Old Leeds Firms

Bunkers, shelters and other buildings
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dogduke
Posts: 1402
Joined: Thu 03 Jan, 2008 6:47 am

Re: Old Leeds Firms

Post by dogduke »

Hi Hank.
Are you on Facebook?

Search for
Three working lads
Private group so you need to apply.
29 members,all Howson staff by the look of it.
Could be what you are looking for
Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.90% of being smart is knowing what you're dumb at.

Hank
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun 22 Dec, 2019 1:17 pm

Re: Old Leeds Firms

Post by Hank »

Howson Algraphy. I worked there as a Construction Fitter Welder from 1977 to 2002 on an in house Projects team, I started on R17, then R18, worked in the OCM at #1 factory, OCM/ECAE plant at #3, then on the GFS building NR 1 through to NR 7 with long stints in the OCM, CMP in between. Seems I now have a high grade bladder cancer my Urologist believes was from something nasty I worked with 30+ years ago. Seems funny Vickers used to say they didn't like to say what chemicals and processes were in case the competitors could copy the coatings. Also Dupont brought in urine sampling if you were working in the OCM. All will be revealed, anyone else come down with cancers or know of anyone who passed away, they generally take 30 years to develop, worse if you smoke cigarettes and don't appear until your early 70's, I was 62.

volvojack
Posts: 1471
Joined: Tue 26 Jan, 2016 11:57 am

Re:

Post by volvojack »

jonleeds wrote:
Fri 01 Feb, 2008 12:55 pm
Hi Sri130Yes I remember the Morley Hotels and Leisure complex that was formerly Dean Hall Mills, I used to go to Bruntcliffe high school so walked past it everyday, the snooker centre was later rebranded the Joe Johnson snooker centre after the 'local' lads fame. Basically the whole place was bought up by Morley's own plastic gangsters who tried hopelessly to run a series of ventures from there including bars / nightclubs that changed name more times than I've had hot dinners, I think it was called LA's, Churchills, The Foundry, Winners and all sorts of cheesy bollox! In the end I think they just chucked it in and what with the property boom cashed in the land for property development. Good riddance to bad rubbish I reckon, still its a shame to lose the old mill building / snooker centre. I guess the mill building could have been tastefully converted into 'apartments' as has been done to some of Morley's other 53 mills. Anyway hope this offers a little light on the subject.Johnny    

In the 60s and i lived in Beeston the secretary of Cross Flatts Club asked me if i knew where they could get hold of a snooker table, they were prepared to spend a limit of £500 and so i looked around and saw a Conservative club off Street Lane was hold an auction of all it's contents including two full size snooker tables complete with cues etc.On the day of the auction i went and in that room there was only a few folks including a small posse of people who were looking at the tables which were in perfect condition. The bidding began at £100 and so i raised my hand and bid £120 this went on and as i continued bidding i was getting dirty looks from this other group, finally i bid £300 and the hammer went down, the auctioneer asked if i would "Stand On"
Not knowing quite it meant. when i went to pay the cashier she said £600 please and i realised i
had bought the two. they had arranged for two lads from Smith and Nelsons to move them to wherever i wanted. I was quite pleased as one was for the Cub and the other stood me at £100. I got the lads to store it in my garage until i found a buyer, when i was leaving the Club these four or five surrounded me and asked who i was and what was i doing bidding against them. in those days i was able to look after myself so i asked them the same. they said they were from the Morley Snooker Center and wanted the tables badly. I told them that they should have bid more. one of them said "Dont you ever come up Morley way or you would be in trouble. I replied that the only time i came to Morley was to have a drink with Albert and Freddie Bentley. with that they shuffled off as the two brothers were very hard cases and that was the end of that. The other table i will tell the story another time.
Last edited by volvojack on Sun 26 Jul, 2020 10:26 am, edited 1 time in total.

volvojack
Posts: 1471
Joined: Tue 26 Jan, 2016 11:57 am

Re: Old Leeds Firms

Post by volvojack »

When was 17 years old i worked for a firm W.M. Stembridge and Son. They were in Sovereign St. and manufactured female suits and coats. The workers entrance was in Concordia St. The reason i am posting this is because seeing a map somewhere on Secret Leeds i was struck how little has changed although the map shown is fo some time ago.

Would this post be able to be transferred to the right page ? (as i am not capable )

Graham 99
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri 08 Jan, 2021 2:40 pm

Re: Old Leeds Firms - Joseph May & Sons - Maenson Clothes

Post by Graham 99 »

Hi
Does anybody remember Joseph May & Sons - Maenson Clothes, Springwell street, Holbeck, Leeds ?
I worked in the retail despatch warehouse, located on the ground floor.
I believe I was there for around 18 months. Looking back now, it seems to have been a good place to work.
A case of not always appreciating what you have at the time!
I remember the basement area, where there was a table tennis room, with 2 x full size tables, which was situated next to the boiler room, so got a bit hot in there! I spent many hours in there, after work, trying to improve my game.
Had some good games there!
I think the 1st floor was where the cutters worked, designing the suits etc, which would be transported up to the 2nd floor and 'sweat room' where, mostly women I remember, stitched them all together on their industrial sewing machines.
I don't know when it closed down as I moved away from Leeds in the 80's.
It is a real shame that factories like this closed down in the UK, probably because they could not compete with cheap oriental imports.
Also, changing fashions probably did not help - People stopped wearing traditional suits, jackets and trousers.
if anybody worked there and has more information as to when it closed etc, I would be most interested to hear about it.
Regards to all.
Graham.

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buffaloskinner
Posts: 1432
Joined: Sun 01 Apr, 2007 6:02 pm
Location: Nova Scotia

Re: Old Leeds Firms

Post by buffaloskinner »

Hello Graham99

Although this is about the London Shop of Joseph May and Sons in the 40s and 50s it may be of some interest to you. Click on the link below:-

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Joseph_May_and_Sons
Attachments
Im19391223Pic-May.jpg
Im19391223Pic-May.jpg (225.52 KiB) Viewed 2034 times
Is this the end of the story ...or the beginning of a legend?

jma
Posts: 496
Joined: Fri 05 Aug, 2016 3:38 pm

Re: Old Leeds Firms

Post by jma »

Re Maenson

Vernon Broadbent, the father of one of my friends from the 1960s worked at Maenson and imagine he'd have worked there from the end of WWII to retirement. He died around 1990.

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