Perseverance Iron Foundry

[The Parksider]

Cardiarms wrote: The Cardigan Arms has a history of the pub, including when it was rebuilt, on the wall in the main lounge.It my be urban myth but I was told that Leeds United came into existence in the upstairs billiard room, the Fountain Room. I don't know about the Leeds Utd story, but opposite the Cardigan Arms was cardigan Fields where Leeds St.Johns played Rugby and where early Yorkshire Cup Finals were held which was one of Rugby's oldest cup comps.The Cardigan Arms was known by everyone as "The citadel" due to it's grand style after being re-built. St. Johns later moved up to headingley and are now the Rhinos.No doubt many Rugby fans populated the Citadel.

[Si]

Chrism wrote: So, by the looks on that engraving it was about where ads said? I'm not 100% sure, but I think the foundry was further west, toward the viaduct. Ads' proposed site is where Foster's was - further east. (However, Radio Aire is opposite the foundry site, but not Foster's.) See my two posts above, Chris. (Foster's may have had another site which was in the right area, but I don't remember it.)    

[Si]

The Parksider wrote: Cardiarms wrote: The Cardigan Arms has a history of the pub, including when it was rebuilt, on the wall in the main lounge.It my be urban myth but I was told that Leeds United came into existence in the upstairs billiard room, the Fountain Room. I don't know about the Leeds Utd story, but opposite the Cardigan Arms was cardigan Fields where Leeds St.Johns played Rugby and where early Yorkshire Cup Finals were held which was one of Rugby's oldest cup comps.The Cardigan Arms was known by everyone as "The citadel" due to it's grand style after being re-built. St. Johns later moved up to headingley and are now the Rhinos.No doubt many Rugby fans populated the Citadel. How long ago was this, Parksider? Presumably before the Cardigan streets were built? There's quite a few pictures on Leodis of this area, but none of the pub (I can't find any, anyway.)    

[ads]

Si wrote: Chrism wrote: So, by the looks on that engraving it was about where ads said? I'm not 100% sure, but I think the foundry was further west, toward the viaduct. Ads' proposed site is where Foster's was - further east. (However, Radio Aire is opposite the foundry site, but not Foster's.) See my two posts above, Chris. (Foster's may have had another site which was in the right area, but I don't remember it.)     I was right aboit the location for the foundry but my memory was playing tricks about the location of Fosters! Anyway I was only a couple of buildings out

[Si]

I had a look at the site yesterday, and I think it stretches along Kirkstall Road from E-Chem to half way along SFS. In the middle of the modern brick "wavy wall" is an old building, not quite square to the road, with polished granite pillars either side of the door. It doesn't appear on the engraving, so is probably late Victorian and belonged to one of the later firms to occupy the site (Spring & Axle Works, Corporation Yard, etc.)Looking on Google Earth, the rear of the property by the river, is empty. Looks to be old concrete floors of demolished buildings. Can't see anything really old. No sign of the rail bridge, either.

[simong]

Cardiarms wrote: The Cardigan Arms has a history of the pub, including when it was rebuilt, on the wall in the main lounge.It my be urban myth but I was told that Leeds United came into existence in the upstairs billiard room, the Fountain Room. I've heard that the first meeting that lead to the formation of Leeds United took place in a pub, and in one version it was the Cardigan, but this page http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/history/unitedbirth.htm says that the first public meeting took place at Salem Hall after Leeds City collapsed and its players were sold off at the Metropole. It looks like there's some detail missing from the official version.

[Cardiarms]

The Parksider wrote: The Cardigan Arms was known by everyone as "The citadel" due to it's grand style after being re-built. St. Johns later moved up to headingley and are now the Rhinos.No doubt many Rugby fans populated the Citadel. They still do on match days and one room is covered with old Leeds RL pics.

[cnosni]

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[GeeWhitham]

Perseverance Iron Foundry was certainly large. In the 1851 census Joseph Whitham describes himself as Alderman of borough of Leeds, engineer and millwright and in partnership with Stephen Whitham employer of 270 men. So he was quite a major local employer. I have noticed in one of the street plans of Burley that someone has been kind enough to put on this thread, "Croft House", Burley Road. This was in the 1851 census shown as the home of Stephen Whitham. I have googled Croft House and see that it still exists, although now converted to flats. Are there any records of the Monk Bridge Iron Foundry? I understand this is not far from the Perseverance foundry. Partnership of Joseph and Stephen was broken up in 1851. Two more brothers Joshuah and John also carried out trade of Iron Masters in Leeds at this time. Joseph Whitham lived in Wanstead Place in 1851 and I have a book signed by his daughter stating presumably as an address "Wanstead House". Does anyone know if that is still there or at least on any map? The foundry does go back a long way certainly to at least 1822 when Stephen and Joseph's father John's will refers. Certainly early trade directories refer to it.

[Si]

Monk Bridge Iron and Steel Works, 1906, about a mile to the east of the Perseverance Foundry, and south of the river. Hi Graham, I drive past Croft House everyday - there were some building works there this year. The railway bridge next to it has, for years, had the cryptic graffitto "neither work nor leisure" painted along it's parrapet.