Old Leeds Firms

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Thu 08 Oct, 2009 10:56 pm

Si wrote: Si wrote: Trojan wrote: According to Squadron Leader Tony Iveson in his book "Lancaster - the Biography" the last ever batch of Lancaster III bombers was built at Avro's satelite factory at Yeadon after the end of the war. The first of the batch was built in September, 1945 and the last delivered in October 1945. Hi Trojan,I have a book with a photo of the last Lancaster built at Yeadon taking off from there in October 1945. It's serial was TX273, the "highest" allocated to any Lanc, but it may not have been the last built, as TW911 (built by Armstrong Whitworth) was delivered to the RAF five months later. Unfortunately, I can't get it to scan. There you go. Sorry about the strange size! Click on the image to enlarge it, and Yeadon Aerodrome can just be seen through the murk. Thanks Si. As I've posted before my mum worked at Avro at Yeadon, she made the tailplane for the (apparently) ubiquitous Anson, which although designed as bomber, was used mainly as a transport aircraft and a trainer. It was built from wood and then canvas which was subsequently doped (as was the Wellington) idon't know when she started there but I think she was there until after the war ended. My father being away in Italy at the time.

Si · Post by Si » Fri 09 Oct, 2009 11:33 am

My aunt, a Geordie, worked there too - something to do with the undercarriage. Her husband was away in the Royal Navy. He was sunk several times, and was once a sole survivor. The first time my dad flew was in an Anson, during his National Service at Church Fenton.

liits · Post by **liits** » Fri 09 Oct, 2009 7:55 pm

Trojan wrote: Si wrote: Si wrote: Trojan wrote: According to Squadron Leader Tony Iveson in his book "Lancaster - the Biography" the last ever batch of Lancaster III bombers was built at Avro's satelite factory at Yeadon after the end of the war. The first of the batch was built in September, 1945 and the last delivered in October 1945. Hi Trojan,I have a book with a photo of the last Lancaster built at Yeadon taking off from there in October 1945. It's serial was TX273, the "highest" allocated to any Lanc, but it may not have been the last built, as TW911 (built by Armstrong Whitworth) was delivered to the RAF five months later. Unfortunately, I can't get it to scan. There you go. Sorry about the strange size! Click on the image to enlarge it, and Yeadon Aerodrome can just be seen through the murk. Thanks Si. As I've posted before my mum worked at Avro at Yeadon, she made the tailplane for the (apparently) ubiquitous Anson, which although designed as bomber, was used mainly as a transport aircraft and a trainer. It was built from wood and then canvas which was subsequently doped (as was the Wellington) idon't know when she started there but I think she was there until after the war ended. My father being away in Italy at the time. My Man also worked at AVRO on Ansons, spraying the "dope" onto the fabric skin. She always said that she could still taste the stuff even though she wore a mask / reperator.

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sat 10 Oct, 2009 11:40 am

Hailwood & Ackroyd (now WABCO and formerly Ackroyd and Best) of Beacon Works Morley, produced an improved Davy lamp for the pits. The improvements were made by William Best who worked for Ackroyds. Ackroyds owned Morley Main Colliery and Best started there as an uneducated lad in the lamp room. I've got this from a book about coal mining in the Morley area. It's very interesting.

Bert · Post by **Bert** » Sat 10 Oct, 2009 4:42 pm

I bought my first clarinet on tick from Kitchens in 1960, flogging my stamp collection to raise the deposit. Once my guitarist/banjoist mate Homer had taught me how to improvise on it to a basic 12-bar blues theme well enough to start working our way into the Leeds trad jazz revival scene, I soon discovered that no self-respecting Leeds jazz man would be seen dead at Kitchens; they all went to Scheerers, which as recorded here was then in a scruffy little shop in a street since demolished near the Coburg. Once I'd wrecked my gleaming new Kitchens clarinet by drunkenly kicking it in its case all the way up York Road to Crossgates countless times after missing the last bus home after gigs, I went and bought myself a second hand one from Scheerers, feeling at last legitimised as a result. Never did get much beyond the 12-bar blues level though. fevlad wrote: LeeRatbag wrote: Loiner in Cyprus wrote: fevlad wrote: there used to be these really posh shops called Marshall and Snellgrove and mathias Robinson where I think the Victoria quarter now isScheerers music shop was along the same street. I saw my first les paul gold Top in the window: still dream of owning one.vallances was good for records Wasn't the Music shop Kitchens? If my memory serves me right, Scheerers was on North Street in the 60s before moving to the Merrion Centre where I believe it still is. My dad got a drum kit from Kitchens in 1966, and I still have it. Scheerers has been in two separate locations in the Merrion Centre. It used to be at the front, where the big furniture shop is now; it moved to a bigger shop around the back of the centre in the late 80s or early 90s. correct about scheers, before then they had a shop in one of the streets that were demolioshed to make way for the development around the merion centre.Fox's was a good music shop, it's now bang and olufsen.

Bert · Post by **Bert** » Sat 10 Oct, 2009 5:00 pm

Anyone remember the Silver Cross pram company? It moved from Hunslet to Guiseley in the 1930s. My Dad worked for it as packer for years before eventually being sacked for thumping the foreman. He used to bring home chrome pram hubcaps which I packed with caps, screwed in a bolt and then belted with a hammer to make impressive explosions that frightened my long-suffering Mam half to death and probably explain why I was later discovered to be stone-deaf in one ear.

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sat 10 Oct, 2009 5:22 pm

Bert wrote: Anyone remember the Silver Cross pram company? It moved from Hunslet to Guiseley in the 1930s. My Dad worked for it as packer for years before eventually being sacked for thumping the foreman. He used to bring home chrome pram hubcaps which I packed with caps, screwed in a bolt and then belted with a hammer to make impressive explosions that frightened my long-suffering Mam half to death and probably explain why I was later discovered to be stone-deaf in one ear. I remember it being at Guiseley. Our pram was a Silver Cross, bought from Schofields, you had to predict the birth date and if you were correct you got your pram free. We were a week out

Post by **chameleon** » Sat 10 Oct, 2009 5:25 pm

Bert wrote: Anyone remember the Silver Cross pram company? It moved from Hunslet to Guiseley in the 1930s. My Dad worked for it as packer for years before eventually being sacked for thumping the foreman. He used to bring home chrome pram hubcaps which I packed with caps, screwed in a bolt and then belted with a hammer to make impressive explosions that frightened my long-suffering Mam half to death and probably explain why I was later discovered to be stone-deaf in one ear. Very well paid staff - maybe too well, finally became 'unprofitable' and disposed of to an Asiatic concern.

Leeds-lad · Post by **Leeds-lad** » Sat 10 Oct, 2009 6:47 pm

Kent Meters in Armley used to be a good Co to work for.Also anyone remember Noel Paton(Gear cutters) on Whitehall Rd.One of the finest precision Eng.Works in Leeds.Ratcliff's on Tong Rd.Can anyone remember the name of the Timber Factory on Tong Rdbehind the Union Jack stores(had a massive fire in the 60's.

Uno Hoo · Post by **Uno Hoo** » Sun 11 Oct, 2009 1:25 pm

chameleon wrote: Bert wrote: Anyone remember the Silver Cross pram company? It moved from Hunslet to Guiseley in the 1930s. My Dad worked for it as packer for years before eventually being sacked for thumping the foreman. He used to bring home chrome pram hubcaps which I packed with caps, screwed in a bolt and then belted with a hammer to make impressive explosions that frightened my long-suffering Mam half to death and probably explain why I was later discovered to be stone-deaf in one ear. Very well paid staff - maybe too well, finally became 'unprofitable' and disposed of to an Asiatic concern. My wife and I saw a young woman pushing a new (or looked new) Silver Cross pram only the other day. It was a proper pram, not a buggy. We both remarked how unusual it looked.