Broomfields, Bradford
Coordinates: 53°46′59″N 1°44′46″W / 53.783°N 1.746°W
Broomfields is a historic district on the south eastern edge of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. In 1840 it was still a mainly rural area with a population of only a few hundred people. By 1880 it was one of the most densely populated districts of Bradford with 1500 houses, a population of about 8,000 and many commercial premises. In 1932 a process of slum clearance and commercial regeneration was started. Today (2014) the district is almost wholly given over to commercial premises and once again has a resident population of only about two hundred people.
Broomfields was never an administrative area but rather a geographical expression. The northernmost part, a small area once referred to as "The Broom Closes", was in the township of Bradford. Most of Broomfields was within the township of Bowling. (From 1882 the ward of East Bowling.) The western boundary followed Wakefield Road. The eastern boundary was marked by Bowling Beck – which also formed part of the boundary of the township of Horton. The southern limit of the area was the small estate of "Broom Hall". To the east of Broomhall the southern boundary was not precisely defined but approximated to the northern limit of "Spring Fields".
Despite the difficulties of indeterminate boundaries the area had a certain unity of geography and a shared history of economic development. It is composed of reasonably gentle north and west facing slopes, draining to Bowling Beck. The thin clay soils were unsuitable for arable farming and anciently had formed part of the wastes. By the late 17th century most of the land had been divided into "closes" for pastoral use. Flowering broom flourished on the poor soils and gave its name to the district. From an early date Broomfields provided the people of Bradford with country walks and the opportunity of catching trout in the becks. The water of the Lady Well was highly regarded for its curative properties and the spring was a place of resort on holidays. From 1774 with the opening of the Bradford Canal this idyllic picture started to change, though very slowly, as the coal and iron deposits were worked on a commercial scale.
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