SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Driving through Pool-In-Wharfedale yesterday I noticed that the coat of arms on the parish notice board had a white elephant on it.Intrigued I googled it and found this:"Did you Know..? that part of the heraldic coat of arms for Pool-in-Wharfedale depicts an elephant! In 1921 William L. Whiteley, co-founder of B. S. & W. Whiteley Ltd Pool paper mill on Otley Road, took home their newly developed electrical insulation board to show to his wife Jane. Her first comment was "It looks like elephant 'ide".From then on it became known as "Elephantide". It has been said that production of this board, used for transformers, was the turning point in the prosperity of the mill which, in difficult times, provided full employment for the village. Many years later when designing a coat of arms it seemed appropriate to include an elephant."So - if Pool has a White Elephant - are there any other unusual inclusions on coats of arms anywhere else in the city?

LS16 wrote: Driving through Pool-In-Wharfedale yesterday I noticed that the coat of arms on the parish notice board had a white elephant on it.Intrigued I googled it and found this:"Did you Know..? that part of the heraldic coat of arms for Pool-in-Wharfedale depicts an elephant! In 1921 William L. Whiteley, co-founder of B. S. & W. Whiteley Ltd Pool paper mill on Otley Road, took home their newly developed electrical insulation board to show to his wife Jane. Her first comment was "It looks like elephant 'ide".From then on it became known as "Elephantide". It has been said that production of this board, used for transformers, was the turning point in the prosperity of the mill which, in difficult times, provided full employment for the village. Many years later when designing a coat of arms it seemed appropriate to include an elephant."So - if Pool has a White Elephant - are there any other unusual inclusions on coats of arms anywhere else in the city? That sounds like Paxolin - the resin-bonded paper insulating board, would this be its origin??

Morley's coat of arms has a cotton plant on it because the cloth woven in Morley had a cotton warp and a woollen weft. Morley Feast was timed to be just four weeks after Wakes Week in Bolton (where the cotton was spun) just as the stock ran out. (so I'm told)

The coat of arms of Bramley has 3 owls,shoes a rugby ball and what looks like 2 pairs of glasses ?? I understand the rugby ball and the shoes but the glasses?? You may want to follow this link to have a look it has got some good pictures on it as well http://www.bramleyhistory.co.uk/    

billy the buffalo wrote: The coat of arms of Bramley has 3 owls,shoes a rugby ball and what looks like 2 pairs of glasses ?? I think the "Rugby Balls" (bottom left of shield) are cotton shuttles harking back to milling times in the area. Pudsey has two crossed shuttles on their crest and "iffcient" is spelt incorrectly (unless it's from Latin although I can't find it in my Latin dictionary!