Does anyone know what this carved 'F' means?

Bunkers, shelters and other buildings
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Leodian
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Does anyone know what this carved 'F' means?

Post by Leodian »

Passing by on February 24 2016 I spotted this carved 'F' on the Cookridge Street frontage of the old printing works (now the Electric Press building). I wonder if anyone knows what the 'F' stands for? It may be a mason's mark or just vandalism (though it seems too good for quick vandalism) or something else entirely. I had thought it may indicate a nearby fire hydrant but other than a litter bin there seemed to be nothing near.

The first photo is a close-up of the 'F' and the second shows its location on the stone block at the end and just left of the line of bollards.
Close-up of the carved 'F' on the Cookridge Street frontage of the Electric Press building (taken Feb 24 2016).
Close-up of the carved 'F' on the Cookridge Street frontage of the Electric Press building (taken Feb 24 2016).
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Location of the carved 'F' on the Cookridge Street frontage of the Electric Press building (taken Feb 24 2016).
Location of the carved 'F' on the Cookridge Street frontage of the Electric Press building (taken Feb 24 2016).
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hyperioncantlogin
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Re: Does anyone know what this carved 'F' means?

Post by hyperioncantlogin »

Hi Leo,I must say you are becoming very adept at finding obscure things ,so obscure we may never know the answer.

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Leodian
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Re: Does anyone know what this carved 'F' means?

Post by Leodian »

hyperioncantlogin wrote:Hi Leo,I must say you are becoming very adept at finding obscure things ,so obscure we may never know the answer.
Hiya hyperion :). Thanks for your interest. I hope others are also interested in the 'obscure' things that I occasionally report.

There are very many letters and numbers in the centre of Leeds cut into such as kerb stones but many seem fairly clear what they refer to, such as GPO with close by letters/numbers (many such marks for example are on at least the north side of Duncan Street). Some marks on pavements (such as the interlocked 2 Ds on the pavement on Eastgate near Primark and also seen elsewhere) are likely done by who laid the paving slabs. There is a cut letter on the small wall directly in front of the Art Gallery but I've never photographed that as there always seem to be people sitting there and I think they will be at least suspicious if I take a photo! ;) It's the ones like this 'F' that can be hard to work out what they referred to at least at one time.
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tyke bhoy
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Re: Does anyone know what this carved 'F' means?

Post by tyke bhoy »

Leodian wrote:
Hiya hyperion :). Thanks for your interest. I hope others are also interested in the 'obscure' things that I occasionally report.

There are very many letters and numbers in the centre of Leeds cut into such as kerb stones but many seem fairly clear what they refer to, such as GPO with close by letters/numbers (many such marks for example are on at least the north side of Duncan Street). Some marks on pavements (such as the interlocked 2 Ds on the pavement on Eastgate near Primark and also seen elsewhere) are likely done by who laid the paving slabs. There is a cut letter on the small wall directly in front of the Art Gallery but I've never photographed that as there always seem to be people sitting there and I think they will be at least suspicious if I take a photo! ;) It's the ones like this 'F' that can be hard to work out what they referred to at least at one time.
Leo, you, in your 60s I think, and I definitely in my 50s know what GPO stands for as will most in their 40s. I susoect though 30s and less rely on their elders to explain General Post Office which incorporated mail and phones prior to BT. The knowledge on your 'F' may be long gone having not been passed down.

So yes your obscurities are of interest. They are puzzles that get the grey matter and especially the memory working and the discussions that ensue enable knowledge to be passed down to younger generations that may visit now and for as long as SL exists as an accessible resource/database.

Oh and as you aren't backwards in coming forward with workmen on various projects please do take a photo of the art gallery wall explaining first to anyone who may inadvertently be caught in the image that it is the carving not them you are interested in. I'm sure they won't mind and will probably move to give you a clearer view.
living a stones throw from the Leeds MDC border at Lofthousehttp://tykebhoy.wordpress.com/

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Leodian
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Re: Does anyone know what this carved 'F' means?

Post by Leodian »

Hi tyke bhoy. Thanks for your kind comment that my "obscurities are of interest". :)

Regarding the GPO this somewhat related thread of mine on May 29 2012 may be of interest to anyone that has never seen it (it never got any replies at the time :cry:). http://secretleeds.com/viewtopic.php?t=4030. Since I started that thread I've seen some more of those GPO objects, but not many and often damaged.
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

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blackprince
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Re: Does anyone know what this carved 'F' means?

Post by blackprince »

tyke bhoy wrote: Leo, you, in your 60s I think, and I definitely in my 50s know what GPO stands for as will most in their 40s. I susoect though 30s and less rely on their elders to explain General Post Office which incorporated mail and phones prior to BT. The knowledge on your 'F' may be long gone having not been passed down.

So yes your obscurities are of interest. They are puzzles that get the grey matter and especially the memory working and the discussions that ensue enable knowledge to be passed down to younger generations that may visit now and for as long as SL exists as an accessible resource/database.
Yes, you are right about the loss of knowledge of the meaning of terminology which is still within living memory like GPO.
Another example is LCT. On the web you will find examples of photographs 1950's LCT Leeds buses referred to with certainty as a Leeds City Transport bus. Obvious innit? Except that in the 1950's it was Leeds Corporation Transport.
Even earlier LCT was Leeds Corporation Tramways.
It used to be said that the statue of the Black Prince had been placed in City Square , near the station, pointing South to tell all the southerners who've just got off the train to b****r off back down south!

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blackprince
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Re: Does anyone know what this carved 'F' means?

Post by blackprince »

Back on topic,
The meanings of F in OS map symbols are
F Face of, Fence, Fleet, Foot, Freeboard
F Flyover, Folly
F Furrow (Old List)

Do any of these make sense in the location you photographed the carved stone?
It used to be said that the statue of the Black Prince had been placed in City Square , near the station, pointing South to tell all the southerners who've just got off the train to b****r off back down south!

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Leodian
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Re: Does anyone know what this carved 'F' means?

Post by Leodian »

blackprince wrote:Back on topic,
The meanings of F in OS map symbols are
F Face of, Fence, Fleet, Foot, Freeboard
F Flyover, Folly
F Furrow (Old List)

Do any of these make sense in the location you photographed the carved stone?
Hi blackprince :).

None of those definitions seem to apply to at least the present location and building, so the 'F' is still intriguing. It is an old building (I remember the Cookridge Street Baths that used to be next to it) so I wonder how old the 'F' is? The stone block it is on does seem out of place compared to the building's brickwork so I wonder if the block at least is perhaps the remains of some older feature that was retained?

Off-topic for a moment but your mention of the definition of LCT is interesting as if I was asked I would have instinctively said Leeds City Transport despite knowing it was Leeds Corporation Transport. I think seeing the City bit so often it had seeped into my mind (things now though seep out faster ;) ). Oddly however, if asked what LCW was I would say Leeds Corporation Waterworks (which is correct!).
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

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blackprince
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Re: Does anyone know what this carved 'F' means?

Post by blackprince »

Could this simply be the boundary stone of the original estate or plot of land on which the building was built?

Looking online quite a lot of boundary stones were incised with single letters on 1 or 2 faces. The faces were oriented NSEW but the letters used could be the initials of the original landowner. Here are a few examples of stones incised with an F.
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/ ... ry/1054753
https://canmore.org.uk/site/128554/camo ... dary-stone
https://canmore.org.uk/site/121278/tom- ... dary-stone
It used to be said that the statue of the Black Prince had been placed in City Square , near the station, pointing South to tell all the southerners who've just got off the train to b****r off back down south!

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Leodian
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Re: Does anyone know what this carved 'F' means?

Post by Leodian »

blackprince wrote:Could this simply be the boundary stone of the original estate or plot of land on which the building was built?

Looking online quite a lot of boundary stones were incised with single letters on 1 or 2 faces. The faces were oriented NSEW but the letters used could be the initials of the original landowner. Here are a few examples of stones incised with an F.
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/ ... ry/1054753
https://canmore.org.uk/site/128554/camo ... dary-stone
https://canmore.org.uk/site/121278/tom- ... dary-stone
That is a very interesting suggestion blackprince.

Thanks for your help, which is much appreciated. :)
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

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