SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

I came across this passage whilst reading the history of leeds.

"Passing by a foot-path to the lower end of Kirkgate, we come to where an opening is made for a road to ST. JAMES's CHURCH. This is a large octagonal building, lately erected by the Rev. Micheal Waugh, and the Rev. John Price; of whose creditors it was purchased by the Rev. Mr Griffin, its present minister.
Several new houses are built on the sides of the road leading to this place: and the workmen are at present busily employed in building houses on each side of the way, intending (as they inform me) to form a street, from St Peter's-square to the entrance into Kirkgate; which ,when completed, is to be called St James's- street."


Ive spent hours looking over old maps and cant even possibly guess which street this could be. If anyone could shed any light on this id be thrilled. Mr only guesses are it was named something else at the last minute or Ive missed it.

I must be what was York St, but later renamed Upper york St

Both St James's Church and St Peters Square can be seen on the Godfrey Edition Leeds Sheet 11 (OS, 1847, Leeds Headrow). The church was just west of Mecca Bingo at the junction of York Street and Cross York Street. The latter runs South to Wharf Street. St Peter's Square was roughly on the site of the present BBC studios on Quarry Hill - the nearby side street is still named St Peter's Square. The main road running South from Eastgate is St Peter's Street, but in 1847 the section of tha tstreet running from York Street to Marsh Lane/Kirkgate was called Duke Street. My money would be on either Cross York Street or Duke Street as the street you are looking for.
EDIT posted at the same time as Chemimike!

The following are links to 2 images in the Leodis website of St James' Church. The first is an undated image but the second is dated 17 November 1948. As it was closed in 1950 then some Secret Leeds members may remember the church.

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL
http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

A few bits and pieces i put together a while ago. https://www.flickr.com/photos/viewfromt ... 2621671216

The church still exists in name only.joined with St Cyprian with St James on Coldcotes ave It as a few artefacts from the old Church,the old Church also had a connection with the Riverside mission Church in the calls and also St James Hall in what is now called Westminster Hall on New York Street.

Thankyou everyone for the replies. I would guess st james street never existed (in name at least) and the street in question simply became known as york st.(or an extention of it as i dont know if it already existed at the time) Cross york street seems to be far too small and duke st seems to be in the wrong direction. I learned a lot i didnt know about this church in the past day.
For anyone thats interested the book i got the passage from was 'A history of leeds compiled from various authours' page 27.

In the late 1950/60s I worked in that Building on Cross York Street. It had an inscription on the side saying that it was a Sunday School and had been built on the Site of where St Marks Church had been. This was a extremely large and solid Building on two floors.
For anyone who remembers the "Red Bus Station" on the Corner of York Street, this same building continued down behind there. Lots of different Businesses etc. and would have been much too large for just a Sunday School.

[quote="volvojack"]In the late 1950/60s I worked in that Building on Cross York Street. It had an inscription on the side saying that it was a Sunday School and had been built on the Site of where St Marks Church had been. This was a extremely large and solid Building on two floors.
For anyone who remembers the "Red Bus Station" on the Corner of York Street, this same building continued down behind there. Lots of different Businesses etc. and would have been much too large for just a Sunday School.
The Main upper floor had large Stage and a Balcony, plus there where other Rooms both up and down all at the front on Cross York Street.

volvojack wrote:

volvojack wrote:In the late 1950/60s I worked in that Building on Cross York Street. It had an inscription on the side saying that it was a Sunday School and had been built on the Site of where St Marks Church had been. This was a extremely large and solid Building on two floors.
For anyone who remembers the "Red Bus Station" on the Corner of York Street, this same building continued down behind there. Lots of different Businesses etc. and would have been much too large for just a Sunday School.
The Main upper floor had large Stage and a Balcony, plus there where other Rooms both up and down all at the front on Cross York Street.

Hi Jack .

These are 2 photos that I took on November 19 2014 of inscriptions on the 'Canon Jackson Memorial Sunday Schools 1909' building on Cross York Street (the building and the inscriptions are currently still there). The inscription on at least the stone does though look newish so it may have been redone at some stage.