Map 17 – Headingley House

Property and Power in Headingley

‘a building for human habitation, especially one that consists of a ground floor and one or more upper storeys’
‘home, place of residence, homestead, lodging place, a roof over one’s head’

House began with the story of Robert Arthington, a rich man, locally known as the Headingley Miser. He built a large house for his bride; but the bride never came. And so, he lived alone in one room, on half a crown a week, and received his visitors in the dark.

Around him 19th Century Headingley was growing from a country village separated from Leeds by fields and farms to a vibrant suburb, where industrialists and imperialists alike built themselves splendid houses. The miser’s millions meanwhile were supporting missionary projects around the world. Arthington, Liberia, bears his name to this day.

Created by A Quiet Word in collaboration with members of the local community, House was a site-specific performance that explored how property and power connect Headingley and the wider world. Participants were invited behind closed doors for a conversation in the dark, and to where the present overlays the past.

Events ran from Tuesday 30 January to Saturday 3 February 2018.

    • Photos by Lizzie Coombes

    Project credits

    HOUSE was created with the participation of:
    Eveleigh Bradford; Residents of 57 Headingley Lane; Chris Workman and family; St Chad’s Memory Café and Lunch Club; Residents of Grove Park Care Home; Pupils and staff at Shire Oak Primary School; Members of the House creative writing group; Headingley voices and Tricia Kyte; Ross Horsley; Jackie Parsons; Gerry Turvey; Committee and staff of The New Headingley Club; Tony Whatmough

    Walks led by:
    David Dawson, Joe Williams, Rosie Parsons and Hazel Smoczynska

    Performers:
    The Vestibule – Jaye Kearney
    The Parlour – Peter Spafford
    The Kitchen – Oscar Stafford
    The Nursery – Miss Pauline Mayers
    The Dressing Room – (The Bride’s Voice) Sarah Kennedy
    The Cottage – Chris Workman and family
    The Estate Agent – Matthew Bellwood
    The Property Developer – Richard Standeven

    Creative Team:
    Thread Artist – Hayley Mills-Styles
    Graphic Design – Amy Levene
    Scenography – Alison Andrews
    Production Manager – Polly Cuthbert
    Publicity – Jaye Kearney
    Sonalope Technologist – Christine Farion
    Sonalope Developer – Simon East
    Dramaturgical Consultant Sonalope – Maria Kapsali
    Photography – Lizzie Coombes
    Shire Oak Tree Song set to music by Richard Morris

    Ushers:
    Alisha Brown, Arlie Haslam, Merveille Nsumbu, Niall Unger

    The performance text was devised by the company
    Conceived and directed by Alison Andrews and Matthew Bellwood

    With thanks to the School of Performance and Cultural Industries, Leeds University:
    Steve Ansell; Ian Lindley; Andie Mills; Hannah Baxter-Gale; Scott Palmer; Place and Performance Research Group