The Little boys room Kirkstall Road

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Sat 20 Aug, 2011 11:31 am

Apologies for the grand title, I just felt Kirkstall Road urinal wasn't very tasteful for Secret Leeds Anyway on with the post, I was just looking at the old map of this area and noticed the urinal marked off on the 1908 map, I was quite surprised to see it still exists on Google street view.It's funny how you can walk past things many times and never notice them.It's not the most amazing structure in Leeds, but it's another curiosity and strange blocked off doorway in Leeds documented again. I'm not sure when it closed, can anyone recall it being open? It's quite an interesting corner of old Leeds to look at, the remains of the old library, bits of the old Police station, the ornate fountain, and of course the Kirkstall light railway. *Google street view of the location is here if anyone can't place where it is*http://tinyurl.com/3fp58x5

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Sat 20 Aug, 2011 12:13 pm

Good one Phill. Photos taken at a convenient moment eh! I don't know the area so when I saw the first photo I thought the urinal was the bowl like structure on the right! Edit added around 11:32. I see from the Old Maps UK website that what I thought was the urinal is a drinking fountain and has been there from at least 1892.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Sat 20 Aug, 2011 12:34 pm

Leodian wrote: Good one Phill. Photos taken at a convenient moment eh! I don't know the area so when I saw the first photo I thought the urinal was the bowl like structure on the right! Edit added around 11:32. I see from the Old Maps UK website that what I thought was the urinal is a drinking fountain and has been there from at least 1892. DON'T mistake the two after a night out Mr Leodian lol

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Sat 20 Aug, 2011 12:36 pm

Leodian wrote: Good one Phill. Photos taken at a convenient moment eh! I don't know the area so when I saw the first photo I thought the urinal was the bowl like structure on the right! Phill - it was certainly open during my time working for Ledgard's in 1957 - 63 but I can't recall when it closed.Leodian - the bowl like structure is a drinking fountain (I jest not) and I hate to say that its still used by the more exhibitionist riff raff for the purpose that you imagined !!A similar "bricked up" facility can still be seen further along the same road (on the left also) just opposite Hawksworth Road where the A 65 begins the climb to Horsforth. Engraved in the lintel is "Gentlemen."

electricaldave · Post by **electricaldave** » Sat 20 Aug, 2011 12:38 pm

Here is something on Leodis for you.http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Sat 20 Aug, 2011 12:41 pm

electricaldave wrote: Here is something on Leodis for you.http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL Those are great links Dave, It's the first time I've seen the Police station and library as it was. Thanks for adding them

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Sat 20 Aug, 2011 12:44 pm

Was the small building at the end of the library part of the library do you know Dave? That still survives today. You can see it here on Google street view herehttp://tinyurl.com/42shlvmThere is also this old metal doorway a little higher up, I've always wondered if it was part of the tram depot that was there.http://tinyurl.com/3kqavkf

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Sat 20 Aug, 2011 2:15 pm

Phill_dvsn wrote: Was the small building at the end of the library part of the library do you know Dave? That still survives today. You can see it here on Google street view herehttp://tinyurl.com/42shlvm If my memory serves me right Phill - that was the Police Station. Once, as a young conductor on the 2300 bus to Ilkley from King Street, I had to go in there with a lovely Golden Labrador which had boarded in Leeds, settled down in comfort by the heaters at the front of the top deck, and refused to pay - it was alone !!The PC was not amused and took charge of the prisoner very reluctantly indeed.

Post by **mhoulden** » Sat 20 Aug, 2011 2:26 pm

The toilets on New Road Side were blocked off in 2006 when they installed the new bus lane. There was also a bus shelter built into the wall a bit further down opposite the Hawksworth Rd junction. You can see where they were on Google Streetview here: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=53 ... 0,10.84The archway by the current bus stop is one entrance, there's another one a bit further down, and just after by the traffic sign with the bin is the old bus shelter.Were there some more public loos on the side of the old Glenroyal cinema/Tesco on the corner of New Road Side and Clarence Drive?

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Sat 20 Aug, 2011 2:31 pm

Hi Blakey, If you look at the map above you see the library was next to the Police station, the small building (now in ruins) joined on to the library. I'm not sure if it was a separate building, or part of the library itself.