SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Does anyone know of any other bar water pumps to be found in or around Leeds.The first is from the Horse and Trumpet and is listed to prevent any removal.

This one is from the Palace and doesn't look like it's in working order.

These old pumps remind me of gas cigar lighters that were once found on bars in pubs. I can remember one in a pub in Harrogate (Hale's Bar?) and one in the shape of a monkey in a Scarborough pub. Does anyone know of any that exist/existed in Leeds?

Si wrote: These old pumps remind me of gas cigar lighters that were once found on bars in pubs. I can remember one in a pub in Harrogate (Hale's Bar?) and one in the shape of a monkey in a Scarborough pub. Does anyone know of any that exist/existed in Leeds? The gas lights were still there in Hales Bar last year when I called in.

Excellent. However, it begs the question....what use are they now, what with the smoking ban. Perhaps the gas fumes are bad for the staff, too! Bit of a H&S problem with all those ties/cuffs/hair going up in flames all the time!    

Si wrote: Excellent. However, it begs the question....what use are they now, what with the smoking ban. Perhaps the gas fumes are bad for the staff, too!     Just a piece of living,working history.Like the water pump,it no longer serves any usefull purpose but well worth preserving.Future generations of drinkers will wonder what a smoke room was.

That's right. It's where all the nasty drinkers were "smoked!"

I hate to dissapoint you but most of these taps are not old. My current pub, the King William IV, Hampstead, had one on the bar when I bought the place but I got rid of it in a refurbishment. My previous pub, The Palmeira, in Hove also had one [as did the Adam & Eve, in Victoria]. They are, or were, supposed to be for those who drank whisky to add their own water [always presuming that the manager didn't get to the bottle first!]. I never saw one used for adding water to scotch but saw lots of people p***ing around with it. "Ooooh, look, a tap. OOOOOOH and it's got water in it!" They obviously don't have runing water at home. Hence, I had the one here removed. By the way, it had 10mm push-fit plumbing fitting on the underside of the bar. Vintage 1989 probably. The first pic shows a tap / pump identical to the one I had in the Palmeira. It was certainly old looking but old it was not. I think that if they told you it was listed thay are slightly mistaken. In listed buildings everything is listed [even the light fitting that was new from B&Q last week]. Items [fixtures and fittings] which are of historical architectural interest are scheduled individualy but this is very rare. Listed buildings [including the reason for listing and scheduled items] are listed on the local authority web site [look under building control & planning].

liits is right these water taps are not a relic of a bygone age but a product of a total face lift a number of years ago. That goes for both The Palace and The Horse and Trumpet.

Dunno about water but I well remember 'Lit' gas jetsoutside the Gas Showrooms and at various tobacconist outletson Boar Lane. S&G (Salmon and Gluckstein) was one I definitelyremember during the war Put there for people to light theirciggys with. Nice note; S&G used to send FREE parcels of Player'sand State Express cigs to the forces overseas, including Red Cross pcls to POW's in Germany and Italy. (My Dad was one.POW not PCL!).Thinking back to the free 'lights',I think there was a flint wheeladjacent to the jet in case the wind blew the pilot light out!Memories!).