Disaster at Mount Saint Mary's

[j.c.d.]

I was at Mt. St. marys school at the end of W.W. 2.and we only went in to the Church to Mass and Benediction on a Friday afternoon about 3pm. it was always very cold in there. when we left about 3.30. to go home it was a sad sight to watch the orphan girls being herded into the Orphanage, by the Nuns, directly opposite the church door, they wore distinctive green jerseys always and i used to feel sorry as i was going home for the weekend and they were in that large depressing looking building. On a monday morning the Parish priest used to go round the classes checking on the children, what Mass they had been to and if they admitted to missing Sunday Mass they often got a clout from this big red faced priest. the kids were petrified but as i came from the Gipton Estate i was in another parish so his visits did not bother me. The priest lived in a grand house ovrlooking the school. Next time i am in my beloved Leeds i must go and have a look around that area.

[j.c.d.]

wayniac wrote: cnosni wrote: BIG N wrote: Sorry to show my ignorance, but as a newby to Leeds (only been here about 20 years ) can I just ask - where is the church in question please ?? Its on Ricmond Hill,overlooking town.It was/is what was called "The Bank",home to the many Irish immigrants who came to Leeds and many other northern cities following the potato famine.And yes,i had such immigrant ancestors,i can all hear you grown,not more Family history! I remember selling "Green Finals" around the back to backs and prefabs surrounding Mount St Marys. Just below the church they built a swimming pool, it was opposite the old East Ward Liberal club. My folks used to go the club every Saturday night and I used to go outside and climb up the wall of the swimming pool building. It had concrete squares as part of the relief on the surface and once you climbed high enough you could see the pool.I never saw the inside of Mount St Marys, my folks were C of E and never the twain met. I'm pretty sure there were mine workings in the area, a coal seam was found when they started excavating the area around the old Bella machine company, just down East Street from the Black Dog and Fish Hut. A swimming pool near the prefabs , if you are talking about the 1940s / 50s that was a large square concrete water container built in case of Incendriary Bombs being dropped, these were situated all around and in the centre of Leeds usually shaped round and made of metal.