A very old Establishment down the Skulls head yard (Part 1)

Si · Post by Si » Fri 18 Apr, 2008 7:30 pm

Just to add to Drapesy's post. We know this is definately the right spot, not just because of the obvious new brickwork, but if you look under the skulls, there is a brick with a distinctive mark. This appears on both Drapesey's new pic and Forgetful Cat's original pic of the skulls in situ. As Drapesey pointed out (in the Duck and Drake!) the skull's new home and their old home share a CCTV camera. Wierd!!!

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Fri 18 Apr, 2008 9:39 pm

Hope you dont mind Phill - but I'm putting up your pic that was on page 7 again - this shows the wall(left hand side) where the skulls were.Ive put it up to compare it with the pic below

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Fri 18 Apr, 2008 9:41 pm

Good day today, just hope that the photographer guy gets the story right!!!

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Fri 18 Apr, 2008 9:42 pm

Compare Phill's pic to this that I found after some SERIOUS Leodis trawling. It dates from 1967 when the east side of the alley was still there and you could access the passage to Kirkgate - now covered by scaffolding etc. The advert is for Gelders - a draper's shop on kirkgate.It hasn't been realised/mentioned on Leodis but you can actually see the skulls on this shot at the top left!!!! (difficult to see but they are there - honestly)

Post by **chameleon** » Fri 18 Apr, 2008 9:44 pm

drapesy wrote: Hope you dont mind Phill - but I'm putting up your pic that was on page 7 again - this shows the wall(left hand side) where the skulls were.Ive put it up to compare it with... I looked at this with the Bird' eye view on Live Search Maps. Don't know if you can copy their images to here, but centre on the yard and use the rotate tool - doesn't go in very close, but it's easy to pick out the wall to give a perspective view of just where is being talked about.

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Fri 18 Apr, 2008 11:57 pm

Dunno if this is of any interest but you can click on bird's eye view and rotate the map:http://tinyurl.com/3ebjzv

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Sat 19 Apr, 2008 12:05 am

Thats ok Drapsey. use as many pics as you like on here. There's no copyright here! It was a good day. thanks to yourself, Chris, Si. Lee & Dave. I had a few to many brews too lol

Post by **chameleon** » Sat 19 Apr, 2008 12:17 am

Geordie-exile wrote: Dunno if this is of any interest but you can click on bird's eye view and rotate the map:http://tinyurl.com/3ebjzv Yes, that's what I said, but didn't get the image to upload.

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Sat 19 Apr, 2008 12:19 am

chameleon wrote: Geordie-exile wrote: Dunno if this is of any interest but you can click on bird's eye view and rotate the map:http://tinyurl.com/3ebjzv Yes, that's what I said, but didn't get the image to upload. D'oh.

Post by **cnosni** » Sat 19 Apr, 2008 12:45 am

Phill_d wrote: Thats ok Drapsey. use as many pics as you like on here. There's no copyright here! It was a good day. thanks to yourself, Chris, Si. Lee & Dave. I had a few to many brews too lol OK ,rub it in Phil,i enjoyed my coca cola any way so there!!Have had a few thoughts about getting this moving along viz resiting of the Skulls.We know EMCO own the area and are wanting to do something with the old White Cloth Hall,so how about some approach to these people,see if they would be interested in having the skulls placed on the rear of a new white cloth hall,overlooking its original site.This of course would have to be made possible with some financial assistance from EMCO.Also we would have to get the skulls safely removed from their present home,i was thinking of something along the lines of contacting the masons who do restoration work on York Minster.We could also approach the council,the Civic trust (though i think someone else would be more appropriate in doing this),even the Heritage Lottery fund for financial contributions.As we discussed today it would only be a few hundred quid to have them removed,repair the wall they are in now,and then resited with some sort of plaque in a suitable location.If we could get some sort of small donation from a number of various parties then we could get enough together to make this work.As EMCO own all this area then perhaps seeing if we can make contact with these people to see what their plans are for the area. This should be a first possible step,just imagine if they are going to still try and recreate the White Cloth Hall then the Skulls would look pretty good on the back of it,overlooking the now decrepitand probably soon to be demolished structure that they occupied since the early 19th century til 1974.Then we would have to liase with whoever is the current "guardian" of the Skulls (they cant be described as owners),see what their position is on the Skulls.If we get cooperation from them then thats good.If not then we would have to go down the path of consulting with such institutions as e.g The Civic Trust,English Heritage,National Trust etc and see what case there was for the long term safety of the skulls.However,we would have to be able to demonstrate that they are worth saving in a historical/architectural sense,and not just because they are connected to a piece of folklore,which to be honest,we do not yet have any proof is true,and even if it is,then on the face of it its not the most convincing argument for public bodies to allott funds for the skulls preservation .I think that if we can put forward a case that these skulls are a unique example of a particular type of sculpture in this area from a particular era, and even possibly from an important building that was torn down in the Victorian period then perhaps there is a slim chance we could get the backing of one or two of the bodies i have mentioned.So hopefully we should get some sort of response from the YASIf we dont hear from the YAS within the next week then perhaps some other equally qualified body.Any thoughts ??