The superb stone carving at the Friends Provident House on South Parade.

[Leodian]

The photo (taken on Nov 15 2010) is of what I consider is a superb stone carving over the entry/exit of Friends Provident House on South Parade in the centre of Leeds. I suspect the carving is quite old, but it is surviving the elements well.The main wording is "Friends Provident and Century Life Office". I have tried to find out when at least the carving was done, but I have been unsuccessful. I have done a search of the Leodis website but nothing came up under Friends Provident. I have though found that Century Insurance Company Ltd (CICL) opened an office in Leeds in 1906 and that CICL was acquired by Friends Provident in 1918, so under the 'Friends Provident and Century Life Office' name it will not have been before 1918. Friends Provident House is now used as offices by many companies, mostly recruitment firms but also by such as the 'Yorkshire & The Humberside Regional TUC'.