Leeds
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Leeds memories
Read and share memories of Leeds and West Yorkshire inspired by Frith photos
Preparing for the Festival of Britain.
This photograph shows a Wednesday afternoon, early closing day, hence the low volume of traffic and few shoppers. The year is definitely 1951. On the left is myself and my apprentice electrician seen manhandling the long ladder outside William Timpson's shoe shop. The other people are just members of the public stopping for a chat. I worked for a company who for many years had the job of maintaining the electrical installations at the two Leeds branches of William Timpson, and on this occasion, to celebrate the 'Festival of Britain' in 1951, shops in the city centre were invited by the various trade organisations to enter a competition to find the best displayed shop. We were illuminating ...read more here
Contributed by Ken Greaves
Old Days
I was born in Quarry Hill Flats, it brings back a lot of memories.
West Yorkshire memories
Old Days
I was born in Quarry Hill Flats, it brings back a lot of memories.
Preparing for the Festival of Britain.
This photograph shows a Wednesday afternoon, early closing day, hence the low volume of traffic and few shoppers. The year is definitely 1951. On the left is myself and my apprentice electrician seen manhandling the long ladder outside William Timpson's shoe shop. The other people are just members of the public stopping for a chat. I worked for a company who for many years had the job of maintaining the electrical installations at the two Leeds branches of William Timpson, and on this occasion, to celebrate the 'Festival of Britain' in 1951, shops in the city centre were invited by the various trade organisations to enter a competition to find the best displayed shop. We were illuminating ...read more here
A memory of Leeds contributed by Ken Greaves
Extracts From Leeds & West Yorkshire books
The town hall not only housed the council: there were law courts, facilities for lectures, public meetings and for music festivals. This photograph shows the Victoria Hall; the walls are divided into five bays by Corinthian columns, and the stage area is dominated by the organ. The hall was originally called ‘the Great Hall’, but was dedicated to Queen Victoria after the opening at which she officiated. 200,000 people gathered to watch the ceremony.
An extract from from"British Life a Century Ago".
The earliest mention of the provision of education in Leeds dates from 1552 when William Sheafield, chantry priest of St Catherine, left property to support the upkeep of a schoolmaster. This was the beginning of Leeds Grammar School. The heavy Gothic-style building shown here is by E M Barry, the brother of the headmaster of the period, and was built in 1859.
An extract from from"British Life a Century Ago".
There are no medieval churches in Leeds. The church of St John the Evangelist was consecrated in 1634 and retains its oaken interior and a great screen which is considered to be one of the finest of its type in England. St Peter’s in Kirkgate was noted for its 15th-century brasses, whilst 18th-century Holy Trinity in Boar Lane had perhaps the most attractive-looking spire in the area.
An extract from from"British Life a Century Ago".
When Leeds town hall was opened by Queen Victoria, the streets were lined with palm trees and triumphal arches. Designed by Cuthbert Broderick and built between 1853 and 1858, this sumptuous public building was deliberately ambitious in scale, its dignified and spectacular classical lines symbolising Leeds’ reputation and position as the leading city of West Riding.
An extract from from"British Life a Century Ago".
This was part of the Victoria University, which was constituted in 1880, the other colleges being at Manchester and Liverpool. The colleges went their separate ways in 1904, each becoming an independent university. There were originally four departments: mathematics and experimental physics, geology and mining, chemistry, and textiles.
An extract from from"British Life a Century Ago".