Nestled in the heart of Leeds, East End Park is a green oasis that has been an integral part of the city’s landscape for over a century. Steeped in history and natural beauty, we will take you on a journey through time, uncovering the fascinating story of East End Park, from its beginnings to its current status as a beloved park.

Undulating waves of grass, framed by trees, pathways, facilities and, at special times, the plumes of steam trains coming from York along the Richmond Hill/East End park stretch of the railway through East Leeds.

Today, the park offers many opportunities for recreation and relaxation. I’m sure many of us from East Leeds have fond memories of the park. Whether it’s enjoying the bowling greens, tennis courts, football pitches or basketball court, or a more relaxed time among the open fields, or sitting down by the roses.

Maybe you were there for the annual bonfire night celebrations in years gone by or one of the many other events that have taken part in the park over the decades.

I have fond memories of playing on the playground; I remember in the ’90s, it had a metal rail zipline and your usual array of ’80s and ’90s playground equipment (anyone remember the rocket climbing frame?). In fact, come to think of it, I feel cheated; I don’t think the times I visited, I was ever old enough or big enough to go on the zipline.

However, this historic park has a rich history, dating back to its founding in the late 19th century. Initially owned by a private individual, the park was later purchased by the city and transformed into a public park for all to enjoy.

The park was originally part of the grounds of the Osmondthorpe Hall, built in the 18th century. The site of the park itself appears to have been a pit waste site until Leeds City Council purchased the state in 1886, carving up the estate to become much-needed new housing with back-to-backs featuring heavily, and the once pit waste area was then developed and landscaped into gorgeous parkland.

The late Victorian era was struggling with the idea of populations flooding into cities, ever-increasing population densities, and substandard housing (I love our back-to-backs, but earlier back-to-back movements were a lot harder to love), and recognised that cities needed great green lungs to allow city life to breath and space between communities. It’s why so many of our parks in Leeds were founded between 1890 and 1920.

From the outset, East End Park was designed around active life; outdoor sports were baked into its DNA with the inclusion of bowling greens and tennis courts, tree-lined walks, and gardens to pass the day wandering among the colours and smells of roses, rhododendron, fuchsias all carefully curated and cared for by park staff.

A lost feature is the lake. It had quite an impressive lake, complete with a swan island, though, at some point, this was removed and replaced with the playground. It certainly looked impressive from the photos. There was also apparently a continually running water fountain; my mum recalls my grandmother telling her about it, replete with likely lead cups. The lake and fountain were before my mum’s time. It was a very different time, though, but I think I would have loved the park back then.

During World War II, just outside the park, an air raid shelter was set up (you can see some photos below). Given how many houses were around East End Park, I wondered how cramped it was inside. A lot of people don’t realise that Leeds was the target of nine or more air raids; the Leeds Blitz, particularly in mid-March 1941, mostly focused on the city centre, Bramley, Armley and Beeston. While we didn’t see as much bombing as in the south of the country, most areas of the country had something Hitler and his ilk wanted to wipe off the map; East Leeds, for instance, had Barnbow, which in War World II became the Royal Ordinance Factory Leeds. Nowhere was safe, so I hope it gave at least a sliver of relief that there was somewhere to go when the sirens came.

The East End Park and the Osmondthorpe estate are fascinating – I was disappointed not to find a book about its history. Aspiring historians, there’s a fascinating subject right there waiting for you.

The park holds events all year round. The 22nd of August saw Breeze arrive in East End Park, and recently, RHEA hosted a picnic in the park at the bowling club. In years gone by, its firework display was amazing; hopefully, it’ll come back soon. The bike track has recently been overhauled to be safe and exciting.

More than anything, it’s a lovely park to visit, get a break from a busy life, and take the kids to burn off some of the frantic summer holiday energy. It’s one of Leeds’ hidden gem parks; it feels like it’s only seen by locals living around the park and those catching fleeting glimpses as trains from York go flying through.