Majestic Cinema

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Wed 02 Jan, 2013 10:04 pm

Geordie-exile wrote: Smashing! Thanks leo.I do like them. Kudos to whoever thought of commissioning these reproductions. Cheers Geordie. I thought I would post this general view that shows the view with Wellington Street on the left and Quebec Street on the right. Trying to take photos from City Square around midday on a working day is difficult due to the high number of people walking by. Actually getting any photos without too many folk was not easy!While in the general area I thought I would see what the river flow looked like at the Dark Arches as following recent rain I expected there would be a very heavy flow, but though strong it was not particularly so. I guess any peak volume must have passed.

uncle mick · Post by **uncle mick** » Mon 14 Jan, 2013 3:41 am

I have borrowed this pic from "Leeds Back In The Day" on Facebook. I can find reference to it been demolished on Leodis (quote)Building (Majestic) designed by architect Pascal Stienlet opened on 5th June 1922. The site had formerly been a recruiting office, until 1918.It is the first pic I have seen of the recruiting office & it looks a bit grand to be demolished in 1918 as this pic must have have been taken between 1914 & 1918. Has anyone got any info or pics of the recruiting office.

: recruiting office.jpg (26.92 KiB) Viewed 1801 times

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 14 Jan, 2013 12:08 pm

The building in the photo is of such a similar style to the Majestic that, if we didn't know differently, it could have been altered and extended to form the new cinema.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Mon 14 Jan, 2013 12:13 pm

I wonder what happened to the magnificent looking 'shields' on that building?

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 14 Jan, 2013 2:05 pm

A fascinating and humbling document has just come to light on my family tree. It is an internal letter from the GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY in Wellington Street - telephone Leeds 36 - responding to my Dad's request to be allowed to join the Forces for WW1. It tells him to enlist immediately and to let the office know the outcome. So, no doubt, he will have enlisted nearby in that very recruiting centre. In his later years, he's been gone since 1961, I wonder how he felt as he often passed the Majestic, and reflected on the Hell of the Somme and his injuries - like most brave old soldiers he rarely said anything about the ordeal.

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Tue 15 Jan, 2013 9:50 am

Look how short lived this Recruiting Office building really was - here's the site in 1908.http://www.leodis.org/display.aspx?reso ... ifier=520I wonder whether post-war sentiment had anything to do with it being swept away quite so quickly?

Si · Post by Si » Tue 15 Jan, 2013 9:57 am

uncle mick wrote: I have borrowed this pic from "Leeds Back In The Day" on Facebook. I can find reference to it been demolished on Leodis (quote)Building (Majestic) designed by architect Pascal Stienlet opened on 5th June 1922. The site had formerly been a recruiting office, until 1918. For a war that was supposed to be "all over by Christmas", it's got a very permanent look about it.Was it actually built originally for a different purpose before being requisitioned, and if so, what was it?

uncle mick · Post by **uncle mick** » Tue 15 Jan, 2013 9:58 am

It looks like it was only there from June 1916The recruiting office was in City Square. It moved there from Hannover Square in June 1916 when conscription was brought in. A total of 82,000 men from Leeds enlisted. Copied from herehttp://www.projectinspire.kk5.org/#/wartime-le ... 4538384222

Si · Post by Si » Tue 15 Jan, 2013 10:01 am

Thanks Mick. One of my great granfathers probably enlisted there in 1916.

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Tue 15 Jan, 2013 10:49 am

uncle mick wrote: It looks like it was only there from June 1916The recruiting office was in City Square. It moved there from Hannover Square in June 1916 when conscription was brought in. A total of 82,000 men from Leeds enlisted. Copied from herehttp://www.projectinspire.kk5.org/#/wartime-le ... 4538384222 And gone by 1919:http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL