SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Passing by The New Penny pub/bar on Call Lane on January 18 2018 I noticed it has a Blue Plaque recording its history. I walk by there occasionally but I don't recall seeing the plaque before so I wonder if it has been recently installed or have I just not been observant. I also wonder how many pubs/bars in Leeds have a Blue Plaque? I don't know but I suspect there will only be a few.

The first photo is a close-up of the Blue Plaque and the second is a view of The New Penny from Call Lane.

The Hotel Metropole and Whitelocks have one, the Cardigan Arms has a plaque but it is not blue?

Details of Blue Plaques in Leeds are here:

http://leedscivictrust.org.uk/whatwedo/ ... e-plaques/

I have also noticed that some places have brown plaques outside, there are several where I live in Otley.

Thanks warringtonrhino and iansmithofotley for your input .

Using the link in Ian's post to the Leeds Civic Trust Blue Plaques Scheme that brings up a list of (currently) 163 Blue Plaques in Leeds in which the following pubs/hotels are listed (apologies if I missed any):-
The Victoria Hotel.
Hotel Metropole.
Whitelocks.
The New Penny.

The New Penny is stated to have been unveiled on 19 October 2016, so that Blue Plaque has been there quite some while now! The most recent unveiling of a Blue Plaque is stated to be on 5 May 2017 for Kenneth Armitage at the Nelson Mandela Gardens.

In view of Ian's comment I wonder if there is any significance in the colour of a plaque?

Hi Leodian,

Here is an example of a brown plaque in Otley:

http://www.blueplaqueplaces.co.uk/brown ... mMieiiKSVU

It can be seen that it has been placed by Otley Town Council, whereas the Leeds blue plaque has been placed by the Leeds Civic Trust. I don't know what the difference is but Otley Town Council is part of Leeds City Council.

Ian

Here are some Blue (and other colours) Plaques on Flickr

https://www.flickr.com/photos/44067831@ ... 269407616/

iansmithofotley wrote:Hi Leodian,

Here is an example of a brown plaque in Otley:

http://www.blueplaqueplaces.co.uk/brown ... mMieiiKSVU

It can be seen that it has been placed by Otley Town Council, whereas the Leeds blue plaque has been placed by the Leeds Civic Trust. I don't know what the difference is but Otley Town Council is part of Leeds City Council.

Ian

Thanks Ian for that post and link .

In the information in the 'All plaques in Otley' link that was available through your link I notice that Otley has plaques in Black, Blue, Brown and even a Bronze coloured one! Colours that start with B seem preferred! .

Thanks buffaloskinner for your post that came in while I was still typing mine .

The "Mitre Pub In Commercial Streets leeds was known as the Gay s Pub ( though in not so quite
polite terms) in the 1950s. I was home on my First leave from the R.A.F. and being 18 i was keen to have a drink legally. My brother arranged to meet me in Briggate. I was still in Uniform and he said Come on, let's have a Sandwich and a Pint.Not realising where we were i was aware of quite a lot of men sort of staring and a couple smiling but as everybody in those days was usually ex. Armed Forces i did not give it any more thought.
We left and walked down to the Yates Wine Lodge on Boar Lane, going downstairs we met one of the Beeston Lads we knew. he asked me where we had been for a drink and when i turned to ask our Kid he was laughing and
when the name "Mitre" pub was mentioned, then i did get some funny looks.
I think it was a Men Only Pub if not Officially it certainly was Unofficially,
If it was still there it would be worthy of a Plaque not just for it's purpose of A Place for Gay's to meet safely but also for it's splendid Marble, Glass, Wood etc. fittings.

Compared to that The New Penny is a Dump, Even though it was Modernised /Renovated from the Open Anchor. .

volvojack wrote:The "Mitre Pub In Commercial Streets leeds was known as the Gay s Pub ( though in not so quite
polite terms) in the 1950s. I was home on my First leave from the R.A.F. and being 18 i was keen to have a drink legally. My brother arranged to meet me in Briggate. I was still in Uniform and he said Come on, let's have a Sandwich and a Pint.Not realising where we were i was aware of quite a lot of men sort of staring and a couple smiling but as everybody in those days was usually ex. Armed Forces i did not give it any more thought.
We left and walked down to the Yates Wine Lodge on Boar Lane, going downstairs we met one of the Beeston Lads we knew. he asked me where we had been for a drink and when i turned to ask our Kid he was laughing and
when the name "Mitre" pub was mentioned, then i did get some funny looks.
I think it was a Men Only Pub if not Officially it certainly was Unofficially,
If it was still there it would be worthy of a Plaque not just for it's purpose of A Place for Gay's to meet safely but also for it's splendid Marble, Glass, Wood etc. fittings.

Compared to that The New Penny is a Dump, Even though it was Modernised /Renovated from the Open Anchor. .

Thanks Uncle Mick,
If Murder had not meant Capital Punishment in those days I think i would have done away with my Brother Peter.
The only "Men Only" Pub I ever frequented was The Whip in a yard off of Duncan Street.

Volvo Jacqueline