Drapesy's Leeds Conundrum. No.1
"Those who sacrifice Liberty for security deserve neither!!"-
TASMAN
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Sun 14 Sep, 2008 4:32 pm
Si wrote: Et voila! Some of the houses look to be 'through-by-lights' and the back-to-backs on Hawthorn Avenue/First Avenue are unusual in that they are 'staggered.' Green Lane School is in the middle. I have just found this Forum hence the delayThe reason for the staggering was that although the houses in Hawthorn / First Avenues were technically "back-to-back" they were not built at the same time. (First avenue approx 1870 - Hawthorn Avenue Approx 1895).These "back-to-back" terraces each had their own back wall and the houses in Hawthorn Avenue were taller than those in the First Avenue: consequently when looking at the roofs of the houses in the First Avenue you could see an expanse of wall above their roof-line up to the roof level of the houses in Hawthorne Avenue.These rear walls were separated by a gap of about 18 inches. From Hawthorn Terrace you could look down this gap almost to Green Lane and many a child's ball was lost by being thrown down this gap. Some kids were brave enough to squeeze down this gap (not me!) but never went too far.This difference in the two streets can be seen on Leodis in the picture looking down Green Lane towards the two streets
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BLAKEY
- Posts: 2556
- Joined: Mon 24 Mar, 2008 4:42 am
TASMAN wrote: These rear walls were separated by a gap of about 18 inches.From Hawthorn Terrace you could look down this gap almost to Green Lane and many a child's ball was lost by being thrown down this gap. Some kids were brave enough to squeeze down this gap (not me!) but never went too far. Surely this was a piece of awful bad planning - a designer peril you might say. A gap of perhaps three feet would have cut out any danger of persons or animals being trapped beyond rescue, and how on earth were repairs and "pointing" achieved ??
There's nothing like keeping the past alive - it makes us relieved to reflect that any bad times have gone, and happy to relive all the joyful and fascinating experiences of our own and other folks' earlier days.
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BLAKEY
- Posts: 2556
- Joined: Mon 24 Mar, 2008 4:42 am
Cardiarms wrote: Like this?http://g.co/maps/hcdpz Well Cardiarms, I've driven past there hundreds of times and never noticed this odd feature. Its quite eerie and sinister to me, and I wouldn't like it. Must have a look next time.
There's nothing like keeping the past alive - it makes us relieved to reflect that any bad times have gone, and happy to relive all the joyful and fascinating experiences of our own and other folks' earlier days.
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MajorClanger
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sun 06 Mar, 2011 12:11 pm
The reason for the staggering was that although the houses in Hawthorn / First Avenues were technically "back-to-back" they were not built at the same time. (First avenue approx 1870 - Hawthorn Avenue Approx 1895).These "back-to-back" terraces each had their own back wall and the houses in Hawthorn Avenue were taller than those in the First Avenue: consequently when looking at the roofs of the houses in the First Avenue you could see an expanse of wall above their roof-line up to the roof level of the houses in Hawthorne Avenue.These rear walls were separated by a gap of about 18 inches. From Hawthorn Terrace you could look down this gap almost to Green Lane and many a child's ball was lost by being thrown down this gap. Some kids were brave enough to squeeze down this gap (not me!) but never went too far.Me and my little brother used to squeeze thru that gap many times to get to the off licence/shop that used to be in that area. Can't place exactly where it was, but it used to sell draught beer which you brought your own jug to take away. Always remember never to stand on the doors of the drop into the celler.(just in case the"Celler Monster" got ya ! My Grandad used send us to the "offie" and they served us no problems. (aged about 8/9 years old then) I lived in Hawthorn Grove from '61 until the area was demolished.