SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

To hear my parents speak it seems all Leeds people met their husbands / wives here, in the dance hall days. Is it true?

My mam and Dad met at the MECCA! me dad were a doorman there int' 60s.

I know mi mam and dad used to do their courting in the Rendezvous cafe bar at the bottom of Roundhay road/Spencer Place, they also use to frequent the Mecca..............'bet my dad could chin your dad' even if he was a bouncer!

chomic wrote: To hear my parents speak it seems all Leeds people met their husbands / wives here, in the dance hall days. Is it true? I think the North Leeds dance hall of choice was The 'Cap' (Capitol) in Meanwood. According to my mother, people came from miles around to dances there on a weekend. It later became a cinema and the night club moved to the other end of the shopping parade and became the Cats Whiskers.

gbdlufc wrote: I know mi mam and dad used to do their courting in the Rendezvous cafe bar at the bottom of Roundhay road/Spencer Place, they also use to frequent the Mecca..............'bet my dad could chin your dad' even if he was a bouncer! Yeah he probably could as he was 64yo when he died 2 years ago!!!!! But he were harder than a coffin nail back then, him and Tony H.

My old man met my mum when he pulled her from in front of a number 10 bus outside Marks and Sparks and funny enough he used to do the doors. I met my wife in Ricky's/Cherry Tree not a dance hall granted but she were dancing when I first clapped eyes on her.

Here's an article from the Y.E.P. :-Bill Cummings of New Farnley tells me he found the story I ran about the Astoria Ballroom's demise – disappearance in fact – interesting reading.And it reminded him of other Leeds ballrooms like Mark Altman's Empress Ballroom on Great George Street: "It was run by Denis Altman who took over from his father, Mark."Denis was assisted by a lady called Nan. Jiving, or boogie-woogie, was not allowed. It was a case of 'strictly ballroom'."The remarkable thing about 'Marks', was that my father, Frank, met his future wife, Doris, there; my elder brother Colin met his future wife Shirley, there; my sister, Rita, met her future husband, Gordon, there and I met Rita who became my wife at Mark Altmans."I've heard of 'keeping things in the family', but one has to admit that this was remarkable for one family."Mark Altman's was above a row of shops, one of which was Craven Dairies."This dance hall was approached up a flight of steep steps, with two burly bouncers by the pay desk. The best night was Saturdays when admission was 3/6d. Denis also ran 'tea dances' in the afternoons."Yorkshire DiaryJohn Thorpe MBE

The answer to the question is yes, not all people were drinkers, and in "the good olde day's" , the choices were limited (no tv).All the dance places mentioned are very familiar to my wife and dance partner of 50yrs. A few others are worthy of mentioning. Armley Baths to the big bands. Majestic in city square. Mecca Locarno in one of the Arcades Astoria on Rounday rd. Background in Youth clubs,rule was :- if you can dance you get girls!!Would be interesting to hear of other dancers from this vintage.

Hi folks, new to the site.If your parents are in their late 60s or beyond then it's fair bet that they met at one of the Leeds dance halls. It was pictures and dancing in those days. I lived in Armley and well remember dancing at the Baths to the Big Bands, many becomming famous in later years. There wes also the Palace on Stanningley Road ( Also Big Bands) near the park, Cinama, Roller Skating and Dancing, (no, not at the same time) a great place as most of them were. no drinking at most. I only once went to Mark Altmans, a date, two lasses and me and my mate, he later married my date. Did my learning at Dorris Waddingtons on Boar Lane. I did get to go to most of the Leeds Ballrooms, the Scala has memories as it was the only time I did the Tango well, I can thank my partner for that. Ohhh Memories.