What & Where? Birthday Special

munki · Post by **munki** » Thu 14 Feb, 2008 2:45 pm

I don't reckon this is the same building... Do you?

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Thu 14 Feb, 2008 2:47 pm

And from presumably the old Post Office Building looking across City Square. You can just see whats now Flares (was Yorkshire Penny Bank?) behind. 1931 again courtesy of Leodis

Post by **cnosni** » Thu 14 Feb, 2008 4:24 pm

munki wrote: I don't reckon this is the same building... Do you? No its not the old Queens hotel,who ever drew the original picture took great care to note all its architecture,and as can be seen there are many differences between it and the Leodis photo of 1931.

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Thu 14 Feb, 2008 6:58 pm

I don't know CNOSNI could it be embellishment by the artist or an original architects "render" that was then toned down in building due to lack of funds.The shape and size are almost identical including the 4 main floors and the dormer like windows on top. The chimney stacks are almost spot on though I wish I could enhance with more light the 1931 photo and blow it up. The door is definitely missing on the photo and the ornate designs above it on that corner on the drawing have definitely been "toned down" in reality. Large space in front of the drawing could be city square and thinking about it the character I had on the steps as a bobby could have been a doorman. Enhancing the lighting on the photo would also reveal if there are the tops of windows just peeking above ground level. Those are the features on the drawing suggesting the roads to either side run downhill slightly.The only other major difference is the plain rectangular building to the left of the drawing which stands across where bishopgate street and the yorkshire penny bank are on the photo.

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Thu 14 Feb, 2008 7:58 pm

I may later have to eat my words on this, but when this was drawn, judging by the costumes of the figures, City Sqaure didn't exist and the area in front where this is was just a road. The whole of the building is different the photo of the old Queens, chimneys and all. Even the mouldings around the ground floor windows are different.From memory the Queens was built in the 1850s orignially and opened in 1863, and the engraving looks to be no later than this, and in fact looks quite a bit earlier. Whereever this is it doesn't exist in this guise in modern day Leeds

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Thu 14 Feb, 2008 8:59 pm

I think it's the building that pre dated the original Norwich Union building on the corner of Park row and Infirmary street.

Mork of Ork · Post by **Mork of Ork** » Fri 15 Feb, 2008 11:48 am

No it's not the old Standard Life Assurance building that is totally different.Pic from Leodis

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Fri 15 Feb, 2008 12:49 pm

No i'm guessing it could be what was there before this one.

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Fri 15 Feb, 2008 1:11 pm

It could of course be deceptive or an optical illusion but the tops of what appear to be basement/lower ground floor windows on the original drawing become more visible as you move to the left, suggesting that road drops away. To the right they are pretty much the same height all the way. If you were right Phill then Infirmary Street would be dropping away (its pretty much flat) and Park Row would be flat (it climbs). Also one of them would have to have altered direction slightly as the drawing has them at 90 degrees and everything I have ever seen has them at less than that (around 70 at a guess). Finally the smoking industrial chimney to the right would have been in the general direction of where the town hall now stands or beyond (off Clarendon road?). I haven't looked much at pre 20th century Leeds but what I have seen would suggest this wasn't an industrial area.If I am correct about the drawing being an embellished version of the original Queens then the chimney would be in the vicinity of what is now Walmart and Meadow Lane which I believe was industrial. Also I believe Boer lane does drop away slightly from Bishopgate street towards Mill Hill and New Station Street.

wiggy · Post by **wiggy** » Fri 15 Feb, 2008 1:14 pm

Phill_d wrote: No i'm guessing it could be what was there before this one. i think your correct phil,and the street levels were built up around the building at different times.