Does anyone know what this carved 'F' means?

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

Post by mhoulden »

The oldest map I could find with any detail is this one from 1850 on Old Maps: https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/429690 ... /13/100430. The warehouse that became part of the Electric Press building hadn't been built yet and there's definitely some sort of boundary there. It looks like the gardens of a grand but unlabelled house that got chopped off when Rossington St was built. (Interestingly, Rossington St appears on some old maps as Little George Street, but nowhere else). One possible "F" is Charles Fowler who drew up a map in 1821. There's a low res version at http://stock-images.antiqueprints.com/i ... 6%29-l.jpg. The "F" may also be the owner of the house bounded by Portland Street, Woodhouse Street and Cookridge Street but I couldn't find a name for it. It's also very close to the boundary of the Leeds and Otley Turnpike Trust.

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

Post by hyperioncantlogin »

Chas fowler 1821 map.JPG
Chas fowler 1821 map.JPG (1.19 MiB) Viewed 4245 times
low res.
J bartholomew 1855.JPG
J bartholomew 1855.JPG (631.64 KiB) Viewed 4245 times
low res,

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

Post by Leodian »

Thanks mhoulden and hyperion for your help :).

I love looking at maps (old and new) as they are always interesting. The 1821 map in particular shows the site where the old print works now is was then clear and the 1855 map seems also to show it was clear but that there was some building in its immediate area since the 1821 map. Confusingly however in some information that I’ve found it states the Electric Press building was “built around 1840” though in other information it states “The Electric Press Development incorporates The Electric Press building (Grade II listed) which was built in 1894 and was used by Chorley and Pickersgill as a printing works”.
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

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

Post by hyperioncantlogin »

Mc corquodales map of leeds 1882.JPG
Mc corquodales map of leeds 1882.JPG (1.08 MiB) Viewed 4219 times
More detailed map.

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

Post by blackprince »

Leodian wrote:Thanks mhoulden and hyperion for your help :).

I love looking at maps (old and new) as they are always interesting. The 1821 map in particular shows the site where the old print works now is was then clear and the 1855 map seems also to show it was clear but that there was some building in its immediate area since the 1821 map. Confusingly however in some information that I’ve found it states the Electric Press building was “built around 1840” though in other information it states “The Electric Press Development incorporates The Electric Press building (Grade II listed) which was built in 1894 and was used by Chorley and Pickersgill as a printing works”.
The Electric Press couldn't have been any earlier than 1894 because that was the year Yorkshire House to House Electricity was set up to connect customers to its new electricity generating station in Aire Street. Of course the electric press building could have been built earlier but a new build in 1894 would seem reasonable.
See http://secretleeds.com/viewtopic.php?t=2139
( As an aside, my great grandfather was recruited by YHH in 1894. As a foreman cable jointer he had previously worked on electrification of a number of European cities including Dublin & Madrid. The whole family moved to Leeds from the East end of London. My grandfather was a cockney transplanted to Leeds at the age of 10. Lucky lad :) )
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!

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

Post by hyperioncantlogin »

Just been looking at the Electric Press building on Google Earth.Sometimes it helps to look at the bigger picture.And i have just seen fixed to brickwork between the windows on the lower left of the building a water activated fire alarm that works in conjunction with a sprinkler system.So there may have a fire plan in operation i.e what to do in case of fire,escape routes from the building,where to assemble.So F could mean Fire Assembly Point.Just a thought.

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

Post by mhoulden »

On this 1:500 map from 1891 there's a number of FPs in the middle of the Cookridge Street/Great George St (I have an Old Maps subscription): https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/429914 ... /13/100431. These are fire plugs, or an old predecessor of fire hydrants. I didn't mention them before because they're not near the F stone, but they could be related to the fire alarm.

The Electric Press building shows up as a warehouse and carriage manufactory on the 1891 map, hence the Carriageworks theatre. There's a history of it at http://www.electricpressuk.com/default. ... tentID=623. I think the "electric" was added to the name some time after it became a print works.

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

Post by warringtonrhino »

Leeds City firemen would have a good idea where they could get water in an emergency , it was part of their job to inspect and repair hydrants etc. However if crews from another brigade attended a fire in that area, they would need prominent signs to quickly give them the information. Since the F is very low, and could easily be obscured by, for example, a few inch of snow, I don't think it fits that category. If the F had any purpose, it is likely to be for a less urgent need to find something.

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

Post by Leodian »

Thanks all for the F(fort) you have all put in :). It would be nice if what the 'F' was/is for is found out.
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

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

Post by Cardiarms »

Perhaps there's a B for back on the back.

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