Is this part of an old passageway off Briggate or just space between buildings?

[Leodian]

Another thing of interest is that in the wider part there is one of those old style objects (I can't think of their name!) on the ground that have lots of small thick glass bits. One of those was broken and I could see what loooked to be a deep cellar beneath but could not make out what (if anything) was there.    

[Si]

Leodian wrote: Assuming that the small crossed area next to the Leeds Times Printing Works may be where the passageway turns then it may be Upton's Yard.     Built areas marked with a cross are covered ginnels. There are more than fifteen on the small area of map posted by Buffaloskinner. The cross-hatched area is a glass roofed building, such as an arcade.(The Turk's Head is now Whitelocks, of course.)    

[Si]

While looking up Upton's Yard (so to speak) on Leodis, I discovered that this site (between Upton's Yard and Nelson's Yard) was earmarked in 1938 for Leeds' very own skyscraper."8th March 1938. Artists impression of a skyscraper planned for Briggate. On 8th March 1938 plans were discussed for a 23 storey landmark skyscraper, the development scheme of Briggate Properties Ltd. Three of the directors of Briggate Properties Ltd. were well known in Leeds, Sir Henry Price, Mr. John Lambert and Major J. Milner M.P. The 3000 square yard site stretched from Briggate to Trinity Street, between Nelson's Yard and Upton's Yard. Part of the proposed site was occupied by the 1911 building of the Rialto cinema, formerly the Picture House. Nowadays, Marks & Spencer in Briggate is located on this site. The skyscraper was very ambitious in design with an unbroken elevation of 255', making it 35' higher than the dome of Leeds Town hall and twice the height of the Queen's hotel. A tower was to be constructed above the flat roof to a height of 55' and mounted on the tower would be a 60' flagstaff. The tower would be illuminated at night. The skyscraper, built in reinforced concrete within a steel frame and brick, would occupy an 86' frontage on Briggate and a 70' frontage on Trinity Street. The development was set to attract well known retail stores. The project was abandoned due to the onset of World War 2 and so it would be many years before any more skyscrapers were planned for Leeds City Centre."

[alanlad]

Wasn't the billiard hall in Burtons Arcade called Mahons? (Charlie Mahon) I remember his two daughters worked there. Deliah was quite a good player. Smith & Nelsons billard hall was in The Headrow. Or am I talking about different venues!

[tyke bhoy]

Si, unless I'm suffering deja vue the skyscraper has been covered before. I think there were arguments as to where and on which side of Briggate it could be given the render makes the entire surrounding area for a considerable distance, look flat.

[Si]

tyke bhoy wrote: Si, unless I'm suffering deja vue the skyscraper has been covered before. I think there were arguments as to where and on which side of Briggate it could be given the render makes the entire surrounding area for a considerable distance, look flat. Deja vu? Not again?! I'm sure we probably have, Tyke Bhoy. There's so much stuff on here that it's hard to keep track.I think the artist may have deliberately made the surrounding landscape flatter, to increase the impression of the building's height.Going by the Leodis description, it seems the skyscraper was to be sited on the west side of Briggate.    

[dogduke]

alanlad wrote: Wasn't the billiard hall in Burtons Arcade called Mahons? (Charlie Mahon) I remember his two daughters worked there. Deliah was quite a good player. Smith & Nelsons billard hall was in The Headrow. Or am I talking about different venues! Sorry -Not Nelson but the Douglas.Here is part of a thread on billiard hallsMy favourite was The Douglas,this was upstairs in the Burtons Arcade.My father had played there on an afternoon between split shifts.Following the death of the owner Jim?? Mahon it was run by his 2 daughters Delia and Lilian,as billiard halls went it was very respectable and well run.I think there were 7 tables,3 on one side of their reception and 4 on the other.there was no booze,but good quality hot/cold sandwiches and tea and coffee.They did not serve crisps because of the risk of transferring grease onto the cloth but you coluld get a fried egg sandwich!!.

[geoffb]

alanlad wrote: Wasn't the billiard hall in Burtons Arcade called Mahons? (Charlie Mahon) I remember his two daughters worked there. Deliah was quite a good player. Smith & Nelsons billard hall was in The Headrow. Or am I talking about different venues! We spent some time in there in the 60s upstairs from the arcade. 5/- for 1 hour hire of a table. I can recall Leeds United players in there Jimmy Greenoff and Dennis Hawkins were regulars. I'm pretty positive it was called the Douglas Billiard and Snooker Hall (Dugies)

[stutterdog]

alanlad wrote: Wasn't the billiard hall in Burtons Arcade called Mahons? (Charlie Mahon) I remember his two daughters worked there. Deliah was quite a good player. Smith & Nelsons billard hall was in The Headrow. Or am I talking about different venues! Your right Alan lad, I played snooker at Charlie Mahon's in the late 50's. Smith and Nelsons was as you say on The Headrow    

[buffaloskinner]

Click to enlargeThe 1964 map shows the disappearance of Hardwicks yard and the appearance of Burtons Arcade.