39 Wortley Lane Leeds (Book Shop) 1930/40's

Jools · Post by **Jools** » Tue 20 Apr, 2010 8:30 pm

HiCan anyone help with some information on my late Grandfathers house or the family as I know only a little about him and his shop.My Grandfather Walter Lyon had a bookshop at 39 Wortley Lane and lived on the premises with his wife Olive and 3 children in the 1930/40's.My Uncle told me that during the Battle of Britain Leeds was bombed heavily and one bomb landed at the end of Wortley Lane hitting Dr Rusbey’s house and leaving a huge hole in the middle of the road. The only house surviving the air raids on that side of the road was Walter’s house and the pub The Alexandria. I've had a look on the web and I cannot find any info or photos of this bombing campaign, as far as I'm aware there are no photos of 39 Wortley Lane on Leodis either so I've hit a dead end and wondered if anyone might have some info I can add to my family tree. my Uncle was born just before the war so all he knows is what my late Gran told him so he's not able to help me any further.Jools

Si · Post by Si » Tue 20 Apr, 2010 8:56 pm

I'm assuming you've seen these pics on Leodis, Jools?Thought I'd put them up anyway.This is number 12 Wortley Lane, pictured in 1945. Looks like possible bomb damage, but could be just demolition. Note the air-raid shelter.

Si · Post by Si » Tue 20 Apr, 2010 8:59 pm

This is also Wortley Lane. This damaged building has been damaged before. Note how the top two storeys have been rebuilt in a different style.Which end of the lane was the Alexandria on, Jools?

liits · Post by **liits** » Tue 20 Apr, 2010 9:21 pm

The 1947 Kelly’s Directory shows 39 Wortley Lane is listed as a Book Seller [Walter Lyon]. The 1916 edition shows 39 as a drapers shop [Fred Lyon]. Neither of them list a Dr Rusbey as being in Wortley Lane although he is listed as having a surgery at 95 Whitehall Road [John Edwin Rusbey, M.C, M.S.A, L.M.S.S.A [Lond]], I guess he moved after being bombed out.If you go to the Family History Library [next door to the Town Hall] you can check the street-by-street listings.The Imperial War Museum will provide the location of all bombs dropped during the course of enemy actions [WW2] and it’s free!

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Tue 20 Apr, 2010 9:27 pm

The pub was at 19 Wortley Lane and was called the Alexandra Arms (not Alexandria). The Victorians were very fond of naming pubs after members of the Royal Family and pubs of this name are named after Princess Alexandra of Denmark who became Queen Alexandra as the Consort of King Edward VII . This Leodis pic is from 1965 To be honest, Jools, Leeds was not ' heavily bombed' in the Second World War - in fact no city in Britain of comparable size escaped as lightly - but I'm sure this was of little consolation to your grandfather or the others who suffered from this raid on New Wortley.

liits · Post by **liits** » Tue 20 Apr, 2010 9:45 pm

This is the 1908 map above, A = Alexandra Arms. B = St George's Inn. C = The Druid's Head. The blue mark is No.39 which was then Frederick Large, Drapers.

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Tue 20 Apr, 2010 9:46 pm

Here's the pubhttp://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?resourceIde ... SPLAY=FULL

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Tue 20 Apr, 2010 9:51 pm

And this gable end would have been opposite No. 39.http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Tue 20 Apr, 2010 9:54 pm

This is the junction of Wortley lane and Gelderd Rd (opposite where Druids Arms was) in February 1943 - again I would assume this is bomb damage.

Jools · Post by **Jools** » Tue 20 Apr, 2010 10:00 pm

Hi Many thanks everyone for all your replies, I'll correct my info with the Alexandra not Alexandria. Thanks for the photos and map, and the info on the directories, very useful I'll add it too my family history, Is it definitely Frederick Large not Fred Lyon? My Great Grandfather was callded Fred Lyon and he was a draper, I did wonder where he lived in Leeds apart from 25 Danube Grove in 1911 and when he died about 1956 at 20 Elsworth Terrace. It's interesting to see Granddad Walter being mentioned in the 1947 directory, he died the year after.I know that Mum's school it was either Green Lane or Whitehall Road (she was 11/12 at the time not sure which school it was) was evacuated during the war and she went to live in Lincs for a while, not sure if this was after or before the bombing.I didn't know about the Family History Library next to the Town Hall, will have to look it up as I do get to Leeds sometimes, do you have to book or can you just turn up? I'll see if I can find a website might be able to check out what info is there.Many thanks once again all your help is much appreciated.Jools