Friends pay emotional trip to Bradford street 40 years on

Jaz Oldham and Martyn Bissett grew up three doors down from each other on Bilton Place in Bradford during the 1970s and early ‘80s.

But they lost touch when Jaz’s family moved away from the street in 1982 and were not in contact with each other over the next few decades.

Ian Beesley's original photograph from 1977 featuring Martyn Bissett, back leaning against the wall (Image: Ian Beesley)

But Jaz spotted a black and white image from 1977 taken by Bradford photographer Ian Beesley of children, including Martyn, playing on Bilton Place.

Jaz and Martyn were both aged 11 when the photograph was taken. Mr Bissett is the boy leaning near the wall with his hands in his pockets and smiling towards the camera in the original picture. It also features his mother, who is wearing hair curlers.

The part of the street where they both lived as children has been demolished since the original photograph was taken.

Childhood friends Jaz Oldham and Martyn Bissett made an emotional return to Bilton Place where they grew up (Image: Jaz Oldham)

Ian met Martyn at an exhibition held last year at Salts Mill, Saltaire, of the photographer’s work called LIFE. Ian Beesley: Retrospective.

It featured hundreds of black and white, and colour images, taken across the Bradford district and beyond since the 1970s.

After reuniting via social media, Jaz and Martyn, both now 57, finally met up in person and paid a visit together down memory lane to Bilton Place earlier this month.

Jaz, who now lives in Ilkley, said: “It was an emotional thing to meet up again.

“Bilton Place was a special place.

“We lived three doors away from each other. We lived on the demolished side of the street.

“We shared a lot of memories from that time, growing up and about our families.

Martyn Bissett says Bilton Place held some happy childhood memories for him (Image: Jaz Oldham)

“It was a really happy street. There was such a community spirit on the street, there was such diversity of the people who lived there when we were children. Everyone helped each other.

“He (Martyn) used to share my Smash Hits (magazine) with me.

“We met up again because of Ian Beesley’s photograph.”

Martyn, who now lives in North Yorkshire, said: “It was so nice to see her. It was absolutely fantastic. It was such a trip down memory lane.

“It was special to meet up. It was as if we had never been apart from each other. We will meet up again.

“It was hard to describe how friendly everyone was in the community there. I have really good memories.”

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