The H C Atkinson building on The Calls.

Bunkers, shelters and other buildings
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Leodian
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Post by Leodian »

The photo was taken on August 19 2011 and shows this disused builders merchant building which is for sale (the building on its right also has covered up windows and is presumably also disused and is for sale).I am having trouble finding information on the H C Atkinson building and wonder if anyone knows anything. I have looked through the 11 pages in the 'Old Leeds Firms' thread in the SL site but found no mention of the building. To my surprise there seems to be only 2 photos in the Leodis website and they were both taken as recently as October 28 1999. and had no history information. The Leodis website refers to it as the H G Atkinson building but I think it is a C not a G, though it could be taken as a G in the name on the right in my photo.In some information in the 'Leeds Co-op: Jubilee History 1847-97 (5)' website (see the Resource and Information thread for the link to that website) it states under 'Memorable Workers' about a James Swale "In 1859 he was elected a director. He was concerned in urging members to build stores adjoining the mill, with a large meeting-room over them, to which was given the name of the "People's Hall." He and a friend, Mr. H. C. Atkinson, one of the directors, a joiner and builder like himself...". That may be the H C Atkinson named on the building.    
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Leodian
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Post by Leodian »

This a another photo of the H C Atkinson Builders Merchant building taken on August 19 2011. It shows a mechanism at the top door that looks like it would have swung out and in, presumably used to lift and lower things into the building. Nice to see some of the possibly original fixtures still there.
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liits
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Post by liits »

The 1908 Kelly's Directory shows Henry George Atkinson at 28 The Calls, Cement Merchant &ct - which I guess is the same as a builders merchant.It may be coincidence but in 1880 there was a J. Atkinson, Builders Merchant at Bridge End, which is not so far away.

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Leodian
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Post by Leodian »

liits wrote: The 1908 Kelly's Directory shows Henry George Atkinson at 28 The Calls, Cement Merchant &ct - which I guess is the same as a builders merchant.It may be coincidence but in 1880 there was a J. Atkinson, Builders Merchant at Bridge End, which is not so far away. Thanks for that information liits. Clearly my thought that it is H C not H G is wrong and the Leodis site has it correctly. The H C Atkinson in the Co-op record will be just a coincidentally similar name (unless that should have been H G Atkinson).
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Post by Phill_dvsn »

Very little about the place on Leodis either.21st May 1909. Referred to as Atkinson's property we see a fairly substantial building with iron bars on the windows. On the pavement outside is a streetlamp. the road is made of stone sets and a horse and cart can be seen in the background.
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Leodian
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Post by Leodian »

Looking again at my two photos I noticed that the stone work on the front of the building on the right of the Atkinson building has much better quality looking stone than those in its side. It may have been done that way to make a good impression on the view that would be more readily seen but I wonder if the front has been restoned (is that a word?) at some stage?I like the tall chimneys at the building, one of which seems like it has lost its top parts at some stage.
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Leodian
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Post by Leodian »

Thanks Phill for your post (which was added while I was still composing a post of mine). You are clearly better than me at doing a search as all I found on Leodis were the two photos taken on October 28 1999.
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Post by Phill_dvsn »

Leodian wrote: Looking again at my two photos I noticed that the stone work on the front of the building on the right of the Atkinson building has much better quality looking stone than those in its side. It may have been done that way to make a good impression on the view that would be more readily seen but I wonder if the front has been restoned (is that a word?) at some stage?I like the tall chimneys at the building, one of which seems like it has lost its top parts at some stage. It's pretty hard to see what's going on with the external construction of the building really. It looks to me as if the right hand side of the building has been cement rendered over, the surface is an all over smoother finish with not much visible brick or stonework mortar joints. I'm not too sure with the left hand side, it's possible what you see is a large cut stone facing, but it's also possible this side was cement rendered too, the pattern of the stonework showing through the cement render? The building looks to have been built as one unit, and it's not a latter add on, you can tell by the elaborate name extending the whole length across the top of the building.
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Post by chemimike »

In Leeds directories there is a Henry Atkinson in 1872 joiner & builder at 2 Carlton St, and in 1893 Henry Atkinson & Son, builder, at the same address.However it appears from Kellys that it is H G Atkinson at The Calls (in 1916 at least), and an advert in the 1916 Kellys is below.I have looked ta theimage in streetview, and am not sure about the G – it could beIn 1872 the numbering is different,and the building is numbered as 97 The Calls R Dawson & Son, cornfactors are at 97 The Calls, probably the same building, from the map but I cannot be sure of this1893 22-28 Dawson Bros, corn factors1916 Atkinson Henry George, cement etc merchantsFrom the OS maps (building in red) the shape of the building on the Calls did not change from 1893 to the present day, and I think it is the same building. Am not sure about 1850 building. From at least 1891 up to at least 1964 it can be seen that there is an additional building at the back, which is no longer there. It appears (on smaller scale maps where it is not clear) to have gone by about 1969.1850map1891 map1910 map1964 mapAdvert from 1916    

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Leodian
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Post by Leodian »

Phill_dvsn wrote: Leodian wrote: Looking again at my two photos I noticed that the stone work on the front of the building on the right of the Atkinson building has much better quality looking stone than those in its side. It may have been done that way to make a good impression on the view that would be more readily seen but I wonder if the front has been restoned (is that a word?) at some stage?I like the tall chimneys at the building, one of which seems like it has lost its top parts at some stage. It's pretty hard to see what's going on with the external construction of the building really. It looks to me as if the right hand side of the building has been cement rendered over, the surface is an all over smoother finish with not much visible brick or stonework mortar joints. I'm not too sure with the left hand side, it's possible what you see is a large cut stone facing, but it's also possible this side was cement rendered too, the pattern of the stonework showing through the cement render? The building looks to have been built as one unit, and it's not a latter add on, you can tell by the elaborate name extending the whole length across the top of the building. Thanks Phill. I think the wording in my post has caused some confusion here as I was referring to the stone built building (with the large chimney stacks) to the right of the Atkinson building, not the Atkinson one. Apologies for causing the confusion.
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