SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

I took these photos today (November 26 2014) after I spotted the interesting panel with the carvings that runs across near the top of the building. The building is on Vicar Lane about opposite the Victoria Quarter. It is hard to decipher what is in the carvings even in the zoomed-in photo, but to the far left it seems as if there might be an intertwined BJ (or JB) and to the left there does seem to be an intertwined 1900. Almost at the far right there may also be another 1900. The building is on the same block as the Wray's building but it is a different style (it is not part of the Coronation Building). The County Arcade almost opposite has 1900 over that, which may or may not be relevant.

I've tried a search of Leodis but have drawn a blank. I would therefore be grateful if anyone knows any history of the building and what for example the BJ (or JB) may be if it is a B and a J. The long length of the panel meant I could not get it all in on a further zoomed-in photo so I hope there is enough detail in that which I did do.

! deleted my original post here as I got confused

Looking at British Listed buildings among others it seems they can't decipher " the carvings"

http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk ... icar-lane-

In 1908 one of the occupants was George Braithwaite (Boot Dealer)

1902 Insurance Plan http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex ... f022r.html

Isn't it amazing how we don't normally from street level study the tops of these tall buildings - the one in this query (can't help I'm afraid) and the one to its left in the first picture could very easily be in Belgium (Flanders especially) or Holland. Just a thought.

Hi uncle mick . Many thanks for the information and also for your willingness to find and provide information to this and other queries I have asked in SL.

So it seems that deciphering the "carvings" is not just a problem that I have! I wonder what the what seems to an intertwined BJ (or JB) on the panel above the White Stuff premises stands for (it has what seems to be a clear 1900 a little to its right).

Hi Blakey . I like looking up (sometimes it does though feel like I am about to break my neck!) and it never ceases to surprise me that I still see things that I don't recall noticing before. Looking down I often see such things as ordnance survey marks (bench marks), or symbols that I've no idea what they mean but might be used by such as utility services.

In view of the excellent information and link provided by uncle mick for number 58 (that used by Subway) I have just looked at the British Listed Buildings website for any information on number 60 (that used by White Stuff) and found information relating to numbers 60 and 62 Vicar Lane:- http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk ... icar-lane-

I see that the lettering on the panel at number 60 is thought to be "B with ?M/LT". I still think it looks more like B with J and if there is an LT there I cannot spot it. It would seem unlikely but I wonder if it is BJ (orJB) if that has anything to do with 'Briggs J. J. and Son, butchers' named at number 60 in the list provided by uncle mick?

isnt that where William hill had a big office. or maybe another bookies.
Seem to remember a huge sign in the 1970's you could see from a no 2 bus

Edit. in the plan posted above you can just make out part of a pub. That was the Markets. It was 'One of Tetleys Houses' but may have been Melbourne before the takeover.

ken H wrote:isnt that where William hill had a big office. or maybe another bookies.
Seem to remember a huge sign in the 1970's you could see from a no 2 bus

Edit. in the plan posted above you can just make out part of a pub. That was the Markets. It was 'One of Tetleys Houses' but may have been Melbourne before the takeover.

Hi Ken

I 've found this image in Leodis that was taken December 6 1979 and shows William Hill's there and also Jim Windsor's Commercial Club above. http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

Ken H - wasn't the Bookie's Jim Windsor's - and with a large good value cafe upstairs ??

When that was Jim Windsors the first floor was a betting office and I think a section of it was a café, the second floor was Jims Commercial Club where my brother Peter was the concert sec. for many years, the third floor was where all the wagers and racing business was managed. bearing in mind Windsor had over a 100 betting offices. there was also a luxury flat that Jims son in law Billy Brown and his wife used. (can't remember if that was on a higher floor or not.)

Thanks all for your welcome inputs.

I remember the animated racehorses at Jim Windsor's. They were fun to see. This is a link to an old SL thread on Jim Windsor that has more interesting information http://www.secretleeds.com/viewtopic.php?t=1544