Historian’s bid to leave life’s collection in hands of public for next generation

Peter Aldred, who lives in Tingley, has been inundated with visitors since his temporary museum was set up in an empty shop unit in Albion Street, Morley, Leeds, this summer.

But the 80-year-old’s newly-founded Morley Heritage Centre, which is situated in an East Street Arts charity pop up shop unit, is facing an uncertain future as at any time the building’s owner could give him two weeks’ notice to leave.

Desperate for a new permanent publicly accessible home for his labour of love, Mr Aldred is keen to pass on his life’s work to the community having lost his wife and two sons.

He said: “I just feel that I want to pass it on to somebody and I was hoping the council might do something about it.

“I must have had thousands through here up to now and the children that are coming through are the next generation.”

The collection, picked up from friends and businesses over the years, features over 2,000 historical photographs and 100 artefacts covering the old Morley Borough’s mining, industrial and social heritage.

Displays feature Gommersal’s Pop Factory and the local textiles industry with original fabric samples and pop bottles.

His current space at the former Cooperative building in Morley has been let to him at a nominal rate through the East Street Arts charity’s In Situ scheme, which offers artists and creatives temporary space for projects.

Adelle Stripe, from the organisation which has around 60 In Situ sites, said: “It’s effectively his personal archive and it’s people’s memories and the history of the area and he’s had a lot of visitors.

“People are interested and want it to have a permanent home and we support his quest to find one.”

Ed Balls, MP for Morley and Outwood, has been backing Mr Aldred’s bid for a community space and looking into lottery funding and meetings with Leeds City Council and businesses to see what can be done.

He said: “I think everybody who goes into Peter’s heritage centre thinks they are going to go in for five minutes and stays at least an hour – he has a treasure trove of stories and history.

“I want to make sure Peter’s work isn’t something that’s totally dependent on his volunteering action.”

The centre is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 3pm. To get in touch with Peter call 0113 2528075.