Queen's visit to open Seacroft Town Centre 1966

[John Croggy]

How many people have memories of the Queens visit to Leeds in 1966 to open Seacroft Centre? She 'landed' at Crossgates railway station with Prince Philip and later in the afternoon when her business was done she disappeared down York Road towards Tadcaster in a puff of Rolls exhaust smoke at about 160 mph (at least). I recently found a booklet issued to all police officers on the visit. I'd forgotten how many people and how much organisation was involved.

[chameleon]

John Croggy wrote: How many people have memories of the Queens visit to Leeds in 1966 to open Seacroft Centre? She 'landed' at Crossgates railway station with Prince Philip and later in the afternoon when her business was done she disappeared down York Road towards Tadcaster in a puff of Rolls exhaust smoke at about 160 mph (at least). I recently found a booklet issued to all police officers on the visit. I'd forgotten how many people and how much organisation was involved. This has come up before in a thread about the old Centre somewhere.I remember Station Road being resurfaced, grass trimmed to perfection, new paint and hanging baskets adorning every part of Crossgates Station - when it was a 'proper' station with all its buildings, waiting rooms with coal fires, porters, goods area and so on.A once in a lifetime event for the place, a short ride up the road, visit and as you say, gone. But it certainly drew the crowds.

[String o' beads]

Me and me mate were standing opposite The Woodpecker watching as the royal car went past. I didn't have a flag or owt, and we were the only ones there.

[Bert]

I remember Mam and Dad, among the very earliest residents of one of the tower blocks just below the Seacroft Centre, talking excitedly about this, which I missed because I'd left home and moved to London. I thought it was interesting that they seemed so positive about it when, as lifelong council estate tenants struggling to pay the rent and raise their kids, they'd never had much time for the royals. Interesting also that the stampede of people away from the Seacroft Centre, including my Mam and Dad, was to start within just a few years of its being thought worthy of a royal opening. Has there ever been a more catastrophic cock-up than the architectural and social policy fads of the 1960s? Just goes to show we should never be too unquestioningly impressed by any professional or scientific 'consensus'. When they get it wrong they tend to get it wrong mega-big time.

[John Croggy]

Thanks Chameleon - I found the post you mention, don't know how I missed it. I used to mend my car in the underground car park when it was first opened and I lived on North Parkway in the early '60s. I could leave it there on ramps overnight and it was still OK in the morning. Wouldn't like to do it now! The mending cars or leaving them.

[buffaloskinner]

After being in the Sovereign pub one night (then going next door for a Shepherds Pie so we could have another drink), went down into the underground car park, jumped on the motorbike, revved up, took off and went straight into a concrete pillar.Obviously the concrete pillar came off best, the bikes front wheel was bent along with my ego.But, oh to be 17 again.The infamous underground car park