SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Many years ago my father told me of the illegal gambling that went on down Hunslet. Two penny’s were placed on a piece of wood and tossed in the air and people bet on how they fell. I know this just wasn’t a Hunslet thing but am I right in thinking they called it 2's?

This was two Up tyke I think.An Aussie gambling game which became popular after ANZAC forces taught it to people during WW1 who brought it back see:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-up

Hiya Tyke. I don't know if it was called 2's but it sounds like what I know as Pitch & Toss. I still visually recall seeing it as a kid being played by groups of men just off York Road near the Star Cinema in what will have been the every early 1950's. I particularly recall seeing men scatter in all directions when lookouts announced the approaching police!

Thanks for the replies I thought it was called 2's but pitch & toss sounds familiar as well. I remember him telling me about all the lads they had on look out and the razor gangs that kept things in order?

The group of players was known as a tossing school, so I guess it was pitch & toss.

I cant remember much gambling going on but I can remember when teenage lads would get boys aged 5-7 year oldish to have organised fisty cuffs where much emphasis was put on who was the 'lucky' winner. I can remember been one of these young 'gladiators' in my old street, I think the game was called "kick the living daylights out of each other and see who wins" or something, brutal but true, although compared to what goes on these days on Leeds's 'Streets of Rage' its pretty tame in comparision.    

I used to think things were bad in the 70's when my dad used to be alive but the story’s he told me about the 30's made it look tame. Apparently if someone from a gang was chased by the police they would go into someone’s house to hide and no one would dare say anything about how long they had been there to the police.

Leeds Street Gamblers playing pitch and toss in 1955.Away from the eyes of the law and before betting was legalised, men congregate on the corner of Ironstone Street at the South end of York Road in the summer of 1955.Full size photo herehttp://tinyurl.com/ncl6833Where the group are standing is Bickerdike Road which ran from almost opposite York Road Library northwards towards Torre Rd, Ironstone St came in from the east at right angles. The view is looking towards the northwest and the quarry to the left was actually part of the Burmantofts Brick Works and at the time of this photograph long since defunct.The area above the rooftops in the distance was part of the site of the famous Burmantofts Terracotta Works, demolished sometime between the wars. Part of this site was overbuilt with the giant Burton's Clothing Factory in the 30s and must have been standing when this image was taken, and is probably a little over to the right out of view.Photo and text courtesy of JB303.