Roundhay Park: 20 of the best photos celebrate a Leeds green gem

Roundhay Park has proved to be one of the city’s green lungs down the decades. These photos showcase the many ways it has impacted the lives of residents and beyond through the years. The 700 acres of parkland became owned by Leeds Corporation in 1871 but being so far from the centre of Leeds and lacking adequate public transport it took off slowly with some arguing it was a white elephant. However with the coming of the tramway system, in particular the first electric tramway operating on the overhead wire system in Europe, introduced in 1891, the park quickly established itself as a popular visitor attraction for the masses. These photos features landmarks including Waterloo Lake, Canal Gardens, Lakeside Cafe and Hill 60, named to commemorate Leeds soldiers who died in WWI battles around Hill 60 in Ypres, Belgium. These images also showcase major events down the years including Children’s Day, held annually from 1920 to 1963, and Roundhay Gala. The photos are a mix from the YEP archive and others published courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Thoresby Society, Artemis and photographic archive Leodis, which is run by Leeds Library & Information Service. READ MORE: Memories of Roundhay Park's open air swimming pool LOVE LEEDS? LOVE NOSTALGIA? Join Leeds Retro on facebook