SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Anyone remember a pub in Holbeck called the Old Blue Bull, 18 Balm Walk Holbeck, publican in 1911 census was Joe Bracewell.

I remember it in the early 1960s but as the Old Blue Ball. Much used by railwaymen from Holbeck Sheds on Nineveh Road.

It was the Old Blue Ball and not Bull (it was quite early when I placed the thread lol). I believe my paternal grandmother was the daughter of the publican in the 1911 census and I'm trying to piece together her history for the family tree, so any information about the place and/or people would be gratefully acknowledged.RegardsBT

Publican would have been Joe Bracewell who had previously [1909] been at the Oatlands Inn, Alfred Cross Street.

Biscuit Tin: I've changed the name in the thread title for

Cheers     

Ive just been on Ancestry

My grandma is listed as living there in the 1911 census.
She is Elsie
I believe Joe was her grandad

If my memory serve me correctly The Showman's Guild , which was the equivalent of the Feast / Fairs Union paid an amount of money
each year to use spare land at the back of The Blue Ball in the winter months, when they "Laid Up" owing to the weather , Ice and Snow being much severe than it is nowadays. There were Pubs aplenty in Holbeck in those days and some Licensees welcomed their Trade whilst others did not. At that time Gypsy's /Romany's were barred from all Licenced premises in England and Wales, with a Criss Cross Caravan sign on the door as many Romany folks could not read or write.
I do remember that many Landlords closed their Pubs for a whole day if there was a Gypsy Funeral anywhere in the area as Travellers would come from miles away and even though there was money to be earned, the risk of trouble and damage to the Pub was considered much too much. This was still the case years after when the Human Rights Bill gave anyone the right to access any where they pleased.

Biscuit Tin wrote:Anyone remember a pub in Holbeck called the Old Blue Bull, 18 Balm Walk Holbeck, publican in 1911 census was Joe Bracewell.

I half remember the pub, but not that same building as Google suggests is the present number 18. The original building shown as 18 on Google, I remember as being some sort of Druid meeting place from the sign I remember from the 1950's. The Old Blue Ball pub was a little further out from Domestic Street and there was a small corner shop in the area.

Perhaps a renumbering of the buildings has taken place in the intervening years?

Did a quick google search and this photo of the old blue ball is on ebay