The Woodpecker

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Fri 14 Mar, 2008 11:47 pm

The right hand side of the pub is visible in this 1985 photo taken from Marsh Lane. It was sometime around this time that I had my one and only pint in the 'Woodpecker'.

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Fri 14 Mar, 2008 11:49 pm

The final chapter - The pub closed in early 1990 and was demolished to make way for the flyover to the inner ring road shown here.

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Fri 14 Mar, 2008 11:53 pm

The construction of Quarry House - 1991/1992. the white building at the extreme left is in the centre of the shot taken from Marsh Lane a couple of posts above - so the cars are driving over the Woodpecker site. The shot a few posts ago (with a tram and a bus) is taken from almost exactly the same spot as this one, coincidentally.The name of the pub stiil lives on, of course, in the name of the junction - I wonder how long that will last??

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Sat 15 Mar, 2008 8:39 am

As long as people like us still use it, I would guess. Most of those born since about 1980 won't associate it with the Woodpecker because they won't remember it. To them it might be the Kremlin junction.However if we tell enough people it is the Woodpecker junction it will outlast us. For example I am not old enough to remember before the roundabout was built where Dewsbury Road crossed the A650 presumably when the M62 was built across. I still refer to it as Tingley crossroads though because that's what the two previous generations of my family did.

Post by **cnosni** » Sat 15 Mar, 2008 11:33 am

drapesy wrote: A 1935 shot of the buildings on the opposite side of York Road (nos 2 and 4) as it turns into Marsh Lane ('Mather's shop is on marsh Lane)-.you will see from the Tetley's sign that no4 was a pub - the 'Simpsons Arms' Simpsons Arms is another pub run by an ancestor between 1865 and 1871,thats 5 pubs so far.

Bramley4woods · Post by **Bramley4woods** » Sat 15 Mar, 2008 12:39 pm

drapesy wrote: Frustratingly difficult to find a good shotof the Woodpecker - it turned a corner and so had 3 'sections' if that makes sense - here it is on an aerial pic of 1963 just above Quarry Hill flats at the bottom of the pic. Anybody remember the church or chapel on the left hand side of York Road about halfway up towards the Star Cinema, just visible on Drapesy's photo, that bore a large placard which said ..."Our Work Continues Here Until 1959"!I saw it in 1955. Anybody know what it was ? It must have just missed being turned into a Mike's Carpets (by a decade or two!).

peterg · Post by **peterg** » Wed 19 Mar, 2008 7:18 pm

The photo of the old Woodpecker and Adlemans brings to my mind that just after one of the night bombings of Leeds, while going from relatives who lived near the Fairway, namely tram down Compton Road to Quarry Hill flats and change to get the 18 to Crossgates, we waited for the nº 18 alongside the rubble of the Woodpecker and Adlemans. The recently inaugurated new Woodpecker bore forever after shrapnel wounds.

wiggy · Post by **wiggy** » Wed 19 Mar, 2008 9:09 pm

drapesy wrote: The right hand side of the pub is visible in this 1985 photo taken from Marsh Lane. It was sometime around this time that I had my one and only pint in the 'Woodpecker'. the funeral directors in the main of the picture...is it still there? we all always asumed that they would never pull it down,because it was listed...anyone know?....i think it was roberts funeral services.

iansmithofotley · Post by **iansmithofotley** » Wed 19 Mar, 2008 9:35 pm

Hi everyone,From a Policing point of view, the 'Woodpecker Junction' prior to the Inner Ring Road, etc., was unique. As you are aware, Police Divisions cover certain areas and have boundaries such as roads, railway lines, rivers, becks or canals, etc. The Police Division covers everything that happens in their area of responsibility whether it be burglaries, robberies, criminal damage, traffic accidents, etc., etc.This junction was unique because, in the 70's, it was the boundary of four Police Divisions (there were only six Divisions in Leeds at the time). Millgarth covered the south east section of the junction (Quarry Hill Flats side), Chapeltown covered the south west section (Beckett Street/St James's side), Dewsbury Road covered the north east section (the Woodpecker itself and East End Park side) and Gipton covered the north west area (Burmantofts/Torre Road side).The junction was controlled by traffic lights and, at peak traffic times, was very busy. There were always lots of traffic accidents. It often used to cause a great deal of amusement when there was an accident as to who was responsible for dealing with it and in which Division it would be recorded and investigated. Obviously, in those days, there would be Police there from one of the Divisions and possibly, also, Road Traffic Department officers, within a few minutes. The incident, in those days, would have been dealt with quickly and efficiently. Sometimes the vehicles may have been travelling in, say, Millgarth Division along Marsh Lane on the QHF side but the vehicles might end up in, say, York Road or Burmantofts Street which were in other Divisions, depending on which side of the road that they came to rest.If an accident occurred within, say, half an hour of the end of a tour of duty e.g. 1.30pm, 9.30pm or 5.30am there was often much debate as to who should initially deal with the paperwork and investigation. Some people would grab the job with both hands as there might be some overtime pay forthcoming whereas the ones that might want to get away from work on time, for whatever reason, would try and suggest that the accident occurred in another Division. The standard phrase used, after initial attendance and looking after any casualties, was "I'll leave it with you", most often said by traffic cops. The Divisional staff would then be left to deal with everything and all of the paperwork.In reality, the accident should have been recorded in the Division where the actual collision took place but, again, this was often in dispute.I suspect that the Divisional boundaries have changed several times since those days.Ian.

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Wed 19 Mar, 2008 10:42 pm

iansmithofotley wrote: This junction was unique because, in the 70's, it was the boundary of four Police Divisions (there were only six Divisions in Leeds at the time). Millgarth covered the south east section of the junction (Quarry Hill Flats side), Chapeltown covered the south west section (Beckett Street/St James's side), Dewsbury Road covered the north east section (the Woodpecker itself and East End Park side) and Gipton covered the north west area (Burmantofts/Torre Road side).snippedI suspect that the Divisional boundaries have changed several times since those days.Ian. As i understand. Gipton is now Killingbeck division. Dewsbury road is now Holbeck (although I'd say Hunslet) and combined with Millgarth is part of City and Holbeck. I believe Chapeltown still exists although the station is more scott hall