SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

The initials MH are carved on one of the stone slabs where people sit in Victoria Gardens in front of the Art Gallery. I wonder if anyone knows who MH is/was? He/she may be whoever placed the slabs but in any event it would be interesting to know. I know that on maps MH can refer to a manhole but it seems unlikely that such an MH would be carved here and I did not see a close by manhole. I took the photos on March 3 2016. The first is a close up of the MH and the second shows its location in the horizontal slab (where people sit on) above the about centre slab just above ground level.

This has been done before Leo but the MH look different ??

http://secretleeds.com/viewtopic.php?t=3518

I do know that there are quite extensive rooms under here that are used as dressing rooms etc for when concerts are on. This may be an exit manhole for those

uncle mick wrote:This has been done before Leo but the MH look different ??

http://secretleeds.com/viewtopic.php?t=3518

Hi Mick .

I had a feeling that I may have done an old thread about the MH but I could not find one when I tried various searches! Having seen the old thread I've recalled that the image of the slab with the MH in that thread is not the same slab as that in the current thread. MH is thus carved on at least 2 places in Victoria Gardens.

billy the buffalo wrote:I do know that there are quite extensive rooms under here that are used as dressing rooms etc for when concerts are on. This may be an exit manhole for those

Hi billy .

Thanks for your willingness to help. I have not heard that there are rooms under the site. I hope therefore that I am wrong but I wonder if you may be thinking of the rooms under Mandela Gardens that are for the use of those performing at concerts there.

As far as I remember, the MH appeared when the Art Gallery had an external Sound Installation about 10 years ago. As you were walking across Victoria Gardens you would suddenly hear the sound of a babbling brook (in reality a recording of the river Aire flowing through the Dark Arches). The sound was focused on only certain parts of the Gardens, and the MH (or MH's) marked the best listening points.

More here on the installation, though no mention of MH:

http://www.culture24.org.uk/places-to-g ... s/art20343
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/jun/22/arts.artsnews

davedeath wrote:As far as I remember, the MH appeared when the Art Gallery had an external Sound Installation about 10 years ago. As you were walking across Victoria Gardens you would suddenly hear the sound of a babbling brook (in reality a recording of the river Aire flowing through the Dark Arches). The sound was focused on only certain parts of the Gardens, and the MH (or MH's) marked the best listening points.

More here on the installation, though no mention of MH:

http://www.culture24.org.uk/places-to-g ... s/art20343
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/jun/22/arts.artsnews

Hi davedeath .

I remember the sound project. It was strange the first few times to hear the sound of water. I recall it was particularly loud around the Art Gallery area. Thanks for the information on the MH's.