Thursday, 8 December 2011

Shakespeare, Philips Park Road

Shakespeare, Phillips Park Road, Bradford. (c) D.N. at ManMates Facebook [1].

The Shakespeare was a Chesters house at the junction of Forge Lane and Philips Park Road, back in the days when the latter used to run all the way from Miles Platting and through the area where the mini athletics stadium and the larger MCFC stadium is.  The archives has a 1971 photo of the Shakespeare from the Forge Lane side.

Shakespeare, Philips Park Road, Bradford. (c) Henry Bairsto [2].

The Shakespeare did brisk trade from the Richard Johnson & Nephew wire works situated in Forge Lane, but when the works and English Steel ceased, many of the pubs in this area of Bradford near the Colliery, suffered [2].  However, the Shakespeare survived and was still trading as recently as 1991 and I have vague memories of passing this pub, near to where the SportsCity flats are today.


Former location of Shakespeare, Philips Park Road. (c) Google 2011. View Larger Map.

1. www.facebook.com/ManMates.co.uk.
2. Just Henry - Memories of Bradford and Moston Collieries Manchester, Henry Bairsto (1991). 

2 comments:

  1. I had some good times in this pub back in the late 1980s its such a same this area has declined to what it is now.sadly the park the little bradford the metroploe amongst many others have all gone too

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  2. I remember there used to be a door on forge Lane when a stranger came in and ordered a pint. So a regular called Geoff and started playing darts at the end of the bar. The guy kept looking at us and after a few minutes left his beer and walked out the door. When we looked he was running hell for leather up the road. Why... Because wewe didn't have any darts.. One of millions of fun times in the pub when Tommy Pearson run it..

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