Infamous Sons & Daughters of Leeds

electricaldave · Post by **electricaldave** » Mon 18 Feb, 2008 11:32 pm

Mary Bateman was quite a notorious person.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Bateman

Post by **dsco** » Tue 19 Feb, 2008 3:58 am

Must without a doubt add Owen Madden to this list, AKA 'Owney' Madden, AKA 'Owney the Killer', co-founder of the notorious Cotton Club nightclub in New York, moirderous villain, top flight gangster, racketeer, bootlegger, extortionist and all round bad egg...Wikipedia (gender-non-specific parent of all lies) says the following about his origins in Leeds:"Owen 'Owney the Killer' Madden was born at 25 Somerset Street, in Leeds, England, on December 18, 1891. His parents Francis and Mary (formerly O'Neil), were also born in Leeds, according to their birth certificates but were possibly of Irish ancestry. In search of work the family moved first to Wigan, England, and then to Liverpool, England. It was Francis' intention to take the family to the United States but he died before this ambition could be fulfilled. In 1901 Mary Madden sailed to New York on the RMS Oceanic (1899), to stay with her widowed sister Elizabeth O'Neil, at 352 10th Avenue, in Manhattan. Owen Madden and his older brother, Martin, were left at a children's home, at 36 Springfield Terrace, in Leeds, until 1902, when Mary could finally afford passage for them. Owen maintained a sentimentality for his native Yorkshire and England throughout his life, refusing to give up his British passport until in his 1950s, when he was threatened with deportation. Unlike his elder brother Martin, who adopted a New York drawl, Owney kept his Northern English accent and saved clippings from the Yorkshire Post up until he died."Love the last bit there - perhaps he would have liked SecretLeeds?The rest of his life story is available here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owney_MaddenThe whole article is pretty interesting, I particularly liked the fact that: "Madden was also portrayed by Bob Hoskins in Francis Ford Coppola's The Cotton Club."Haven't seen it, but I must get a copy sometime!Anyone know where either his home addresses were? Can't find them on a modern map... do our 'old map' experts have any ideas?dscoPS Just noticed another little gem at the end of that article:"He lived in Hot Springs until his death in 1965. At the time of his death he was said to have left $3 million in assets. The whereabouts of his fortune remains a mystery to this day."Now there's a challenge for our readers... locate the bootlegger's gold of the New York(shire) gang boss and racketeer. Like some strange version of the Goonies...

carith · Post by **carith** » Tue 19 Feb, 2008 10:21 am

dsco wroteAnyone know where either his home addresses were? Can't find them on a modern map... do our 'old map' experts have any ideas?Somerset street was in the quarry Hill area and Springfield Terrace is listed (1901 Census)as in the Burmantoft area the parish of St Stephens

seamus · Post by **seamus** » Tue 19 Feb, 2008 11:24 am

Owney Madden's grandfather came to Leeds from Co. Mayo in the Famine years (1845-51) In the 1880s his family was living in one of the courts around Kirkgate. Next door lived the O'Neill family from Sligo. Francis Madden, Martin's son married the girl next door, Mary O'Neill. Francis was a cloth dresser in a flax mill. The site of the house in Somerset Street is now under Millgarth Police Station (maybe it should be called 'Madden House'. In New York Owney quickly became a leader of a street gang called the 'Gophers', they battled with other gangs, notably the 'Hudson Dusters' -and of course the police. He was arrested many times and was badly injured in a dance-hall shooting. In 1916 he was found guilty on a charge of complicity to murder and received 10-20 years in Sing-SingOwner was paroled in 7 years and was soon involved in bootlegging. Soon he had his own brewery and speakeasies. In the heydays of the roaring twenties he owned the Cotton Club in Harlem and an interest in the Stork Club. One of his girlfriends was Mae West. Before going to Hollywood the actor George Raft worked for Madden and he modelled his gangster persona on Owney. At his own request in the early 1930s he went back to Sing-Sing and on release moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas. He married Agnes Demby and lived there until his death in 1966

Pashy · Post by **Pashy** » Wed 20 Feb, 2008 5:37 am

Did anyone know Eugene Lacey ?

iansmithofotley · Post by **iansmithofotley** » Wed 20 Feb, 2008 4:27 pm

Hi Pashy,I knew Eugene Lacey. He was a bouncer at some Leeds Clubs, in the 60's, but I can't remember which ones. He was a stocky, thick set man with greased wavy hair.Ian.

Post by **cnosni** » Thu 21 Feb, 2008 1:38 am

Springfield terrace was situated on Nippet Lane,overlooking the road between the Anglers club and Shakespeare School.the 1850 map of Leeds shows the street to be pretty up market with large well landscaped gardens,though by the turn of the .century im sure this would have changed.

Pashy · Post by **Pashy** » Thu 21 Feb, 2008 6:20 am

G'day IanI think Gene was a bit more than bouncer. I thought he owned a couple of dodgy clubs in Leeds.CheersAndy

iansmithofotley · Post by **iansmithofotley** » Thu 21 Feb, 2008 5:05 pm

Hi Pashy,Some of the main 'legitimate' entertainment clubs in Leeds, around 1968, were the Windmill Club in North Street and the Ace of Clubs (formerly Astra Cinema) in Woodhouse Street. I mention 1968 as that is the date when new legislation came into being allowing gambling in premises and both of these clubs had casinos. Previous to this date there was lots of illegal gambling taking place, mainly involving card games. The previous legislation in 1963 created some 'grey areas' which were blatently flouted, hence the 1968 laws which controlled premises, the games played, stakes, winnings and the control of alcohol, etc.There were some other places which were purely gaming clubs such as Brandons club in New Briggate and the Continental Casino at Moortown Corner.The Windmill Club was in an old large detached mansion and was a 'cabaret club'. Along with the Ace of Clubs, this was one of the places where the local Leeds 'gangsters' and other members of the the criminal fraternity would frequent. I think that I first got to know of Eugene from the Windmill Club. Also at this time, Kenny Dobson (the 'flower man' from Briggate and St James's Hospital), who died a couple of years ago, used to be a bouncer/doorman. I have no idea what happened to Eugene since the 1970's and I do not know if he is still alive. I have no knowledge of him ever 'owning' any clubs but I suppose that it is possible. Ian.

wiggy · Post by **wiggy** » Thu 21 Feb, 2008 5:35 pm

didn't the mesiahs of elland road...BILLY and JACKIE use the ace of clubs??