SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Caron wrote: My father was an engineer. Greenwoods and Batley (s) rings a bell and George Mann (s). He also worked at Kirkstall forge. Nowadays he would be on a very good wage.Is Yorkshire Switchgear in Meanwood still on the go? My step dad worked there all his life and NEVER had a day off sick!!! Yorkshire Switchgear were bought by Merlin Gerin, a French Electrical company who inturn were bought by Schneider. They are now based on the site of the Hunslet Engine Company on Jack Lane. They still make HV/LV Transformers there. The site on Meanwood Road is now a housing estate.

geoffb wrote: Caron wrote: My father was an engineer. Greenwoods and Batley (s) rings a bell and George Mann (s). He also worked at Kirkstall forge. Nowadays he would be on a very good wage.Is Yorkshire Switchgear in Meanwood still on the go? My step dad worked there all his life and NEVER had a day off sick!!! Yorkshire Switchgear were bought by Merlin Gerin, a French Electrical company who inturn were bought by Schneider. They are now based on the site of the Hunslet Engine Company on Jack Lane. They still make HV/LV Transformers there. The site on Meanwood Road is now a housing estate. Thanks for the answer, goeffb. Not surprised it's now built upon....nothing stays the same. I must be getting old

Hunslet Engine Company found a film here circa 1968http://tinyurl.com/bpd5qsp

Jogon wrote: Hunslet Engine Company found a film here circa 1968http://tinyurl.com/bpd5qsp Leeds was good at engineerinng when I were a lad.What happened?

Jogon wrote: Hunslet Engine Company found a film here circa 1968http://tinyurl.com/bpd5qsp Great stuff....our company was a major supplier of steel products to Hunslet Engines whose products enjoyed worldwide renown and I suspect some still function perfectly well,even today.I visited them on many occasions and the design and manufacturing skills were obvious to the eye.....some great lads and lasses worked .Sadly all gone now.Back then,just about every road in Hunslet had some form of manufacturing expertise in evidence and provided much needed local employment.

stutterdog wrote: Jogon wrote: Hunslet Engine Company found a film here circa 1968http://tinyurl.com/bpd5qsp Leeds was good at engineerinng when I were a lad.What happened? First Italy, then Japan, then Korea and now China happened.Two major British manufacturers of construction equipment used to be in Leeds - John Fowler and Thos Smith. Plus J I Case of Wisconsin used to build machinery at Stanningley.

majorhoundii wrote: stutterdog wrote: Jogon wrote: Hunslet Engine Company found a film here circa 1968http://tinyurl.com/bpd5qsp Leeds was good at engineerinng when I were a lad.What happened? First Italy, then Japan, then Korea and now China happened.Two major British manufacturers of construction equipment used to be in Leeds - John Fowler and Thos Smith. Plus J I Case of Wisconsin used to build machinery at Stanningley. Yes,majorhoundii,it's all now gone sadly.I can recall many examples of engineering excellence in Leeds.Can't fetch it back I'm afraid.

Bramley4woods wrote: Trojan wrote: fevlad wrote: there used to be these really posh shops called Marshall and Snellgrove and mathias Robinson where I think the Victoria quarter now isScheerers music shop was along the same street. I saw my first les paul gold Top in the window: still dream of owning one.vallances was good for records Mathias Robinson was where Debenhams are, I think Marshall & Snelgrove was at the end of the Headrow. There was a shop on the corner called Peacocks I think - our first bed came from there anyway. There was also a furniture shop next to Kirkgate Market called Benns - our first three piece suite came from there. Forty years in September - you don't get that for murder If I am correct Marshall's and Snelgrove's was where the LLoyds TSB building is now at 6-7 Park Row. The one with the surrealist Black Horse statue. Inside I remember it being a cross between Lewis's, Grace Brothers, and Mr Swindley's drapers shop in Tarnation Street.Outside, according to a lecture I attended in 1964 from somebody at the School of Architecture, it wasn't specially meritorious. An extra room made of glass and timber had been added at roof height that looked from the pavement like a commercial cucumber shed on the roof, about 5 floors up !     I missed this somehow - Barbara Taylor Bradford on shopping in Marshall & Snelgrove:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/artic ... tores.html

What a dreadful bore that woman is.

Another long lost Leeds Company was The Leeds Model Company, founded by Rex Stedman in 1912, was after Hornby and Bassett-Lowke the third largest model railway manufacturer in the UK.Based on Jack Lane, Hunslet. Then in Potterdale Mills on Dewsbury Road. http://tinyurl.com/cdwesmeThen when trading as Ellemsee based at Wheaton Avenue, Halton. http://tinyurl.com/d2v5xvlMore info on the company is available here:http://www.leedsstedmantrust.org/history.htmlLMC originated in 1912 with Rex Stedman. Stedman left LMC in 1928 to found a new company under the title of R F Stedman & Co Ltd. Stedman later purchased the LMC company, continuing to trade under the R F Stedman name. Stedman finally left in 1931, when the name reverted to LMC.LMC were best known for their large range of locomotives, both freelance and true to prototype, as well as for coaches made from wood with applied paper lithography. A range of wooden wagons was also manufactured, and both coaches and wagons were later made from bakelite. Other products included track and a range of components.The first list - it was a folded paper document too small to call a catalogue - was published in 1915. The first book style catalogue 1920, the last book style catalogue with illustrations 1953, the last book style price list 1959, and the very last duplicated on paper price list 1967 at which time the company ceased trading.Copies of original catalogues are available to view here:http://www.wiswin.nl/Leeds%20Kataloge.htm