Lyons Works Templar Lane

[Brunel]

ALEXANDREA small piece of LEEDS tailoring history.The building is due for demolition, making way for another shopping centre.http://goo.gl/maps/Rf61aSamuel Henry Lyons was a penniless Polish immigrant who came to the United Kingdom in 1902 and worked as a tailor with his Lithuanian wife Sophie who was an expert buttonhole hand. From these small beginnings he built the multi-store men’s clothing chain, Alexandre Ltd that eventually became a part of the John Collier/United Draperies empire.        

[Cardiarms]

Bruno wrote: Before you go off on a wild goose chase under the market, the casino was accessed through a door in the bottom of the last building at the lower end of New York Street, so I suppose it was in their basement rather than below the Market itself. It was near where the vehicle exit to the Market multi storey car park is now - facing the (former casino) door, you have Harper Street over to your left and the Market to your right, indoor market right and forward of you, outdoor market right and aft of you.I think the Casino later became a nightclub of some kind, I'm embarassed to admit I can't remember the name of the casino (of which I was a member!) or the club. Someone on here will soon furnish both names I'm sure. This one?http://goo.gl/maps/dQiGxOriginally 'tea rooms'. There's a floor plan somewhere.

[Bruno]

That's the one, Cardiarms.Above the long blue and white rectangle (bus?) there's a white road direction arrow slightly misplaced over the building roof; the doorway to the casino was, presumably still is, at pavement level there.As soon as you entered you went straight down the stairs into the casino.

[book]

Brunel wrote: ALEXANDREA small piece of LEEDS tailoring history.The building is due for demolition, making way for another shopping centre.http://goo.gl/maps/Rf61aSamuel Henry Lyons was a penniless Polish immigrant who came to the United Kingdom in 1902 and worked as a tailor with his Lithuanian wife Sophie who was an expert buttonhole hand. From these small beginnings he built the multi-store men’s clothing chain, Alexandre Ltd that eventually became a part of the John Collier/United Draperies empire.         I wonder if he changed his name when he came to the UK? That's certainly not a polish name.

[simong]

book wrote: I wonder if he changed his name when he came to the UK? That's certainly not a polish name. Almost certainly - it wasn't an active policy as in the US but many emigres felt that they had to anglicise their names to succeed.

[electricaldave]

Just to help out, that casino was called 'Soames'

[raveydavey]

book wrote: Brunel wrote: ALEXANDREA small piece of LEEDS tailoring history.The building is due for demolition, making way for another shopping centre.http://goo.gl/maps/Rf61aSamuel Henry Lyons was a penniless Polish immigrant who came to the United Kingdom in 1902 and worked as a tailor with his Lithuanian wife Sophie who was an expert buttonhole hand. From these small beginnings he built the multi-store men’s clothing chain, Alexandre Ltd that eventually became a part of the John Collier/United Draperies empire.         I wonder if he changed his name when he came to the UK? That's certainly not a polish name. I've got an Alexandre suit - very good it is too, although the label says "Alexandre, Savile Row"...

[book]

My Uncle was Polish and came here after the second world war had ended. He worked in the pits so probably no need to change his name as comrades welcomed him. There was a large community of Poles in and around Leeds after WW2 had ended. I remember the Polish club at Chapeltown Road.

[Cardiarms]

raveydavey wrote: I've got an Alexandre suit - very good it is too, although the label says "Alexandre, Savile Row"... Seems they are a Leeds company: http://www.alexandresavilerow.com/

[Cardiarms]

There's a family tree which shows the history of the company/name. The HQ is on Granary Wharf.http://www.bmb-menswear.co.uk/family-tree.asp#