OMG Hillards! I remember Hillard's ❤. I'm on top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere in Spain watching these fabulous videos of my hometown where I lived 50 years ago, absolutely fantastic ❤

I lived in Thornton Close in the 70s and spent many a happy hour at Oakwell Hall as a child, walking through Fairy Glen from Fieldhead Estate, when it rained, the curator of Oakwell Hall used to let us in to dry and gave us a historical tour round the hall.. nice memories, my grandad had a grocer's shop between Birstall and Fieldhead, he always had a bag of sweets waiting for me when I went to visit him. Lovely video, brought back some memories ❤

*Anyone Heard of Gerald Edward Morling the Birstall Methodist Church Predator ?*

all BBC documentaries on the North are the same. typical southerners looking down their nose. southerners destroyed the northern industries but created the office clerk...

Before the benefit of multiculturalism.

31.50 me and my mum 😊

Says 98.....vut sure looks like 1980s to me

It’s different now.

ive never seen this before heard of it ages ago but fun fact i was named after Simons n johns dog Winston (Martin Winston lol

My granny born here Walker 1915

So proud of good old Birstall - filmed in 1998, if you lived in Birstall in 1998 you may recognise a few familiar faces enjoying themselves in Birstall Trades & Friendly Club or maybe in the Birstall Market Place shots of the May Day Parade. Happy Days Cheers Richard

My grandma used to clean Oakwell Hall , Nora Ward 😎

What a shock to see my hometime from long ago.

I could hear the voice of Mr Geoff Whitehead at the time head of Divinity at Batley Boys High School saying 'You Lad!'at the segment when talking with the Youth Employment Officer. Gold dust!!...Love Batley and always will!!

3:38 4:09 Warwick Rd school

Hi..I was 5 then ..lived on Norfolk street..immigrant family..one of the first to be born here..welcomed by the humble indigenous people..crossed paths with the odd hater but that happens to all of us..still it's a fabulous town ..and I say thanks love to men and women ..lol..I've been involved in a lot of community and interfaith work..we've all been challenged by the strange agendas of politicians...but we've made it so far...blooming heck..I love ppl for God's sake.. they r His creation..and we'll that's about it..xxx

I used to play on that climbing frame...

Can anyone remember Howard Burnette? The Complete entertainer. He was from Batley, he was a singer on the club scene.

Batley is the best place on earth and I wouldn't move away from here for as long as I live

I live in Birstall and it looks nothing like it does now. some stuff is still there but looks so much different. i was born 1998 too

so sad that it reminds me of jo cox r.I.p forever in r hearts and minds .

Dick Hawdon is the trumpet player in the club. Anyone know who the singer is?

My mother was born in Birstall in 1931. She emigrated to the US in 1949 with her father after her mother, Kate, died. Her name then was Margaret Hare, her sister's name was Cynthia and brother's was Roy. As kids, we always felt proud because our mother was English. She always jokes that the only thing she remembers from British history is, "The Battle of Hastings, 1066."

I can't believe his is what it looked before I was only born 2005

Birstall village still looks pretty much the same

That's Sonia/Marcia Davis one of the twins at 4:17

excellent footage of birstall we need more films like this.

Areet Jase! Thanks for the plug for Malice Virus 'forever'! I was trawling through your stuff and I saw you'd put this up. Brilliant! Am I that old? I remember lots of Batley looking like this; and the bit of wasteland where they built the dole office. Tons of biscuits! All the best - and don't forget, I think you still owe me an amp which back then cost about 40 quid. In today's money that's about 4000 pounds! Best - Roge

I went to the old Batley Parish school

I was born in Batley in 1957, and left in 1975 for the coast with my parents.My mum worked in various mills as a weaver & my dad worked for Norman Jackson Coal & Coke merchants. This video has brought back so many happy memories. I go over quite regularly to see family, but Batley is almost unrecognisable now. It's such a shame. Thank you for sharing it with us-fantastic!

Sik shit

Great vid.. the station hotel could be reopened again! Super markets spoiled it for me.