5th October 1967
PLAYING FIELDS CONTROVERSY
Readers Write
While
not wishing to enter into any controversy about Knottingley playing
fields, may I, as one who has lived in the vicinity of the field since
1908, give the following facts, which may be of interest to some of your
readers?
The
fields were originally known as the ‘Green House Fields’ and belonged
to Mr. William Jackson, who lived at The Hall in Marine Villa Road. He
also owned ‘Green House’ now the Green Bottle Inn, as well as
Jacksonville, now demolished. When he died in 1918 the Hall, another of
his properties, was sold except for the Green House Fields and Green
House. Mr. Jackson, who was a barrister and lived, I think, in London,
later decided to sell his remaining property.
In
the meantime a committee was formed by local residents, who decided to
raise the money to obtain playing fields for the children; residents were
asked for contributions – 10 shillings buying a plot of land.
Eventually
the Committee obtained the fields for a nominal sum on two conditions:
that no building was ever to be erected on the land and that the path from
Glebe Lane to Green House was never to be obstructed.
The
playing field committee then handed the land over to the Council on
condition that it provided amusements and its general upkeep. A fountain
was placed in the centre of the path, but Mr. Jackson came over at the
time he sold Green House and also saw the fountain.
He
contacted the Council, and the fountain was immediately removed to the
side of the path. I should imagine proof of my remarks will be found in
the archives of the Town Hall with other legal documents. LH
