Bradford City Football Club Stadium Fire - Bradford, UK - Disaster Memorials on Waymarking.com

At the time of the fire Bradford City's main stand was a wooden one that had been built in 1911. The steps had open risers and over the years much rubbish had accumulated underneath the stand. Two safety reports had criticised the condition of the stands.

The club made plans to replace the stand, and this actually coincided with their best season since 1937 and in their penultimate game of the season had accumulated enough points to gain promotion to the 2nd Division.

Their last game of the season was intended to be a celebration and before the game Bradford-born captain Peter Jackson was presented with the league trophy.

Sadly the celebrations turned into disaster and 40 minutes after the start of the match a fire did start underneath the seats and the fire spread incredibly rapidly and engulfed he whole of the stand including the roof.

54 Bradford supporters died and two supporters of the visiting team, Lincoln. In addition 265 supporters were injured.

Further details of both the club and the disaster can be found on this Wikipedia web page. link

This memorial, one of two at the stadium, is on the outside of the stand built to replace the one destroyed by fire. It is above the entrance to the Executive suites and is at the end of the stand where the fire started.

It shows a mother grieving whilst football players leap around her. It was sculpted by Patricia Mcallister and was donated by Sylvia Graucob who used to live in West Yorkshire but had moved to the island of Jersey at the time of the fire.

The text on the plaque below the sculpture is as follows.

THIS SCULPTURE BY PATRICIA McALLISTER
WAS ENVISAGED & DONATED BY
SYLVIA GRAUCOB
TO THE PEOPLE OF BRADFORD
TO HONOUR THE MEMORY OF THOSE
WHO DIED OR SUFFERED
AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE HERE
ON MAY 11th 1985

There is a car park next to the site of the memorial on Burlington Street.

Disaster Date: 05/11/1985 Memorial Sponsors: Sylvia Graucob Parking Coordinates: N 53° 48.264 W 001° 45.642 Disaster Type: Sociological Relevant Website: [Web Link] Date of dedication: Not listed

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