Tiananmen Square Protest Leeds City Centre

This week is the 20th anniversary of Tiananmen Square when the Chinese military crushed supporters of democratic reform. This was marked yesterday 30 May 2009 in Leeds city centre outside the central library on the Headrow by a protest by Amnesty International.

I liked the mock up in wood of a tank in the above photograph. Red roses were placed in the turret of the tank.



Towards the end of the protest there was a reading of a poem by James Fenton "Tiananmen", read by the earnest young woman with a black top on the right in the above photograph.

Fancy a Nibble?

I love small independent shops, I really despair of many of our retailers, especially the chains. Why would anyone want the high streets of our towns and cities to be very similar. I for one do not, I want to see people with enterprise offering something different.

I have not been to Hebden Bridge for a few years and there have been some changes since last I was there. One of them is a shop called The Yorkshire Soap Company and they have a bubble machine by the door to entice people to look in.

They are to soap what Bon Bons in Leeds are to chocolate. This is not your average soap and indeed as it says on the Yorkshire Soap Company website "indulge" is the word.

I think the delicacies in the dish in the above photograph are wonderful, pity they are not edible.

They can be found at
The Yorkshire Soap Company
42 - 44 Market Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 6AA

St Thomas a Becket Church Heptonstall, Yorkshire

The church in the photograph above is the original old St Thomas a Becket Church in Heptonstall, near Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire. My friend John makes a small cameo in this photo, pretty sure he never noticed.

It was founded around 1260, being altered and added to over several centuries until damaged in a storm in 1847 (it is now a shell). A new church was built, St Thomas the Apostle in the same churchyard which is quite unusual, I have never come across this before.

The American poet and writer Sylvia Plath is buried in the churchyard here in Heptonstall.

PCSO Joanne From Shipley Neighbourhood Policing Team

I saw a PCSO (Police Community Support Officer) on patrol through the village of Saltaire and ever mindful of photo opportunities for the Leeds photo daily nipped out and asked if she would mind me taking her photograph.

As you can see PCSO 484 Joanne did not mind but I think she was rather amused by it, at least thats what this photo tells me. We swapped cards or rather she produced the ever trusty "able label" with her details. Joanne is a member of the Shipley Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Sorry Joanne, I mostly take photographs of buildings rather than people. In this photo it is mostly the Victoria Hall, Saltaire rather than Joanne.

Sylvia Plath Grave in Heptonstall, Yorkshire

I walked around Hebden Bridge a small town Calderdale not far from the Lancashire border on this last bank holiday. My good friend John and I walked up to the village of Heptonstall, this being a small village just outside Hebden Bridge.

Sylvia Plath born October 27 in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, 1932– died 23 Fitzroy Road, London (house once lived in by WB Yeats) on February 11, 1963. Plath the American writer, poet and feminist icon is buried in the churchyard at Heptonstall here in Yorkshire. You can see the headstone in the photograph above.

Today primarily known for her poetry "Ariel" an anthology published 1965 after her death, Plath also wrote a semi-autobiographical novel, The Bell Jar, under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas.

After attending Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts Plath won a Fulbright scholarship to Newnham College, Cambridge and it was at Cambridge that she met Yorkshire born poet Ted Hughes.

Plath killed herself at the age of 30, leaving two young children not long after Ted Hughes ran off with Assia Wevill, who also killed herself 6 years later. Ted Hughes today is perhaps best known in non poetry society for having had a wife and also a mistress commit suicide.



Sorry about the funny angle on the photo, there is a very pretty flower growing just in front of the gravestone as can be seen in this phograph. The headstone bears the inscription "Even amidst fierce flames the golden lotus can be planted." Over the years the name "Hughes" has been hacked off several times.

I would recommend the film "Sylvia" 2003, Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig give bold, memorable performances as Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes, I saw it on the big screen on release and now have the movie on DVD.

Heptonstall is a very attractive small village with unusually 2 churches in the same churchyard. I will post photos of these in the near future.

Marks and Spencer 125th birthday Bradford

This last week Marks & Spencer celebrated its 125th birthday by offering a range of products for one penny. The M&S store in Darley Street Bradford took park in this special sale

In the photograph above you can see Jill who works for M&S taking time out from supervising the queue to let me take her picture for the Leeds photo daily. Behind Jill in the photograph you can see some of the people in the queue outside the store in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

Many people had queued in pouring rain, some for around 2 hours to pay 1p on a first come first served basis, and the money will go towards the M&S 125 Charity Challenge, which aims to raise £1.25 million for local and regional charities.

I have been an Marks and Spencer customer on and off since I was a boy and indeed as I write this the trousers I am wearing I bought in the Bradford shop. I am pleased to have witnessed this little piece of retail history. Marks and Spencer was started on a stall in Leeds Market here in Yorkshire in 1884 by Michael Marks. Thomas Spencer became his partner in the business in 1894, giving the company it now famous name Marks and Spencer.

Pheasant Bird Male in Yorkshire Countryside

I was out and about not far from Leeds just driving onto the Bramham Park estate to get some photographs for the Leeds photo daily. I saw this bird a little way off so I stopped the car and grabbed my camera to get a few photos. This picture is the best and shows this male Pheasant bird (Phasianus colchicus) an introduced species.

The pheasant is often heard when walking in the countryside, but this is only the 2nd one I have seen so far this year.

I got some nice photographs of the Bramham Park estate and will do a series of them in a few days.

World Heritage in Yorkshire

Incredible as it may seem there is a UNESCO World Heritage Site right here in Yorkshire. This photograph shows a sign at Saltaire, Yorkshire train station. In the background of the photo you can see part of Saltaire United Reformed Church.

Old Post Office Building - City Square, Leeds

Picture of Old Post Office Building City Square Leeds

I really like this spendid victorian building in City Square in Leeds city centre. This photograph shows the old Leeds GPO (General Post Office) built in 1896 by Sir Henry Tanner.

The Post Office decided they no longer needed this building so the ground floor now houses a Loch Fyne restaurant.

I used to call into this Post Office at least 3 afternoons per week on the way home from work (used to sell a lot of DVDs on eBay). The consequence of the current Royal Mail management deciding to close many city centre Post Offices can be seen here in the St John Centre Post Office Leeds.

In the foreground you can see the really fine statue of Edward the Black Prince.

Batley and Dewsbury town crier Laurie Gilbert in Bradford, Yorkshire

I was walking through Bradford city centre and came across a town crier, something I have not seen in many years. Having my camera with me I asked this chap if he would mind being seen on the Leeds Photo Daily. As can be seen from the above photograph he said yes.

He is Laurie Gilbert and is the town crier for the towns of Batley and Dewsbury in West Yorkshire. Laurie is a fine fellow and looks splendid in his regalia. On this wet day he was promoting Bradford Noise Action Week for the Environmental Health Dept of Bradford council.

Fire Drill at Shipley Fire Station

I passed Shipley fire station one wet afternoon and saw these men on duty outside so having my camera I went and asked if I could take some photographs for the Leeds photo daily. The answer as you can see was yes provided I did not get in the way.

The above firefighters are some of blue watch on duty and I think testing their readiness to fight fire and rescue people.

My uncle Sid was a fireman in the East End of London for many years and I grew up with great admiration for these men and women.

Shipley Fire Station is on Saltaire Road, Shipley in West Yorkshire.

Henry Moore Statue Leeds Art Gallery

The photograph above shows one of the most well known public statues in Leeds city centre. This Henry Moore statue of a reclining woman sits outside Leeds city art gallery next to the The Henry Moore Institute, Leeds which is a centre dedicated to the public display and study of sculpture.

In the background of this picture you can see the clock on Leeds town hall and next to that Leeds central public library.

Henry Moore (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986) was a Yorkshire born artist and sculptor.

Writing On The Wall - Leeds

I was wandering around an area of Leeds that I had never been to a few days ago and I saw this notice stencilled on a wall. I thought perhaps it would make a suitable image on the Leeds Photo Daily and I just know that my good friend photo journalist Lorne Campell would love it. Why? Because it is so wrong!

I will not name the organisation on whose wall it is repeated several times in the Mabgate area of Leeds city centre. I really want to get some photographs inside the walls for this photo blog.

Owls in the city centre of Leeds, Yorkshire

The photograph above shows a couple of owls in a railing around part of the Leeds city library building on Calverley Street in Leeds city centre. There are several owls on these railings, this photo just shows two of these.

Around Leeds city centre there are several different owls, some large and obvious, some smaller and much less obvious to the casual observer. On the coat of arms Leeds has 2 owls and the owl has become an emblem of the city of Leeds, in Yorkshire.

Heron on the River Aire at Saltaire in Yorkshire

I have seen this heron a few times on the river Aire in the village of Saltaire in Yorkshire but on this day I had my camera and I got close enough to get a reasonable photograph of it. He is stood on a very small island mid river by the weir adjacent to Salts Mill in Saltaire.

Vicki and Serena Kinky in Leeds

The two young ladies in the above photograph were spotted by me walking along Briggate, Leeds, Yorkshire. They are Vicki on the left and Serena who were in Leeds city centre to promote an evening event called Kinky in Leeds.

Kinky in Leeds apparently consists of beatiful burlesque dancers, fabulour fetish fashion shows and is a unique fetish event of fantastic frolics, fun and surprises galore!

I love the footwear Vicki, although perhaps you have identified too much with Abby from NCIS on TV.

This post is dedicated to Abe Lincoln, whose blog is about a very different kind of bird. Abe, I am finding it a lot easier to ask for peoples photographs as time goes on.

Smart Coffee - Bond Street, Leeds, Yorkshire

Smiling nicely in the above photo is Chris and his Smart Car. I said hi to Chris because I too am a Smart driver and also because I had not seen him around Leeds city centre before.

Turns out that this day was the first day Chris and his coffee business was in Leeds. His pitch is on Bond Street, adjacent to Lower Basinghall Street and the building in the background in the photograph is Tesco.

I thought his business Smart Coffee was quite a good play on words and I said to Chris that he should do well in the spot where he was in Leeds city centre.

Chris provides the usual coffee types Espresso, Latte, Cappuccino, Mocha, Americano and also serves tea and hot chocolate too.

Briggate, Leeds

Picture of Briggate in the heart of Leeds shopping district.


Picture of Briggate in the heart of the shopping district of Leeds, Yorkshire.

Briggate is one of the oldest streets in the city of Leeds and was founded in 1207 when the road began on the north side of the Leeds Bridge over the River Aire. The name 'Briggate' derives from 'the road to the bridge'.

Today Briggate is a pedestrianised shopping street with most of Leeds department stores on it, including Harvey Nichols. There are also banks, restaurants and cafes along Briggate, there are also some old alleyways leading to old public houses including The Packhorse.

Monty - Old English Sheepdog Puppy

I saw this very cute dog stood outside Boots in Leeds city centre and just had to say Hi. His name is Monty, hence the "M" and he is 4 months old and an Old English Sheepdog. His mistress is just outside the frame and he is looking at her, at his age everything is a game.

UpStaged Shop in Grand Arcade Leeds

The above photo shows a shop in the Grand Arcade, Leeds UpStaged sells Retro, Vintage and Theatrical fashions.

If you want to make a statement and stand out from the crowd then this is the shop for you. You can shop here in person or online in their virtual store.

Its funny, until a month ago I had virtually forgotten about burlesque, but this last couple of weeks I have come across it 3 times in Leeds. The second time in this shop when I was chatting to the owner about what her shop is about. Burlesque is really taking off in Leeds, I have been invited to a show and yes there will be pictures!! Also I bumped into 2 young women from a show in the street doing some promo, pictures from which will be coming up soon.



Whilst I was chatting to the owner the above young woman came into the store and we discussed retro for a little while. I asked if she might be photographed for the Leeds photo daily and as you can see she said yes. So this is Lauren, I may not know much about fashion but I thought her boots were great. Lauren knows a lot about pop festivals.

Clock Grand Arcade - Leeds, Yorkshire

The above photograph shows the clock in the Grand Arcade, Leeds, Yorkshire. The clock was designed and built by Robert, James and Joseph Potts of Leeds.

I may be wrong but I think the clock no longer works, pity because it was much more than a simple timepiece. On the hour a door opens and five figures mounted on a revolving stage emerge. There is a British Grenadier Guardsman, a Scotsman, an Irishman, a Canadian, and an Indian. As the stage rotates they disappear into a door on the right hand side of the clock, and a cockerel, above the dial, nods its head, flaps its wings and crows!!! That is what happens in theory, but alas I think not.

Grand Arcade - Leeds, Yorkshire

The above photo shows the interior of the Grand Arcade Leeds city centre, this shopping arcade runs between Briggate and Vicar Lane. The arcade was built by the New Briggate Arcade Company Ltd in 1897 from a design by architects Smith and Tweddle of Leeds.

I have always liked this arcade, it these days houses independent shops rather than chains I used to buy music cd's from a shop called The Polar Bear. The Polar bear has now gone and I discovered a totally different kind of shop in its place. More on that tomorrow.

Bess Border Collie - Leeds

This photo above shows Bess, a border collie in Briggate, Leeds. Bess and her owner were busking in Leeds city centre.



This chap is a one man band, very popular with smaller children and their mums. Bess is a patient lovely dog who sometimes joins in. Border collies are the dog most likely to be used by farmers here in Yorkshire when working with sheep, so this breed is sometimes called sheep dogs.

Mini 50th Anniversary

This week the Mini is 50 years old, the little car designed by Sir Alec Issigonis was originally badged as the Austin Mini Seven or Morris Mini Minor. No longer in production the Mini was a 60's style icon and classless. Steve McQueen owned one as did Enzo Ferrari.

These days they are nowhere near as common on the road as they once were. 5,387,862 Mini cars had been manufactured before production ceased in 2000. I saw this one parked in Saltaire, Yorkshire early one evening and photographed it. The angle is a bit off because the car was parked in front of a large tree and I did not want to stand in the road to take the photo.

I never have driven a mini, several friends have had them over the years and I have been a passenger many times.

Mandarin Duck Leeds - Liverpool Canal Saltaire

This bright little duck is a mandarin (Aix galericulata) and he lives on the Leeds - Liverpool canal near Saltaire in Yorkshire. He is a bit smaller than a mallard duck, but he holds his own when people are feeding chunks of bread to the ducks at Saltaire.

The mandarin is not a native of the UK, there are around 2,000 of these ornamental ducks here mostly in parks and peoples gardens. I think this one flew off one day and took a liking to the canal and stayed.

This was not the story I was going to post, but that bear one needs more thought.

Socialist Workers Leeds City Centre

I do not often get into Leeds city centre on a Saturday, but I did this last weekend.
I photographed these people in the photo above in Briggate, Leeds mostly because I thought that perhaps they had all given up the struggle. I mean, it did not work in Russia, Poland, Hungary, Lithuania, China and a few other countries I cannot recall, there is a long list of failed socialist states.

I am all for everyone being equal, but I really do not want to be the dunny man on a collective farm. I want the Dacha in the country, chauffer driven limo and a whole load of the benefits of being in a truly socialist state.

Tomorrow on the Leeds photo daily I will give you a story that begins with "Please look after this bear. Thank you." Any ideas?

Tristan Mackay - Leeds Singer Songwriter

The photo above is long overdue, I have photographed this busker in Leeds a couple of times. He is a well known local busker Tristan Mackay, who does a really good version of "All along The Watchtower" which is a song I really like since I saw Hendrix on the Isle of Wight. Tristan was performing on Briggate, Leeds just across from Marks & Spencer.

When I looked up Tristan on Google I found that he was on the BBC's Look North programme and it is on here Tristan Mackay Look North.

Tristan Mackay performing All Along the Watchtower in Leeds city centre posted on Youtube.

Tristan Mackay calls himself "The Bedroom Orchestra" and sells his music online and on the street here in Leeds, Yorkshire.

Matt Belmont Busking Leeds City Centre

The young man in the photo above is Matt Belmont a singer - songwriter busking in Leeds city centre. Matt is stood in front of Debenhams dept store adjacent to Briggate, Leeds.

There were several buskers in Leeds on this Saturday 2 May and by chance I chatted to a couple of street wardens from Leeds city council about buskers and the council is considering issuing licences to buskers. This is already a requirement in some other towns and cities. I think the idea is to improve standards.

Matt Belmont would I think have no problem because he can sing and play the guitar very well. I liked his music and so did a couple of girls not far from me, I think they liked him a lot!

You can hear Matt Belmont at the HiFi Club in Leeds, where he performs regularly.

Oakworth Village Morris Men in Haworth, Yorkshire - Music

In my post showing the Oakworth Village Morris Men in Haworth, Yorkshire I made no mention of the music. You can see the musicians in the photo above playing a melodeon and accordion, these being the usual musical instruments to accompany the dancers.

The Oakworth Village Morris Men have a website and are looking for volunteers to join them.

Oakworth Village Morris Men in Haworth, Yorkshire

In the photo above you can see the badge of the Oakworth village Morris Men. The Oakworth village Morris men were founded in 1981 in the village of Oakworth, Yorkshire. They dance the Cotswold Morris from villages in Oxfordshire.



In the above photo you can see the Oakworth Village Morris Men in mid dance in Haworth Village, Yorkshire.

Sunday School Where Charlotte Bronte Taught - Haworth, Yorkshire

The photo above shows the Sunday school in Haworth, Yorkshire where writer Charlotte Bronte taught. This building is almost opposite the Old Parsonage in Haworth where the Bronte family lived in the 19th century.



The photograph above shows a stone set into the wall on the old Sunday school in Haworth and it reads:

CHARLOTTE BRONTE (1816 - 1855)
TAUGHT AT THIS SCHOOL BUILT
IN 1832 AND RESTORED BY THE
CHURCH IN 1966 WITH HELP FROM
THE BRONTE SOCIETY.

The Leeds Photo Daily will bring you the delights of Morris dancing from Haworth in Yorkshire, England over the next few days!