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Local Stalwarts No.3
JOHN TINKER
Barwicker No. 79
September 2005
A series describing how individuals in Barwick and Scholes, reflect their
own times through their life and work.
JOHN TINKER.
John Tinker was born on 15th October 1937 at Flaxton Place, Beeston,
Leeds. He came from a very hard working family living in difficult economic
times. James, his father had a coal business and was called up with the onset
of war; but being medically unfit for service in the armed forces, he was
drafted to work in a small engineering plant in Beeston, making munitions
products. John's father had a very patient temperament, possessing an ability
to repair most mechanical devices. He also had a talent for breaking in his
own father's horses by racing trams up and down Beeston Hill, urged on by
his excited young son.
Edith, John's devoted mother, had a hard life, losing both parents when she
was young. She worked as a seamstress at Heaton's, making high quality
clothing. When her family came along she made all the clothes for her
daughter Audrey and young John.
Granddad Joseph lived next door and had a wood business in his yard.
From being five years old, John used to go and feed the horses and chickens
before morning school. In the evening he would bundle up sticks for
firewood, which he used to sell from his small stuffed wheeled horse, which
carried the bundles. He worked local streets, selling four bundles for sixpence,
but learned never to give credit.
John enjoyed going with his granddad to the annual Lee Gap Horse Fair at
Ardsley. There Joseph met canny horse traders, buying and selling horses
from them, if he could turn a profit. Granddad also enjoyed visiting the White
House Public House in Lady Pit Lane and after a relaxing evening visit, the
horse would pull the trap home safely late at night. John also learned a great
deal about self-sufficiency from grandma Caroline, on hearing that you
wanted something she would reply, 'You'll find it in the Wants Office, and
when you've found it let us know and then we can all have some.'
John attended Rowland Road School in Hunslet, he was a good attender
and liked maths and sports, playing rugby league in the strong South Leeds
tradition; but he didn't really enjoy school. In the evenings he worked in the
wood yard, did paper rounds and worked in a newsagent's shop. He once
earned one penny for stacking ten tons of pit props from his granddad, later
going on strike for three weeks in protest at his poor rate of pay for bundling
firewood. John gained further experience with animals as he fed his
grandad's pigs the 'puddings,' which were boiled food waste, bought in Dock
Street. Granddad once bought a pair of goats, bringing them home on the tram
to Beeston, arguing vehemently with the driver that they had as much right to
public transport as anyone else.
The war obviously disrupted family life. James served as an A.R.P.
warden. Audrey was evacuated to Leyland and John sometimes visited
relations in Blackpool and Flamborough village. There he witnessed V.E.
night bonfires from Flamborough Head and vividly remembers seeing ships at
sea illuminated at night.
Thus when John left school at fourteen, he had an experience and
understanding of animals, the reality of working hard, a shrewd appreciation
of the value of money, how to negotiate, how to defend his interests strongly
and above all how to argue forcibly to his own advantage. These skills and
attributes, which he honed in his farming work, were to be invaluable to him
in his meteoric career development later in life.
John's first job was on a farm at East Rigton, leaving home at 6 am, taking
a tram into Leeds, then a bus to Bardsey and finally a walk to the farm. Over
two years later he moved to Rowley Grange farm at Scarcroft. He thoroughly
enjoyed his five years there despite the long tiring days, especially at harvest
time and when his boss retired, John was offered a good job working in
Thirsk. He wanted to stay in Leeds though, because he was getting married,
so he turned the offer down and fulfilled an ambition by being appointed to
work for the Leeds City Parks Department. John had spent eight years in
agriculture being foreman of a two hundred acre farm in his last three years,
relishing the challenge and responsibility that comes with authority. Now his
career had taken a decisive turn and he about to take full advantage of his
early management experience.
Pauline Webster lived in 'the Sunnyviews,' what John calls the 'posh part of
Beeston,' They met at the Mint Methodist church youth club in Holbeck, both
of them enjoying attending church and the warm, friendly atmosphere of the
'Grasshopper' club. John became the club Leader and Pauline the Secretary.
They married in 1962 and moved to Bruntcliffe, Morley, where they bought
their first house. Their daughter Caroline was born on St David's Day, 1965;
Sarah Jane and Nigel John being born in Barwick, after the family moved
house.
John's initial job with Leeds was Assistant Gardener, which included
digging graves at Cottingley cemetery, but after eighteen months he moved to
Middleton Park where he earned ten shillings a week more as a tractor driver.
He worked on golf courses, bowling greens, open spaces and rose gardens
before being promoted to Foreman on the Gipton and Seacroft estates,
maintaining housing areas and public open spaces.
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| John and Pauline. March 2005 (Photo by Martin Tarpey). |
This was a period of rapid change and John took his opportunities as they
arose; his leadership qualities being recognised and appreciated by his
superiors. In 1969 he became Rechargeable Works Manager, responsible for
the whole of the old Leeds City. He was in charge of the maintenance of all
public open spaces and housing estates, having sixty men under his direct
control. He established a landscape team of eighteen men working under his
direction solely on landscape construction, new playing fields, all-weather
surfaces and open spaces.
In 1972 he took over responsibility for the maintenance of all school
playing fields within the City boundaries. At this time he also became closely
involved with the Inner City clean-up campaign, clearing up derelict sites and
carrying out environmental improvements. He has always been particularly
keen on brightening up the City image and planting three quarters of a million
spring flowers, helped considerably.
John's career flourished and by 1974 he had three assistant managers and
one hundred and seventy-five workmen under his direct control. Local
Government Re- organisation in 1974 resulted in Leeds expanding to include
the old West Riding County Council, thus towns like Otley, Garforth.
Tadcaster, Wetherby, Morley, Pudsey and Wetherby etc now became City
responsibilities. The time was ripe for able and ambitious people to be
promoted to head up the evolving new consolidated departments. John Tinker
was in the right place at the right time with the right background,
qualifications, temperament and experience. He seized the day. The Parks and
Leisure Services Departments amalgamated and John was made Manager,
responsible for up to two hundred staff; being appointed Principal Parks
Manager for East Leeds in 1981.
John was also closely involved with environmental developments at
Springhead Park, Fearnville, Allerton Bywater, Bramley and Middleton Park.
He set up the maintenance section at Redhall to maintain and service grass
cutting machinery, plant and equipment used throughout the City and also to
grow many of the flowers and shrubs for planting. In short. John used his
expertise to reduce costs within the City, but increased expenditure through
managing sponsorship.
In 1986 he was appointed Director of Parks for Leeds with a budget of
eight million pounds and a workforce numbering up to seven hundred people.
John has always been a good team man; he worked well with his gifted
colleagues and maintained the impetus in the excellent Parks Department that
he inherited. John pays generous tribute to people who encouraged him as his
career developed. His first mentor was George Knight; Les Oland his
predecessor also had a great influence on him, as did Mike Palmer-Jones, who
became the Director of Leisure Services from 1974. Now that John was
responsible for a major office, he was able to develop these philosophies
further and put his own ideas into action in an explosion of energy. He was
fortunate to have a very dedicated staff who supported him strongly and John
was able to help develop the next generation of leaders.
His bluff. vigorous. uncompromising approach to 'get out and do it,' saw
him lead from the front on a number of key initiatives. 'What difference do we
make as individuals?' he asks, for 'if there's a will, there's a way.' Leeds is
extremely fortunate to own the largest acreage of parkland, forest and open
spaces of any British city. John is fully aware of the far-sighted policies of our
Victorian and Edwardian forefathers. The Victorian Age was built on taking
risk, investing in major projects. trusting pioneers and looking optimistically
to the future.
Sir John Barran, Lord Mayor of Leeds. caused a storm of protest when he
bought the seven hundred acre Roundhay Park for the City in 1872 for
£139,000; being ridiculed for buying this 'white elephant,' so far out of the
city. Temple Newsam estate was purchased by the City in 1923 and this
'Hampton Court of the North,' is now a treasure house. John is in this
tradition, disliking short-termism, being more concerned to act as custodian
and improver for future generations. He has always been interested in
provision for the young and keen to improve play areas and facilities
throughout the City. His many contributions are too numerous to mention in
this short article.
The benefactor Sir Alvary Gascoigne, gave Lotherton Hall with its park,
gardens and art collections to Leeds in 1968, having previously offered it to
the WRCC and the Tadcaster Authority. He also gave a generous endowment
for purchasing additional works of art. Leeds was criticised at the time for
accepting this gift, which was well outside the city boundary. But the run
down estate has since been transformed into a national jewel. The Authority
took advantage of the high unemployment levels of the eighties to employ
many people on community work throughout the City and using this extra
labour, John and his colleagues mounted schemes, which transformed the
Hall, estate and gardens. The innovative and popular Bird Garden is one of
the best in the country and the Deer Park an important attraction that
continues to develop.
John is particularly proud to have built up Home Farm at Temple Newsam
and with his love for farming has created with his colleagues, the largest Rare
Breeds Park in the country, thus preserving threatened cattle. sheep, pigs,
goats and poultry. Three of the City's eleven national collections of plants
grow in the splendid gardens; the interests of departmental staff having largely
determined the choice and selection of these plants. There is also an excellent
collection of agricultural implements and machinery in the farm museum,
reflecting John's concern to conserve these rapidly disappearing items.
The shortage of funds in tight departmental budgets encouraged John to
turn to commercial sponsorship to enhance the City. He persuaded the great
Leeds benefactor Arnold Ziff, to donate £180.000 to create Tropical World in
the John Dunstan Tropical House. and to give £250,000 for the Seven
Gardens of the World, which are still being constructed at Roundhay. The
Park is one of the great lungs in the City and like all the open spaces, is
constantly being improved.
Harry Ramsden was encouraged to sponsor Golden Acre Park to the tune
of £50,000 to create the biggest heather garden in the country with its quarter
of a million plants. John is also immensely proud of his own efforts and those
of Bernard Atha, Charlotte Brommet and others for raising half a million
pounds through commercial sponsorship to establish the Middleton Park
Equestrian Centre Riding School for the Disabled. He also assisted Denise
Atkinson the Lord Mayor, to raise £600,000 to create Lineham Farm Children's Activity
Centre. Additionally, Fairburn Ings has developed well as
a centre for studying birds and wetland ecology and the Otley Chevin estate
has doubled in size by purchase. John is delighted that a hundred acres of
woodland have been planted during his time as Director.
It was his idea to plant flowers in the city traffic roundabouts and
encourage sponsors to beautify the City. This has been extremely successful
and now many thousands of pounds annually are donated by commercial
enterprises to improve the City and encourage further development. The idea
has spread into the localities and encouraged the establishment of other
volunteer groups to improve their areas.
Since his retirement in 1993, John has helped the 'Barwick in Bloom' team
to develop. A group of fifteen volunteers meet weekly and work hard to
improve the village environment. They have planted three tons of daffodils
and sixty trees, raising £15,000 annually to purchase flowers and shrubs.
They have won the 'Yorkshire in Bloom' award four times and are now
competing in the large village class of the 'Britain in Bloom' competition.
This multi-skilled group uses its collective talents in building, joinery, painting
and planting to enhance the village. It is a very active social group and the
ladies organise coffee mornings, and social events to raise funds and generate
communal activities. Their efforts are there for all to see as the community has
come together working in a common team purpose. The value of property
prices has also risen considerably as the appearance, status and morale of the
village has improved.
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| Barwick in Bloom. A proud record. (Photo by Martin Tarpey) |
Barwick's success has encouraged the newly formed 'Scholes in Bloom' to
follow their lead and John is delighted that ladies in Scholes and Barwick are
increasingly involved. Similar groups now emerging in Shadwell and
Bramham, are looking to John and his colleagues for guidance. The concept
of self-help is re-emerging all over the country as dedicated volunteers unite
to improve the appearance of our environment.
John lives a very active retirement and he and Pauline are immensely
proud of their three children and four grandchildren. They have been
particularly happy living in Barwick and have always played a full and
valuable role in village life. They are keen Methodists and have always
supported the Maypole Committee and its activities. John thinks it is vital for
villages to keep their identity and that where possible, urban areas should try
to create village environments. John has trenchant views on the current
financial claims culture, which is becoming increasingly common in society,
as we look increasingly for someone to blame when things go wrong. He
dislikes legal firms advertising 'no win, no pay' agreements, thinking it makes
people more wary of involvement and timid about risk taking, which is an
essential part of any enterprise culture.
John is a true local stalwart and representative of his times. He has
witnessed some remarkable changes in his life; his strength and values
imbued early in life have been fully developed. He represents all that is best in
the Yorkshire character and the results of his work have touched the lives of
all of us who live in and visit Leeds.
He muses that most people just look down the road, when they should try
to look round the corner. John has looked down the road, round the corner
and back down the road again. His parents and grandparents would be
immensely proud of the lad.