SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

I'm currently working on an animation project which contains memories of growing up in Leeds. One of the things we'd like to illustrate is a memory of going to Mark Altman's in the late 1930s or early 1940s to go dancing.

I've found various descriptions of Mark Altman's Dance School on this forum and the YEP. I think it was called the Empress Ballroom (please correct if you know this is wrong). It would be amazing if anyone had a photo (no matter what quality) of the entrance to the dance hall at anytime before it closed in 1990 so we could illustrate this accurately.

If anyone can describe the building and entrance way that would also be great.

Thanks Rachel

The New Marquee Club was at 81 Great George St. It was opened by a guy called Peter Brent but only lasted a few months. Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd and Fairport Convention all played here in 1968 but one of the reasons it closed was bands failing to show up, including Tyrannosaurus Rex and Traffic. Prior to that it was known as The Empress Ballroom. It is now the site of Crown House.

See google street view https://goo.gl/maps/oxr9yUgbPVVRv9NA6

Mark or Dennis Altman were here in the original building. as you can see it has been re developed. The ballroom was on the first floor.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.80119 ... 2?hl=en-GB

I used to work for a Joinery Contractor,We had the joinery package for Crown House it was to be a solicitors office.The main contractor Marshalls (Building Contractors).The Building had an underground car park, That we used as material storage.But there was a small packing case that we had to keep moving out of the way,so someone asked the manager what in the box? Queen Victoria he said. It transpired that a stone carving of Victoria was removed from the old Building before demolition and was to be reinstalled in the new building. Funny thing the carving disappeared shortly afterwards. wasn't Queen Victoria Empress of India.

We appear to hace a difference of opinion as Geoffrey Wheeler used to say and hyperion3 doesn't really help settle it completely. Buffalo Skinner's image is directlt opposite the building in Brunel's link. Brunel's link is definitely called the Crown Building (not Crown House) and it certainly looks recent buid. That migh explain hyperion3 working on it and why if pushed I'd say the building in Buffalo Skinner's image looks a more likely candidate as both a concert venue and ballroom. However if the Crown Building is a complete rebuild its predecessor may have been more like leisure than office space. Is anybody able to elaborate for sure. Is the building now the Firehouse Fitness Centre definitely not the former ballroom/dance school

just to add a bit more info.The building we worked on was called Crown House it was built for a law firm called Milners. then after they
moved out the building was converted to Apartments hence the name Crown Residence.this was the original site of the dance hall.

Centaur Clothing Factory, as it was, on Leighton Street is a Grade II listed building, and is situated at the junction with Great George Street, it was originally known as Marlbeck House when built by Thomas Marshall & Co. Ltd. in 1922. It displayed both Centaur and Marlbeck House in later life. Centaur Clothes, which moved to the premises in the 1960s, closed in 1991 and the building was converted to apartments and a leisure centre, retaining the name Centaur House. On the right at the bottom of the building on Leighton Street is the original entrance for its employees. Crown House is now the front of the building with the steps, the ballroom was up the steps.

1954 Phone Book

CAFE MUJO is now No.81

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.80119 ... 2?hl=en-GB

Thank you everyone that's so helpful to pinpoint the address. It looks as if it's been redeveloped a lot since the 1920s!