Delight By J.B. Priestley - City Park - Bradford, UK - Etched in Stone on Waymarking.com

John Boynton Prietley was born 13th September 1894 in Manningham a fairly wealthy suburb of Bradford and died on 14th August 1984. He was commonly known as J. B. Priestley rather than by his fist name.

Although Bradford was a heavily polluted city from smoky factory chimneys it is surrounded by hills and good walking country. He loved these surrounding hills and often wrote about them in his novels.

A nearby larger than life size statue shows him gazing into the distance with his coat blowing out behind him. It is easy to imagine him in this pose on the hillsides above Bradford. It was erected after his death by Bradford City Council. It is positioned so that he is looking towards City Hall and stands near to the National Media Museum. It was unveiled by his wife Jacquetta on Friday 31st October 1986.

In the years following the Second World War, there wasn't much to be cheerful about. The conflict was still fresh in people's memories, rationing was in force and the economy was in tatters. In an effort to boost national morale, JB Priestley, a self-confessed malcontent, put together a collection of essays in praise of the simple pleasures in life, from frying sausages outdoors to knocking back a solitary G&T. Delight became a bestseller.

One of his subjects was fountains and how much they delighted him. Little did they know that when his statue was erected in 1986 that it would finish up overlooking the the largest urban water feature in the UK.

"The award-winning Mirror Pool in Bradford City Park is the largest urban water feature in the UK. The vast pool is animated by over 100 fountains, the largest of which, "the Bradford Blast" rises to 30 metres.

Bradford City Park with its Mirror Pool is a great example of how investment in the public realm has the ability to completely change perceptions of an area and even effect social change. The park is immensely popular with locals and visitors alike and draws thousands of people to the heart of Bradford." link

The quote about fountains is on a plaque marking the opening of City Park by HRH The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO on 23rd October 2012.

'FOUNTAINS. I doubt if I ever saw one, even the smallest
without some tingling delight. They enchant me in the daytime, when the sunlight
ennobles their jets and sprays and turns their scattered drops into diamonds.
They enchant me after dark when coloured lights are played on them,
and the night rains emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and best of all,
when the last colour is whisked away, and there they are in dazzling white glory!'

(J.B. Priestley - from his book 'Delight', first published 1949)

Address: City Park Off Princes Way Bradford West Yorkshire United Kingdom Website: Not listed

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