A GROUP of Bradford icons have been celebrated in stencil on displays throughout the district.

Images of Ces Podd, 'Polish Anna', Barry Roots and Captain Sir Tom Moore have been placed on walls for residents to see.

Bradford City legend Ces Podd has gone up next to the front door of the Record Café on North Parade as part of a project celebrating Bradford icons by street artist Stewy.

Podd made a club record 565 appearances for City in all competitions between 1970 and 1984.

 

‘Polish Anna’ was a familiar face to residents in the city between the 1960s and 1980s.

She was often seen in the city’s markets, particularly John Street Market, where she would help traders out in exchange for a little payment or cups of tea and pieces of fruit.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Polish Anna stencil in John StreetPolish Anna stencil in John Street

Anna would also sing in a thunderous voice that set the pigeons rising from the market roof.

Her stencil, on John Street, has a QR code next to it which links to a Telegraph & Argus article written on Polish Anna shortly after she died.

Barry Roots, who ran Roots Record Shop in Bradford and is a DJ and reggae musician, is also featured in an image for the project also on John Street, near Polish Anna's.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Barry Roots, also on display in John Street in BradfordBarry Roots, also on display in John Street in Bradford

An image of the late NHS fundraiser Captain Sir Tom Moore has gone on display in his home town of Keighley as part of the project.

Captain Sir Tom became a global celebrity last year after he raised more than £32 million for the NHS by walking 100 laps of his home.

He died, aged 100, after contracting coronavirus in February.

The Captain Sir Tom's stencil, on Low Street, was completed last week.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Captain Sir Tom Moore's stencil in KeighleyCaptain Sir Tom Moore's stencil in Keighley

Bristol-based Stewy previously completed stencils on David Hockney and the Bronte Sisters which were displayed in Saltaire and Haworth respectively for a section of Tour de France held in the Bradford district in 2014.

He said: "You could do this in any city. I like working on real characters.

"A lot of people came up to me when I was doing the Polish Anna, telling me stories about her.

I did them all a bit bigger than lifesize, so they can stand out a bit more

The work has been supported by the Bradford 2025 City of Culture Bid and the Bradford Business Improvement District (BID), the limited company funded by levy-payers to help promote and develop the city centre.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Bradford City legend Ces Podd's stencil is next to the Record Cafe in North Parade Bradford City legend Ces Podd's stencil is next to the Record Cafe in North Parade

May McQuade, programme and community co-ordinator for Bradford 2025, said: "Bradford is full of creative people and it is another example of how we do things differently here.

We wanted to celebrate the characters that bring Bradford to life

"It features people with stories that lots of people connect to.

"The stencils should last for a few seasons. Hopefully they will still be around this time next year."

"Bradford has a history of being creative and making a mark."

Keith Wildman, owner of the Record Café, is impressed with the Ces Podd stencil outside his bar.

He said: “You see lots of things like this in other cities like Manchester or Leeds, so it’s really nice that Bradford is being recognised in this way too.

“We should be shouting about the good things in Bradford more. I hope it brings a smile to people’s faces.

“Ces Podd was an important player for Bradford City.

“If I get a picture of Ces Podd near my bar, I’m not going to complain.”