SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Here's mine.WYMCC, Kirkstall Road, 1978 - 1979. I didn't even notice the owl on top til a couple of years ago !!PC    

Tribunals Service,York House,York Place.

And mine.1991 - 2009. Brancepeth Place off Armley Road. The cooper's premises (as mentioned on the sign) occupied an old livery stable at the end of the street. The yard beyond, which backed on to the Leeds Liverpool Canal, was originally a shovel and spade manufacturer, but also had a life as a foundry, a scrap-yard and Otty Brothers, until it was bought by Glendennings in the 70s. Originally founded by two master coopers in 1945, the company moved with the times, converting from making and repairing wooden barrels to reconditioning 45 gallon steel drum in the 60s, and later to industrial plastic container recycling. The company's regular dinnertime refreshment facility was The Albion. The back-to-backs in the photo were demolished c.1965, and the land was owned by Greenwood and Batley's. It was bought by Glendennings when they expanded (late 60s-ish) and was used mainly as a storage yard for steel drums awaiting reconditioning, although when less than full, it became a make-shift break-time football pitch! For a while, it was also rented out to the Volvo garage (Lex Brooklands?) at the end of Armley Road for extra parking of their vehicles. The right-hand side of the street became the Electricity Generating Board's premises, but is now a stationery company. The left-hand site (ex-Glendennings) is now owned by another business, and has been substantially altered and rebuilt.                

Before Brancepeth Place, I worked for a small advertising agency specialising in medical accounts based in the top floors of Brodrick's Buildings on Cookridge Street, opposite what is now Leeds Museum.

And before that, I was at another ad agency, based at Elmwood House, Calverley.Before that, I worked darn sarf.    

Me, Ringtons Tea Co Ladypit Lane, then Bellow Machine Co, then Allmet. then Wilson and Mathersons, then Harding and Rhodes,then Humpherys and Glasgow,then Robson Power Tools,then Harris Textiles,then Fulneck School.Now retired thats my fifty years work record.

10th Floor Dudley House. It'll be someone's bedroom now. http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

The British Screw Co. on Kirkstall Road from 1974 - 1975

I also worked at Glendennings Containers in the 1980s when Barry Glendenning was the boss and his brother-in-law was the works manager. There was also an engineering company called Revoc Engineering in the same building. I worked in the office and never went in the works but I saw all the brightly painted oil drums coming out of the works. Barry's son came to work there just before I left.    

Century Insuranced Company, 14 South Parade (now "des res's").I went there on leaving school in September 1952 and the starting salary for five and a half days a week of utter boredom was One hundred and twenty pounds - A YEAR !!Much later, from 1963 to 1969, Wallace Arnold Tours at Hunslet and later Gelderd Road/Ring Road. Then to Leeds City Transport at Headingley (chiefly) and Swinegate, Seacroft, Bramley, Middleton and Torre Road (all occasionally) until 1986 when Mrs. Thatcher and Sir Nicholas Ridley caused me to move to Pontefract for work, but still lived in Headingley and travelled happily daily to "Ponty" for fourteen years until retirement after a wonderful time in a totally different cuulture and environment.