When Roundhay Rinked!
When Roundhay Rinked!
Early roller skating in Leeds
Roller skating had a few brief periods of popularity in the late 1800s – most notably a craze lasting for a few years during the mid to late 1870s. It seems that the Victorians were very fond of ice skating and were always quick to take advantage when the weather was cold enough. Roller skating was initially conceived as a kind of 'reality simulation' experience that allowed skating to continue in the ‘off season.’ Initially some small rinks were set up in a temporary fashion but I believe the first large scale, dedicated facility built exclusively for roller skating in Leeds was the 1500 square foot outdoor rink that opened at the Leeds Horticultural Gardens in 1876.
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| Outdoor Ice Skating on a frozen Roundhay Park Lake |
The Leeds Horticultural Gardens rink was an outdoor asphalt surface which replaced a previous small indoor rink that had been set up in the gardens that had proved too small and too hot in summer. The opening of the rink was said to have attracted a large and fashionable crowd. Music was provided by a military brass band (19th Hussars under bandmaster George Ramplin.) This was very much a prototype of what rinking would become in later years: a dedicated smooth surface, fashionable crowds, brass band music. All the pieces were in place but it would take further innovation before the craze really took hold.
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| Plimpton's Patent Roller Skates were on offer at the Horticultural Gardens in 1875 |
The next important Leeds rink, which appears to have been the first one that was firmly in the American style, was the Valiquet Roller Skating Rink (which replaced an earlier rink called Olympian) at the Drill Hall on Fenton Street, Leeds which opened on November 18th 1893 under Canadian manager/proprietor Peter Raymond Valiquet. This rink could be said to be 15 years ahead of it's time in it's use of extendable ball bearing skates, American maple flooring, books of tickets (or "skate checks") etc. Many people outside Leeds wouldn't experience this type of modern 'American' rinking until the 1908 craze arrived. Valiquet unfortunately ended up in a bankruptcy court by the August of 1895 explaining how, although he owned rinks in Brighton, Leeds, Scarborough and at the Lambeth Baths (the latter place opened at a cost of £1,100) none of it was successful due to the rinking craze having died out. Roller skating had once more shown itself to be a short-term craze for one or two years rather than something that was here to stay.
The 1908 rink revival
Chester Park Crawford was a larger than life Coney Island showman and roller rink manager who came over from America in 1907 and became associated with a Liverpool businessman called Fred Wilkins. In business together they opened a rink in Liverpool’s Tournament Hall which was a huge success. Crawford was able to import ball bearing skates of an improved design from the United States along with special hard maple floor surface and electric polishing machines. The new equipment allowed skaters to move with increased speed and grace while reducing effort expended and this appears to have been the catalyst that began to spark the craze.
After Crawford and Wilkins had opened a few more rinks in seaside towns they set out to conquer London and after a successful winter season in London’s Olympia during 1908 the rinking craze exploded in popularity. Before long rinks were opening up and down the country, some under the control of Crawford and Wilkins (The American Roller Skating Company) and others run by people who had the foresight to move quickly and take advantage of the growing demand.
Chester Crawford appears to have positioned himself as a key player so that he stood to benefit in many ways from an interest in rinking. Crawford had the license to use a certain type of patent surfacing machine and offered it's services to competitors on a per square foot cost basis. Crawford was also heavily involved with the Samuel Winslow manufacturing company - the largest manufacturer of roller skates in the United States. Colonel Samuel Winslow, head of the company, revealed that by the end of 1908 there were 10,000 pairs of skates coming into the country via Liverpool each week all being handled by "Mr Crawford who is acting as the firms London representative." If you thought of opening a rink in competition with Crawford and Wilkins then you would most likely need equipment and machinery supplied by them or their associates and they would profit anyway!
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| A machine for Rink surfacing (sanding) - seasonal maintenance for the rink |
The craze comes to Leeds
Leeds had an American Roller Skating Rink (under Crawford and Wilkins) by October of 1908. Unlike others who came later and built huge, dedicated facilities for roller skating the American Roller Skating company simply rented what most people would consider to be a fairly modest building adjoining Headingley Stadium on St Michael's Lane and fitted it out as a rink. Initially rinking was an expensive pastime (and still the doorman might not let you in if he didn't like the look of you..) it was perhaps a sense of exclusivity rather than strictly the activity of roller skating that drew people in. The rink was the fashionable place to be seen and crowds were large. Crawford and Wilkins knew how to build interest by putting on demonstrations of skating by top expert skaters and special events such as fancy dress carnivals and evening ‘Cinderella’ masked balls which virtually guaranteed good press coverage.
During 1909 several more Leeds rinks were being proposed in the form of prospectuses that encouraged investors to subscribe to rink shares by promising phenomenal returns. Leeds was not unique in this – all over the country rink companies were being floated. The partnership of Crawford and Wilkins launched about 25 rink ventures in 1909. Although many different groups were floating rink companies the prospectuses tend to have a lot of similarity. It was typically said that the new ball bearing skates and American Rock Maple floors ("specially surfaced using the latest scientific process”) had elevated rinking to new heights. At the peak of the craze people flocked to the rink morning, noon and night.
The Daily Mail are often credited with being responsible for fanning the flames of rink investment mania. In April 1909 they published a very flattering piece about rink investment suggesting that dividends paid by seven different rink companies ranged from 100 to 372% - it is rare to find a subsequent rink prospectus that doesn’t either directly use this quote or further expand upon it by describing rinking as “an investment without a parallel in the history of finance” or other similar wording.
Leeds Olympia
A venture called Leeds Olympia was clearly being proposed as early as the middle of December 1908 when contractors were asked to apply for details regarding a large rink and hall that would be constructed. In late December 1908 people interested in investing were being asked to write for a prospectus.
The prospectus describes how the Leeds Olympia will have a capital of £6,500 which will be divided into 6,400 ordinary shares and 2,000 deferred shares. The directors are listed as:
Ernest Terry: Chairman / Managing Director, Madam Ernest Limited, Oak Lodge, Roundhay
William Turton: Vice-Chairman, Merchant, Bankfield, Roundhay
Charles Bettison: Fruit Merchant, Dynley House, Chapel Allerton
Frederick Turner: Jeweller, Laurel Bank, Roundhay
The engineers responsible for the construction are listed as Myers-Beswick and Partners.
The Olympia Rink prospectus details the business plan:
“..It is a well known fact that many of the skating rink companies are earning huge profits, and it is remarkable that no parallel can be found for any enterprise which can show such dividend records as of companies working on up-to-date lines. There is little doubt that with the improved conditions of skating the pastime has come to stay.
The Directors have obtained an option of a lease for five years with a further term of five years upon a site of approximately three acres of land on the south-east side of Roundhay Road. It is considered in every respect an ideal position being situate with a frontage to Roundhay Road near to the Gipton tramcar fare stage. There is a three minute service of electric cars to the rink and the directors consider that it is the most advantageous site on the north side of Leeds. On the termination of the lease the building will belong to the company..”
In order to see the projected profits the rink (with a capacity of “over 1000 skaters”) will need to host three well attended sessions each day. Laid plain in the prospectus they will need these numbers to be profitable:
£ S D
Morning
Admission: Free 0 0 0
Skates: 3 parts of 100 at 1s 3 15 0
Afternoon
Admission: 150 at 6d 3 15 0
Skates: 3 parts of 150 at 1s 5 12 0
Evening
Admission: 300 at 1s 15 0 0
Skates: 3 parts of 300 at 1s 11 5 0
Total: 39 7 0
Discounts for (pre paid) books of tickets and special admissions:
6 4 0
Leaving say……….. 33 0 0
Thus allowing 6 days per week for 40 weeks…….
7920 0 0
Expenses of running the rink will not, it is estimated, exceed 40 pounds per week…
1600 0 0
Leaving say……….. 6320 0 0
Profits from cafe, tuition estimated at £5 per week (40 weeks)
200 0 0
Thus leaving a net profit per annum of…… 6520 0 0
(In the above estimate no account is taken of revenue from carnivals or special evenings or letting of the building for purposes other than skating during the remaining portion of the year)
The prospectus goes on to summarise:
“..The directors estimate of profits (in comparison with other rinks) is under, rather than over, the mark, yet it will be seen that if the Rink is only open 40 weeks of the year the profits work out at £6,520; and Roundhay being a pleasure resort and attraction at all periods of the year . It is considered that the Rink will be equally well patronised in the summer as well as winter months..”
Opening night at Olympia
September 18th 1909 was the opening night and an advert billed it as “The Finest Rink in England” (hyperbole being the stock-in-trade of rink promoters!) Olympia opened at 7.30 PM that night and admission for its Grand Opening Night was 6d with Ladies being admitted for free.
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| Olympia seen around the time of it's opening in 1909 |
At 9 PM on the 30th of September 1909 the Olympia hosted a performance from John F. Davidson
“undisputed world champion and fancy skater” a well known American acrobatic and trick skater who at that time was famous throughout the world for his “high and broad jumping” and speed skating. One of his popular acts included skating on custom made three feet tall ‘stilt skates!’
In October of 1909 adverts billed the Olympia as an “ Extraordinary success ! ” and reiterated that it was the “ Finest Rink in England ! ” with a full military-style band under the directorship of George Ramplin, former bandmaster of the 19th Hussars (the same man who had lead the band at the opening of the earlier Leeds Horticultural Gardens outdoor rink.) Olympia was said to have the “largest maple surface in Leeds” and a “luxurious Cafe serving the finest refreshments at popular prices” (afternoon tea 6d)
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| The Cafe at the Olympia Rink (Afternoon tea 6d!) |
On the 12th of November 1909 a charitable event was held for the benefit of the Lifeboat Fund, this event started at 10:30 PM and had an attendance of 400-500 ladies and gentleman. The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Leeds were in attendance and handed out prizes. Contemporary reports reveal that the event was very popular with reports of ladies in colourful gowns and gentlemen in evening dress skating “until the small hours”. A week later on Friday the 19th of November 1909 the Olympia held a ‘Continental Carnival’ from 7.30 to 11.30 PM, the event called for ‘fancy or evening dress’ with 18 prizes on offer for the “best, most original and most comic costumes”, again the event seems to have been popular and well attended.
The Chapeltown rink must have been a challenging rival for Olympia - situated less than two miles away and opening just one month afterwards it was another huge facility with a floor area of 32,000 square feet (the skating surface measuring approximately 80 feet by 300 feet), excellent cafe, situated next to a tram stop from the city centre. All the benefits Olympia had been sold on also applied to this new rink. Even accounting for what seems to have been a different style of music and decoration the two rinks would appear very similar in the eyes of someone with no particular loyalty to either.
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| A picture of better days at the Olympia. A busy crowd skates while the band plays. |
Leeds wasn’t alone in it’s love of rinking and during this period rinks are typically described as having sprung up all over the country like either “weeds” or “mushrooms” depending on which of the various contemporary reports you read. Increased competition lead to the prices being slashed and rinks became less selective about who they let through the door. Before long there were sensationalised rumblings in the press about “girls from good homes” who had found themselves involved in a life of crime thanks to characters they had met at the rink! Parents who believed those kinds of stories were naturally reluctant to let their children go near one.
Oversaturation as well as a decline in the glamour of rinking and the natural tendency for a craze to burn out over time started a decline in rinking that was just as steep as it’s earlier ascent to popularity. As the public went off rinking they also went off rinks themselves and started to see them as a nuisance. Complaints about noise increased, especially in relation to the loud military-style band music that was the most popular choice to accompany rinking. Skating was viewed by local authorities as a type of dancing and rinks found challenging conditions when trying to put in place music and dancing licenses (for example Olympia had to solve an issue regarding extra water pressure needed in the case of a fire.) Contests such as raffles, ‘lucky spot’ nights etc came to be viewed as a form of gambling and some companies ended up in court (Olympia were involved in a court case over a ‘lucky spot’ night where skaters were encouraged to try and “find the lucky spot” in exchange for small prizes of books of tickets etc.)
The Yorkshire Evening Post published an article on the 14th February 1910 titled "Is Rinking Dying?" It was reported, to the surprise of many in Leeds, that the pioneering Leeds rink the 'American Rink' in Headingley had shut down abruptly at the end of business the previous Saturday. Simultaneous telegrams from head office had arrived at the firms Leeds and Bradford rinks declaring them closed. Charles Grant, Chapeltown rink manager, was interviewed and he was "firmly of the opinion that rinking in the North of England is dead" going on to add that "I am convinced that Leeds cannot support more than two surfaces, a first-class one and one for the working classes.." A Leeds man was quoted as saying "the thing has been done to death." Going on to further add "There is no doubt for a time Leeds, as well as other towns, was mad on it, and they were rinking morning, noon and night. It is simply the old, old story. It was recognised there was money in it and the places multiplied [...] there cannot be sufficient excuse for the for the existence of so many rinks or the money to pay for their upkeep."
Olympia continued in business through 1910 and expanded their premises by adding a theatre alongside the main building for stage performances and early motion pictures (cinema arguably being the new craze that had displaced rinking in the minds of the public.) Olympia was still used as a rink and, after being closed for most of the period between May and September 1910, it reopened to a night said to have been attended by "fully a thousand skaters." It was clear that there was still an appetite for rinking in Leeds but the rinks business model required hundreds of skaters each day to be profitable. The cafes needed to be full. There needed to be a constant influx of new and improving skaters paying for lessons. It became clear that success was almost impossible to achieve now.
One by one the Leeds rinks closed (with the exception of The Palace Rink in Armley all the major rink buildings in Leeds were pulled down many years ago - The Palace Rink building survived through several uses, latterly being used as the slightly incongruous combination of a bingo hall and sauna complex - until 2016 when it burnt down.) The Crawford/Wilkins American rink was, as previously mentioned, the first to go and probably the only one that timed their exit right. The Chapeltown rink which was said to have cost close to £10,000 to set up was eventually sold for a mere £500 as the lease agreement in place for the land still had to be taken care of for several more years by the prospective purchaser.
The directors of Olympia appear to have tried one last thing to keep the venue open – boxing matches. There were several of these and one or two big names were on the bill but by 1914 notice was given that all the fittings and fixtures were to be sold as the old rink would be taken over by the Blackburn Aircraft Company. The idea of taking over a disused rink to use as an aircraft factory wasn't a new one – Sopwith had done the same thing in South West London in 1912. Rinks were a natural choice for aircraft assembly as they were almost always large places built without central columns. Olympia was adapted with some creativity – the former cafe now housed a team working on technical drawings and the old bandstand was adapted to become the managers office.
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| Aircraft being assembled at the old rink. The bandstand on the left now used by the manager to oversee operations. (Image courtesy BAE systems archives, Brough) |
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