"Made in Leeds"

BarFly · Post by **BarFly** » Sun 25 May, 2014 4:58 pm

j.c.d. wrote: Made in Leeds !!! My brother and I plus my wedding suit made by Graham (somewhere back of Vicar lane Bus station 1960). made to measure, hand stiched for eleven quid including the cloth. This reminds me that there was sign for a tailor on one of the alleys off Briggate -- if there is actually a tailor there I feel I really ought to investigate having a suit made there.

Whyme · Post by **Whyme** » Sun 25 May, 2014 5:39 pm

Dusty binmade in Rodley by Ian Rowley at the rowley workshops.

TABBYCAT · Post by **TABBYCAT** » Sun 25 May, 2014 10:40 pm

j.c.d. wrote: kango wrote: BarFly wrote: At one point I think things were assembled at Ring as I heard stories from people who had worked there but I eas never sure whether it eas just the odd light fitiing or more than that, hence my question.Are the icecream makers you refer to the ones in Morley? A friend worked there years ago but I never got the name of the company. The Icecream factory in Morley is Thorntons , Most older "Miggyites" like Myself will remember Harry Thornton purveyor of Ice lollies amongst other things. The factory is run by His son David (see link).http://www.thorntonslollies.co.uk/Kango In the 1950s Thorntons Lollies were situated in Beeston on Theodore Street . I don't remember Thorntons being situated in Beeston, the one on Theodore Street I always knew as Firths.

Johnny39 · Post by **Johnny39** » Sun 25 May, 2014 11:50 pm

BarFly wrote: j.c.d. wrote: Made in Leeds !!! My brother and I plus my wedding suit made by Graham (somewhere back of Vicar lane Bus station 1960). made to measure, hand stiched for eleven quid including the cloth. This reminds me that there was sign for a tailor on one of the alleys off Briggate -- if there is actually a tailor there I feel I really ought to investigate having a suit made there. Sim Stankler had a tailor shop nearly opposite the City Varieties in the street off Briggate but that was many years ago. I don't suppose it's there now.

j.c.d. · Post by **j.c.d.** » Mon 26 May, 2014 11:24 am

I remember Sim Stanklers in Lower Briggate next to Watson Cairns but in the 50s and 60s i always got my "Whistles" from a tailor who had a small workroom and made your suit on his premises.March the Tailor, Hepworths, John Collier and Burtons i would not have let them make me a Maggtt bag for fishing. we had to have our shirts from a little shop in Commercial st, collars starched and blocked from Shiphams in Briggate and winklepicker shoes from Timpsons (never Stylo)Funny thing is 50 years later i can buy a nice white shirt from Asda for about the same price i paid in those days.

grumpybloke · Post by **grumpybloke** » Mon 26 May, 2014 1:04 pm

I think the only bespoke tailors in the very centre of town these days are Keith Wilson and Brightbart's, in Lower Briggate and New Briggate. There are a few more scattered around Leeds though.

Johnny39 · Post by **Johnny39** » Mon 26 May, 2014 3:54 pm

I think I've said this before on here but back in the 50's/60's there was always someone who knew someone who could get hold of a suit length, jacket length or trouser length. Someone knew a cutter, who knew a tailor etc., etc., all done on the Q.T. It used to be exciting going for your first try-on, great days. Leeds was the best dressed city in the country back then.

j.c.d. · Post by **j.c.d.** » Tue 27 May, 2014 11:27 am

TABBYCAT wrote: j.c.d. wrote: kango wrote: BarFly wrote: At one point I think things were assembled at Ring as I heard stories from people who had worked there but I eas never sure whether it eas just the odd light fitiing or more than that, hence my question.Are the icecream makers you refer to the ones in Morley? A friend worked there years ago but I never got the name of the company. The Icecream factory in Morley is Thorntons , Most older "Miggyites" like Myself will remember Harry Thornton purveyor of Ice lollies amongst other things. The factory is run by His son David (see link).http://www.thorntonslollies.co.uk/Kango In the 1950s Thorntons Lollies were situated in Beeston on Theodore Street . I don't remember Thorntons being situated in Beeston, the one on Theodore Street I always knew as Firths. Thorntons factory in Beeston was behind a Drapers shop which was on the corner of Theodore St. so strictly speaking it was situated on Firth Rd. the owner was a tall man with curly hair, a very pleasant lad as I remember. the front part of the factory later became a bookmakers.

j.c.d. · Post by **j.c.d.** » Tue 27 May, 2014 11:36 am

Johnny39 wrote: I think I've said this before on here but back in the 50's/60's there was always someone who knew someone who could get hold of a suit length, jacket length or trouser length. Someone knew a cutter, who knew a tailor etc., etc., all done on the Q.T. It used to be exciting going for your first try-on, great days. Leeds was the best dressed city in the country back then. So true, I worked down North Street and there was always a chance of a suit length going cheap. One shop sold radio valves etc but in the back were hundreds of bolts of cloth. nearby was an antique shop which had a bookmakers in the back room. never a dull moment down there......

urban rambler · Post by **urban rambler** » Tue 27 May, 2014 8:04 pm

I worked for WB Nicholson, woollen and worsted merchants, based originally on York Place then relocated to Kirkstall Road, and staff could always get bargain trouser lengths or suit lengths, particularly at stock clearance. (My mum worked as a through trouser machinist so it was all mates rates!!)