Woodhouse Cemetery: Grade II listed Leeds memorial in 'appalling' condition promised restoration work
Restoration work will take place on a historic Leeds memorial feared to be sinking into the ground, following outcry over its “appalling” condition.
The University of Leeds promised that repairs to the Grade II listed Leeds Fire Brigade Memorial, located at the northern end of Woodhouse Cemetery, will take place this summer.
It follows mounting concerns from campaigners, as well as an intervention from Leeds MP Keir Mather, who raised the issue directly with the university, which is responsible for the land.
The monument dates back to 1892 and honours fireman James Potter Schofield, who died in what was described at the time as “the greatest fire Leeds had ever experienced”.
But more than a century on, it appears to stand on uneven ground, with a large gap in the soil beneath it exposing foundations and encroaching tree roots.
The planned maintenance work comes after the Yorkshire Evening Post reported on the concerns of Christine Bairstow, 79, who has been visiting the site since childhood. Her twin sister Pauline, who died at just six-months-old, is buried only metres away from the monument.
“It’s appalling and just disgraceful,” said Christine. “That tree will be decades old and the roots must be pulling [the monument] up. At other cemeteries, when the ground is sinking, they used to put fencing around them until they could be filled up. If the earth goes any more, it’s going to topple.”
Photos taken last month show the memorial standing above a visible hole in the earth, with surface roots pressing against its stone base and no signage to warn visitors.
Though known to students as St George’s Field, the site is the final resting place of up to 100,000 people. Once called Woodhouse Cemetery, it is now the focus of a campaign by Christine and others to have its original name restored and its historic significance more widely acknowledged.
Keir Mather MP told the YEP that he has since taken the matter up with the university.
He said: “A constituent contacted me to raise concerns about the condition of the memorial. I raised this directly with Leeds University, and I am grateful they’ve decided to take swift action to explore restoring this important site.
“St George’s Fields is not only a popular spot for students. At its cemetery, many people’s loved ones are laid to rest, so it’s right the University take their responsibility to upkeep it seriously.
“I hope that through this restoration, the memorial can once again serve as a fitting tribute to the bravery of firefighters, past and present, who keep our city safe.”
In response to the latest developments, a University of Leeds spokesperson said: “St George’s Field is an important part of our campus which we encourage our community and visitors to use for reflection in a respectful manner.
“As part of routine maintenance of our estate, restoration work to the memorial and surrounding area is scheduled to take place over the summer.”