war camp for German and Austrian civilians and officers in World War One.

Visitors find out about ‘enemy aliens’, individual internees, life in the camp and the odd escape, based on ongoing research of In the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time, a project that brings together historians, descendants, residents, students and pupils from Britain and Germany.

But the camp itself is not the only focus of the day. This Heritage Open Day is an opportunity for anyone to come and share knowledge, stories and documents relating to the local area in the first two decades of the 20th century. Perhaps people living around Park Avenue, Park Square and Park View or working for Peter Duffy Ltd. have even found objects that could be dated back to the time of the camp. The project team is also looking for descendants of the internees and camp guards from the Royal Defence Corps.

In addition to looking at documents on display and going on a walk led by independent historian David Stowe (11.30 and 14.00), visitors can try their hand at reconstructing Lofthouse Park Camp in a mapping workshop at 12.00.

A short creative presentation by Heritage Corner’s Joe Williams and Leah Francis at 15.00 puts Lofthouse Park Camp in the wider context of civilian internment during the First World War, which affected tens of thousands of families in Britain, Germany and beyond.

Lofthouse Park Camp (Q 56595) © IWMThe venue and guided walks are child-friendly and fully accessible. Pre-booking is only required for groups, but signing up for the walk on the day is appreciated. Children’s activities are offered throughout the day and refreshments are available.

See the Heritage Open Days website for more information or contact Claudia Sternberg in the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies.

Download the flyer.
Images from top:
Lofthouse street sign refers to bygone era © Claudia Sternberg
Lofthouse Park Camp during World War One (Q 56595) © IWM

About In the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time
In this project, academics, community, local and family historians (including descendants), performers, teachers, university students and pupils from Britain and Germany explore the little known history of civilian internment during the First World War. The project explores two specific sites, the camp for British civilians in Ruhleben (Berlin-Spandau, Germany) and Lofthouse Park Camp for German internees in Wakefield (Yorkshire, UK). It is funded by the Centre for Hidden Histories.

Partners in Berlin are the Youth History Workshop Spandau (Jugendgeschichtswerkstatt Spandau), the Spandau City Museum and Archive as well as colleagues at Humboldt University’s History Department. Stakeholders in the UK are descendants of Ruhlebenites, community-based historians, Legacies of War at the University of Leeds, academic colleagues in Leeds and Sheffield, Heritage Corner and the West Yorkshire Archive Service.

Location details 

Lofthouse Gate Working Men’s Club
12 Canal Lane
Lofthouse
Wakefield WF3 3HN