SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Does anyone remember where about Bennetts Glass was. I believe it was on Goodman Street at some point and also Meadow Lane. Interested to know exactly where so I can take a walk in that area although I know the buildings will have gone. Anywhere near Victoria Riverside?

Uncle Mick seems to have access to historic trade and telephone directories so he may be able to help with the address(es).

If you mean the river where the Leeds Liverpool canal drains into the Aire at Victoria bridge by Victorai riverside then I believe you can walk along the river bank under/beside Asda House to Meadow Lane. It is about 1 quarter of a mile to the east. You have to leave the riverside between Leeds and Crown Point Bridges but can then probaly continue on the riverbank past the Royal Armouries to Goodman Street. That is about another mile. There is the Water taxi from Victoria Bridge to the Armouries/Leeds Dock but I am not sure it is running as consistently now as I believe they have introduced a charge

SLD wrote: ↑

Fri 27 Dec, 2019 11:14 pm

Does anyone remember where about Bennetts Glass was. I believe it was on Goodman Street at some point and also Meadow Lane. Interested to know exactly where so I can take a walk in that area although I know the buildings will have gone. Anywhere near Victoria Riverside?

This link may help -
https://www.secretleeds.com/viewtopic.php?t=1301

I also found the link named by tomq but I was still typing.

I had nothing to do tonight so I did a bit of research:


I found that Thomas Bennett & Sons (Leeds) Ltd., had premises on Meadow Lane. I checked old telephone books and found the address shown in 1960 and 1970. In 1970, there were also premises at Goodman Street. The 1971 telephone book shows the premises at Goodman Street only. The 1973 telephone book shows the premises at Goodman Street and also at Wellington Bridge Works, Leeds 12, but not Meadow Lane. (Wellington Bridge Works will have been near to the Round House on the Armley side of Wellington Bridge, on the east side near to Leeds Commercial.)

The 1940 and1950 telephone books shows Thomas Bennett & Sons (Leeds) Ltd., as ‘Plumber’s Merchants’, Meadow lane, Leeds 11.

I checked on Grace’s Guides and found the premises were at 39 Meadow Lane. I checked on Old Maps and found that 39 Meadow Lane was between Whitechapel Yard and Trafalgar Row. I compared this with current maps and found that number 39 Meadow Lane is approximately where there is currently a petrol station called Asda Leeds Bridge Petrol Filling Station. Looking at further old maps, it seems that the premises at 39 Meadow Lane were built some time after 1921 but before 1940. The 1921 map shows a blank space next to Trafalgar Works and Iron Foundry.

To help with locating this, and the original glassworks premises, if you find Salem Chapel, off Salem Place on Hunslet Road, then the glassworks were slightly below and due west on Meadow lane, a short distance away.

The 1951 Grace’s Guide shows the following:

BENNETT (THOMAS) & SONS (LEEDS) LTD., SOUTH LEEDS GLASS Works, 39 MEADOW LANE, LEEDS 11. T.A., "Benetglas, Leeds 11". T.N., Leeds 31258/9. Lancaster Office: MAIN STREET, SKERTON, LANCASTER. T.N., Lancaster 4713. Established 1903.
Stockists of plate, sheet and safety glass. Manufacturers and processers of constructional glass products; stained glass; leaded lights; patent glazing.
Managing Director: H. B. Bennett.
Secretary: F. W. Sutcliffe.

The company was taken over by Alcan Windows Ltd., who had the premises in Goodman Street and also Alcan Safety Glass Ltd., Knowsthorpe Lane, Leeds 9.

Goodman Street has been redeveloped and the premises are not there. Looking at current maps and Old Maps, the premises will have been on the left side of Goodman Street, looking from the direction of the river, west, towards Hunslet Road, just before the junction with Forster Street. There are some old premises on the corner, which will have been part of other premises on the original site, where the company was situated.

Goodman Street is a few hundred yards from Victoria Riverside and Meadow Lane is about three-quarters of a mile away in a westerly direction.

There is a previous thread on this site:

https://www.secretleeds.com/viewtopic.php?t=1301

Here are some more links:

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Thomas_Bennett_(of_Leeds)

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/00630794

https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/

Three documents relating to Thomas Bennett Glass Merchants
1908 Leeds Streets Directory,
1908 Leeds Trades Directory and a copy of the
1939 Census showing the home address to be 19 The Drive, Roundhay

17 & 19 The Drive https://goo.gl/maps/8J7pLvb9j3mHoVy48

Wow, thanks. That is so useful. Really interested in my Leeds family so this all really helps.

Just found this website and so feeling my way around, so appoligies if posting in the wrong thread.

My Father worked for Thomas Bennet and eventually Alcan windows as an engineer designing window and doors. My mother still draws a pension from Harwood Williams, so they may have had a brief ownership. My father joined them somewhere around 1972 and eventually walked out in 1987. I am slowly collating his photo collection which has a number of office photos of various people, some who we have names, many disapearing into the mists of time.

I remember as a young boy going to Dales Bennett parties at his house, where who knows as a 14 to 16 year old generally does not read the map, just sits in the back of the car and is quiet.

I have some memoribilia of both the Thomas Bennett and Alcan days, some glass samples and binders which if anybody is interested I can share photos.

The one Alcan Address I have is Alcan Windows Ltd, Goodman Street, Leeds LS10 1QN Telephone 0532 702121, Telex 557464. Interesting the postcode points at Waterloo Street.

Regards

Alcan on Goodman Street @ Leodis

https://www.leodis.net/viewimage/123121