Old picture of holbeck
-
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Tue 02 Dec, 2014 5:37 am
Old picture of holbeck
Hi i came across this picture of holbeck which ive never seen before (which is suprising). Thought it might be of intrest. It seems to show the beck before it was covered and the old st matthews school.
- Attachments
-
- 5589529_orig.jpg (382.89 KiB) Viewed 5285 times
- Leodian
- Posts: 6518
- Joined: Thu 10 Jun, 2010 8:03 am
Re: Old picture of holbeck
Thanks polos for that fascinating drawing
. I am wondering when the view is dated?
I am struggling somewhat to place some features with modern ones but I think the round building to the top right may be the Round House and the 'castle-like' feature on the left is presumably Armley Jail/Gaol. The viaduct may be the Holbeck Viaduct that has recently been suggested will become a major public feature of the area. There sure were lots of chimneys then!

I am struggling somewhat to place some features with modern ones but I think the round building to the top right may be the Round House and the 'castle-like' feature on the left is presumably Armley Jail/Gaol. The viaduct may be the Holbeck Viaduct that has recently been suggested will become a major public feature of the area. There sure were lots of chimneys then!
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.
-
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Tue 02 Dec, 2014 5:37 am
Re: Old picture of holbeck
Cheers leodian my next question was actually going to be what that castle like building was at the top left and agree it is armley gaol as the style and location check out. If my research is correct the viaduct was built in 1882 so presumably it is after that date. However judging by the rural look of the area i would assume it is not much later. A few other clues can be analyzed such as when the school was built (presuming it is the same building). Also notice how the recreation estate is not there at this time, which i believe was so called as it was the first training ground of leeds football . No sign of that either though. I find it amazing how little is built on domestic street. I can understand now why pleaseant st or mount pleaseant (cant remember exact name) was so called. Update... it seems the recreations are not actually in the pic but off to the bottom left its the crosby estate that isnt there.
Last edited by polos on Mon 22 May, 2017 11:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Tue 02 Dec, 2014 5:37 am
Re: Old picture of holbeck
Btw the viaduct is most certainly the same as the shape is the same today with the one larger arch where the beck goes under (now covered)
-
- Posts: 481
- Joined: Sat 18 Feb, 2012 2:31 pm
Re: Old picture of holbeck
I think I have identified these, I sent this at 10.00pm but forgot to press SUBMIT-
1 Shafton Lane
2 Domestic Street
3 St Matthews Church
4 United Methodist Chapel
5 St Matthews Church School
6 Working Men's Hall
7 St John the Baptist
8 Roundhouse Engine Sheds
9 Armley Jail
10 Holbeck Engine Sheds
11 Isle Lane Wesleyan Chapel
12 Czar Street Council School
13 Gas Works

1 Shafton Lane
2 Domestic Street
3 St Matthews Church
4 United Methodist Chapel
5 St Matthews Church School
6 Working Men's Hall
7 St John the Baptist
8 Roundhouse Engine Sheds
9 Armley Jail
10 Holbeck Engine Sheds
11 Isle Lane Wesleyan Chapel
12 Czar Street Council School
13 Gas Works
- Attachments
-
- Holbeck etc.jpg (299.84 KiB) Viewed 5239 times
-
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Tue 02 Dec, 2014 5:37 am
Re: Old picture of holbeck
cheers for that warringtonrhino i learned a lot i didnt know from those listings. Whilst looking at old maps i noticed the church called st john the baptist may possibly have been called by a previous name 'west association chapel' or 'Isle lane chapel' i could be wrong though.
Ive been comparing the drawing with a map that is even earlier than the picture as the viaduct hasn't been built on the map (1852). there seems to be more buildings before the picture was drawn than after.
http://maps.nls.uk/view/102344959
PS. anyone know what a chain bar is ?
Ive been comparing the drawing with a map that is even earlier than the picture as the viaduct hasn't been built on the map (1852). there seems to be more buildings before the picture was drawn than after.
http://maps.nls.uk/view/102344959
PS. anyone know what a chain bar is ?
- Leodian
- Posts: 6518
- Joined: Thu 10 Jun, 2010 8:03 am
Re: Old picture of holbeck
Hi polos.polos wrote:cheers for that warringtonrhino i learned a lot i didnt know from those listings. Whilst looking at old maps i noticed the church called st john the baptist may possibly have been called by a previous name 'west association chapel' or 'Isle lane chapel' i could be wrong though.
Ive been comparing the drawing with a map that is even earlier than the picture as the viaduct hasn't been built on the map (1852). there seems to be more buildings before the picture was drawn than after.
http://maps.nls.uk/view/102344959
PS. anyone know what a chain bar is ?
Sorry but I don't know what a chain bar is and I have not been able to readily find out for sure. I assume it was something like the boundary Bars of old Leeds, such as the East Bar stone and North Bar stone that are still here. It may of course simply have been a chain across a road to act as a bar to traffic! (I hope it was so I would not need to be

A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.
- Leodian
- Posts: 6518
- Joined: Thu 10 Jun, 2010 8:03 am
Re: Old picture of holbeck
Hoping not to be thought to be hogging the site but the full map brought up through polos http://maps.nls.uk/view/102344959 link is most fascinating. The shear number of coal pits in the full map is astonishing, though perhaps many were just small scale surface of very near surface workings. This is a section from just a small area of the map that has at least 19 pits marked!
PS. I spotted on the full map a 'Derby 72 M.P.' by the railtrack from the North Midland station and following the line away there is a 'M.P. Derby 71', a 'Derby 70 M.P.', a 'Derby 69 M.P.' and a 'M.P' Derby 68'. I guess they are miles to Derby train station which might have been a major station at the time (on a straight line it is about 60 miles from Leeds to Derby).
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.
-
- Posts: 481
- Joined: Sat 18 Feb, 2012 2:31 pm
Re: Old picture of holbeck
St John the Baptist is distinguished by the magnificent spire, the Isle Lane chapel didn't have spires were much closer to the artist.polos wrote:cheers for that warringtonrhino i learned a lot i didnt know from those listings. Whilst looking at old maps i noticed the church called st john the baptist may possibly have been called by a previous name 'west association chapel' or 'Isle lane chapel' i could be wrong though.
Ive been comparing the drawing with a map that is even earlier than the picture as the viaduct hasn't been built on the map (1852). there seems to be more buildings before the picture was drawn than after.
http://maps.nls.uk/view/102344959
PS. anyone know what a chain bar is ?
- tilly
- Posts: 2221
- Joined: Mon 11 Jan, 2010 2:32 pm
Re: Old picture of holbeck
This picture shows why we had the great in Britain just look at the industry in this small part of Leeds if you looked at Hunslet at that time there would be a lot more.I am told we now deal in commerce its no wonder there are so many unemployed what the hell did they do to our industrial heritage.Is my thinking wrong am i out of step with every one else? 

No matter were i end my days im an Hunslet lad with Hunslet ways.