Old Leeds Firms

Bunkers, shelters and other buildings
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chameleon
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Posts: 5462
Joined: Thu 29 Mar, 2007 6:16 pm

Post by chameleon »

It's amazing how this site brings back things you'd long forgotten - yes I vaguley remember the Queen's visit, it would be about the time Dad moved to Howsons (and I was very young!).Just re-reading my earlier message and realised how many of the buttons on this keyboard have changed places - either that or I was rather tired judbing from the typos!Rather like I am now, Mum was not at ease with water in the dark and hated walking down there alongside the beck. I remember a distant relative lived in the lock-keepers cottage on the Island by Leeds Lock. There was a small slatted bridge over the water to get to it. I remember Mum used to close her eyes and run over it!

simonm
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat 19 May, 2007 5:34 pm

Post by simonm »

My dad used to work in a printers, when I was a small kid in the late 60's early 70's. It was on wade lane and called Harrisons. I have tried to look on Leodis but can only find a reference to Harrisons Aimhouses there. Do any of the older posters know if these were one and same building or totally seperate?
I WANT TO BE IN THE "INCROWD" :)"Those who sacrifice Liberty for security deserve neither!!"

Trojan
Posts: 1990
Joined: Sat 22 Dec, 2007 3:54 pm

Post by Trojan »

It was the post on evacuation and Avro that brought this to mind. My mum worked at Avro, she made tailplanes for the Avro Ansen trainer. I've also read a book called "Mother Worked at Avro" It was quite interesting. Apparently the actor Bernard Hepton worked at Avro too! My Mum who came from Hemsworth, started work at 14 and it was either the mill (girls from South Yorkshire used to be bussed to Bradford etc to work in the mills) or service. She took one look at the mill which frightened her and opted for service, and she left home to work as basically a scivvy in the better class houses in North Leeds, the wages were a pittance. So when she went to Avro and found that the wages were £6.00 per week which was very good money for those days she was quite pleased!When I was a kid we had a table lamp made from the propellor spinner of a Lancaster bomber, with perspex from the windows as a base. I'm not sure whether Yeadon counts as Leeds.The building which is still there alongside Leeds/Bradford airport was camouflaged to look like a hill from the air. I wondered if there were other memories of Avro?
Industria Omnia Vincit

Festwerfer
Posts: 126
Joined: Sat 07 Apr, 2007 7:20 pm

Post by Festwerfer »

Trojan wrote: When I was a kid we had a table lamp made from the propellor spinner of a Lancaster bomber, with perspex from the windows as a base. Its a pity you don't still have it Trojan I know people who would pay a kings ransom for stuff like that. Mind if it was a merlin spinner I bet the lamp was a fair size.

The Parksider
Posts: 1581
Joined: Sat 10 Nov, 2007 3:55 am

Post by The Parksider »

My dad worked for a time at Fairbairn-Lawsons engineering opposite where the YEP is just up from TGI Fridays.I recall in 1961 employees kids being herded onto buses to go to the Panto at the Alhambra. We went to see aladdin starring Jimmy Clitheroe. I was there again 46 years later to take my kid to see the same Panto this time with Billy Pearce!!!

Trojan
Posts: 1990
Joined: Sat 22 Dec, 2007 3:54 pm

Post by Trojan »

Festwerfer wrote: Trojan wrote: When I was a kid we had a table lamp made from the propellor spinner of a Lancaster bomber, with perspex from the windows as a base. Its a pity you don't still have it Trojan I know people who would pay a kings ransom for stuff like that. Mind if it was a merlin spinner I bet the lamp was a fair size. If what you say is right it can't have been off a Lancaster, because it was only 6" across. My Mum said that's what it was off. Perhaps it was off the Anson trainer?
Industria Omnia Vincit

Trojan
Posts: 1990
Joined: Sat 22 Dec, 2007 3:54 pm

Post by Trojan »

The Parksider wrote: My dad worked for a time at Fairbairn-Lawsons engineering opposite where the YEP is just up from TGI Fridays.I recall in 1961 employees kids being herded onto buses to go to the Panto at the Alhambra. We went to see aladdin starring Jimmy Clitheroe. I was there again 46 years later to take my kid to see the same Panto this time with Billy Pearce!!! Fairburn Lawson Combe and Barber Ltd?I remember seeing Jimmy Clitheroe at the Alhambra, but we went with the North Eastern Gas Board Social club. I remember going several times, I was trying to find some info about Alhambra pantos the other day on the net but failed. The only other star I remember was Ken Dodd.
Industria Omnia Vincit

Bramley4woods
Posts: 236
Joined: Sat 08 Dec, 2007 3:12 pm

Post by Bramley4woods »

Trojan wrote: It was the post on evacuation and Avro that brought this to mind. My mum worked at Avro, she made tailplanes for the Avro Ansen trainer. I've also read a book called "Mother Worked at Avro" It was quite interesting. Apparently the actor Bernard Hepton worked at Avro too! My Mum who came from Hemsworth, started work at 14 and it was either the mill (girls from South Yorkshire used to be bussed to Bradford etc to work in the mills) or service. She took one look at the mill which frightened her and opted for service, and she left home to work as basically a scivvy in the better class houses in North Leeds, the wages were a pittance. So when she went to Avro and found that the wages were £6.00 per week which was very good money for those days she was quite pleased!When I was a kid we had a table lamp made from the propellor spinner of a Lancaster bomber, with perspex from the windows as a base. I'm not sure whether Yeadon counts as Leeds.The building which is still there alongside Leeds/Bradford airport was camouflaged to look like a hill from the air. I wondered if there were other memories of Avro? "Lord Haw-Haw", made a sneering and menacing reference to it in one of his "Germany Calling" broadcasts. Something along the lines of "To those of you working in that underground factory at Yeadon. - ""We know you're there" ...It seems it would have been very easy to locate from the air by following the Leeds - Harrogate railway line to the point where it disappeared into the Bramhope tunnel.He wouldn't have been so bold if he'd known my Auntie Kitty (About 17 at the time) was building "Plywood Mosquitoes" like there was no tomorrow in Appleyard's garage at the Golden Cross on North Street along with many hundreds, thousands even, of other sundry garages, piano works, joiners shops, and furniture factories around the country.But eventually the reality became apparent to them when mossies flying faster than their fastest fighters started turning up dropping 4,000 lb "Cookies" through factory roofs, guided by their "Oboe" precision blind bombing system.Day after day after day ...The Mosquito, made in Leeds by Auntie Kitty and many like her.
We wanted to make Leeds a better place for the future - but we're losing it. The tide is going out beneath our feet.

The Parksider
Posts: 1581
Joined: Sat 10 Nov, 2007 3:55 am

Post by The Parksider »

Trojan wrote: The Parksider wrote: My dad worked for a time at Fairbairn-Lawsons engineering opposite where the YEP is just up from TGI Fridays.I recall in 1961 employees kids being herded onto buses to go to the Panto at the Alhambra. We went to see aladdin starring Jimmy Clitheroe. I was there again 46 years later to take my kid to see the same Panto this time with Billy Pearce!!! Fairburn Lawson Combe and Barber Ltd?I remember seeing Jimmy Clitheroe at the Alhambra, but we went with the North Eastern Gas Board Social club. I remember going several times, I was trying to find some info about Alhambra pantos the other day on the net but failed. The only other star I remember was Ken Dodd. Telegraph and Argus at Bradford Library - you'll have a year by year run down of pantos at the Alhambra.I get the impression Alhambra Pantos are THE pantos???If you can't find the T & A archives at the Bradford Library I bet they are "behind you".

sri130
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue 22 Jan, 2008 8:30 am

Post by sri130 »

Sorry to start afresh here, but....Does anyone remember 'Morley Hotels and Leisure'They were located where the new housing estate has been erected on the old Dean Hall Mills site on Bruntcliffe Lane in Morley.The site encompassed:Morley Snooker Centre (which was upstairs)Winners - Cafe/Bar (originally wasn't called that)Healthy Options GymLA's nightclub (named after Lord Asquith) - which was later demolished and a new club created inside called 'The Foundry'A function room, called the Bruntcliffe Suite - I think it was called.They even had an old motel running.What was the LA's nightclub, (which in many different guises previously - indian restaurant etc) I saw a drawing in one of the offices to show that they either had, or wanted to create a gantry or walk way between the two buildings. it all looked very futuristic, not sure what happened to the entire company in the end though. i guess the site (which was massive) was lured by the potential for residential property and subsequently sold for that?Anyone remember it?

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