View From Centenary Bridge Leeds

This picture shows a view along the river Aire as seen from Centenary Bridge on the Leeds waterfront.

On the left of the photo are group of young people, there is snow there and the dock behind them is frozen over.

I posted a night time view looking in across Centenary bridge towards Brewery Wharf, Leeds here on the LDP. This photo has an interesting shutter speed effect due to the light or rather the lack of it.

WW1 Tommy - Leeds

This is a World War 1 Tommy as presented by Richard Hollick an interpreter of history at the Royal Armouries museum here in Leeds. Richard is holding a real WW1 era Lee-Enfield bolt action rifle with bayonet fixed.

The British soldier during WWI was referred to as Tommy, this had been so since the 19th century but it was especially so during the Great War. The Germans would shout across no mans land "Tommy", the French also called the common British soldier Tommy.

You can see another interpreter at the Royal Armouries museum, Carla Starkey as Florence Nightingale "the lady with the lamp" here.

Daily at the museum a team of interpreters bring history to life by playing various characters from the past. There are several photographs of museum staff member Andrew Balmforth here on the Leeds daily photo

Whatever happened to Coal?

Given the cold and bleak weather here in Yorkshire these last few days the one thing my friend has at her place that I really miss not having at mine is this pretend coal fire.

It may not be real but it makes her sitting room very cosy and her cats really like snoozing in front of it.

Lady With The Lamp - Leeds, Yorkshire

This is Florence Nightingale portrayed by Carla Starkey at the Royal Armouries museum here in Leeds.

I caught the Lady with the Lamp just before Christmas, I had really prior to this only been interested in the jousting at the Royal Armouries museum, Leeds. But I thought Carla was excellent and as an interpreter of history really brought Florence Nightingale to life.

Bleak Midwinter - Yorkshire

This photograph was taken midway between Barden Bridge and Burnsall here in thr Yorkshire Dales National Park a few days back.

As you can see the snow cover was quite heavy, I had trouble walking across open ground.

Road Less Travelled - Yorkshire

Today here in England it is the holiday of Boxing day, December 26th when traditionally the Christmas Box was opened and shared amongst the poor.

These days it is often a day when families will go together for a walk into the countryside.

So today my photograph is of the road less travelled, in this case a bit of road between Barden Tower and the village of Burnsall in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

I walked this stretch of road a few days back to get some pictures of the snowfall here in Yorkshire.

Lion in Winter - Saltaire, Yorkshire

Merry Christmas! Here at last. This photo is one I could not miss taking, I walk past this lion in Saltaire, Yorkshire most days on my way into Leeds.

There are 4 lions in Saltaire and this day there was quite a bit of snow.

Sign of Christmas - Leeds in Yorkshire

The sign in the photograph says it all or nearly all "Celebrate Xmas in Leeds", though I for one am not really a fan of the shortened Xmas rather than Christmas.

The sign also shows 2 owls the symbol of the city of Leeds and is one of many Christmas lights strung up above the street of Briggate in Leeds city centre.

Today Christmas eve my Leeds in Yorkshire daily photo blog is one year old. I would like to thank all those visitors to my blog over the year for their comments and suggestions and also indeed just for dropping by. This especially applies to the City Daily Photo community, for community we are despite being sometimes on different continents.

I listened today to a feature today on the BBC about the men who play Santa Claus each year and that it is to them about a message of hope for the future. What more can any of us ask and I would go along with that.

I would like to wish all my readers a Very Happy Christmas.

Barden Bridge Yorkshire

Following on from yesterdays photo of the recent snowfall around Barden in the Yorkshire dales national park this photograph shows a view of the nearby bridge.

The red smudge near the centre of the bridge is a lone walker who like me was out enjoying the snow on foot.

I guess like many here in England a few days of snow is enough for me and the Leeds in Yorkshire daily photo will resume pictures and stories about the city of Leeds shortly.

Gate in Snow Yorkshire

With the recent snowfall here in Leeds I thought I would go and have a look at the snow further afield and drove up towards Burnsall in North Yorkshire.

My car is not really suited for snow so I turned back at Barden and parked up adjacent to Braden Tower to adventure further on foot. There was a lot more snow here than I had so far seen around Leeds perhaps 8-10 inches in places.

The trees and dry stone walls were covered in snow and so I took a few photographs for the Leeds in Yorkshire daily photo.

I liked the view between the bars of the gate in the above photo.

Yorkshire Churchyard in Winter

Picture of Leeds Churchyard of Saint Mark in Winter.

Whilst walking through Woodhouse, just north of Leeds city centre towards the university I saw a church I had not yet visited in the distance and discovered the now disused church of Saint Mark, Woodhouse, Leeds .

Surrounding the church is a now rather uncared for and overgrown churchyard with mostly Victorian graves, some of them quite impressive. The day was very cold with snow on the ground and this added to the rather desolate feel of the place.

Beer Glass - Alone in the Snow, Leeds

Whilst looking for a snow picture for this blog about the city of Leeds in Yorkshire, I saw the above and could not miss taking this photograph.

Since the ban on smoking inside public buildings and especially bars and public houses you often find people drinking outside whilst having a cigarette. I think whoever left this glass must have been really cold at the time. I noticed this pint beer glass rather frosty and partly frozen on a low wall in Mandela Gardens on Millennium Square in Leeds city centre. In the background of the picture you can see the two towers of the Leeds civic hall.

Snow Comes to Leeds in Yorkshire

If you live in England I will not be telling you something new, but snow has fallen here in Leeds, Yorkshire for the first time this winter.

I like my snow, as the saying goes, deep and crisp and even, not something we get here very often. More likely we get it slushy and wet. Yes, I do know it is from a hymn (I was a chorister).

This photograph taken by me yesterday, once I took my gloves off, shows a view of Mandela gardens on the edge of Millennium Square, Leeds. In the background of the picture is the Electric Press building.

I was in the crowd here to see Nelson Mandela open these gardens and receive the Freedom of the City of Leeds on April 30 2001. He famously said how happy he was to be in Liverpool!

Handmade Bricks - Temple Newsam Home Farm, Leeds

This photo shows a small section of wall, constructed of handmade bricks, part of the stable block on the Temple Newsam Estate near Leeds.

I love these old bricks, the colour and texture is wonderful and the fact that they are all irregular in both shape and size. Until 1850 bricks here in the UK were made by hand using wooden moulds. Bricks are made from 3 ingredients sand, clay and water and until the coming of the railway the clay would mostly be local. The various colours seen in bricks are due to the differing clays used, with the red brick coming from iron in the clay.

The bricks in this picture are laid in a pattern called Old English Bond, this being the earliest pattern of brick laying.

I am still having computer problems so this post is a bit out of sequence.

Detail - Henry Moore Statue, Leeds City Art Gallery

This photo shows a face on view of the Henry Moore statue of a reclining woman that is outside the Leeds city art gallery.

I posted a photograph of the statue from a rear angle a short while ago, you can view the Henry Moore statue, Leeds here

This was not the planned picture for today but I had a serious computer problem and it is now 01:44, so this is it for today.

Angel of Peace - War Memorial, Leeds

I got a very unusual view of the War Memorial in Leeds city centre last week and I like to think of myself as observant.

So today I offer you the above view of the city of Leeds war memorial in a photograph taken by myself as is all the photography on the Leeds daily photo. (Unless otherwise credited).

I am becoming more adventurous with my photography, as can be seen by this image. When I cropped this prior to posting here I liked the 2 people looking up at me.



The above image shows a view of a statue in bronze of the Angel of Peace that stands atop the Leeds war memorial this being the work of Ian Judd, a local Leeds sculptor. The original statue "Winged Victory" by Henry Charles Fehr (1867-1940) was damaged in a storm in 1965 was installed at Cottingly crematorium deteriorated and was melted down by the council. The head survived and is in Leeds art gallery.

H C Fehr was the sulptor who created the various bronzes on the Leeds war memorial when it was unveiled on 14th October 1922 by Viscount Lascelles (he commanded 3rd Grenadier Guards in WW1) in City Square, Leeds. A changed traffic layout meant the memorial was moved to its current location in Victoria Gardens on the Headrow in 1937.

Holoman - Performing at the Rose Bowl, Leeds

This is a photograph taken of US singer Holoman who is now a Leeds resident performing at a black tie function held at the Rose Bowl, Leeds.

When I was invited to take a few photos I was pleased because I liked Holoman and also I had not yet been inside the new home of Leeds Business School.



The above photo shows Jake Timothy with Holoman at the end of the performance. Mr Timothy is a Neurosurgeon here in Leeds and was the organizer of the the function held for Leeds Neurosurgery clinicians.

Sebastian John and Fans in Leeds

Sometimes the picture you get is not quite the one you first thought of.

This photograph of Leeds singer songwriter Sebastian John started out with a few girls sitting on the cold pavement on Briggate, Leeds listening to his music. They were joined by more friends, then Sebastian joined them and this photo is the result.



The original Photograph of Sebastian John performing on Briggate, Leeds this early evening with the Christmas lights in the background can be seen above.

I love real music performed by people live and here in the city of Leeds we are I think fortunate to have many talented musicians like Sebastian. I am pleased to be able to feature them on the Leeds in Yorkshire daily photo.

Hannah Trigwell On a Cold Street - Leeds

I chatted to Leeds singer songwriter Hannah Trigwell a couple of days ago and took a few photos.

Hannah was busking in Leeds city centre on Albion Place when I caught up with her. This day was a far cry from the summer when I first photographed Hannah Trigwell for my Leeds in Yorkshire daily photo, it being a very cold day. Hannah as you can see in the above photo was wearing gloves against the cold.

Hannah is no longer the only young and talented 18 year old performing here on the streets of Leeds. There is now also at 18 another Leeds singer songwriter Sebastian John. I spoke with Sebastian on the day I took this picture and got some more photos of him and a group of fans which I will post here on the LDP tomorrow.

Christmas Tree Night - City Square Leeds

I am not a fan of Christmas coming early, so here 2 weeks before Christmas day is a view of the Christmas Tree in City Square Leeds, alight with lights at night.

There is more to the story of this Christmas tree here in the city of Leeds than one might think.

Bridgewater Place, Leeds - Waterfront Dusk

This photo shows a view of Bridgewater Place, Leeds from Granary Wharf at Dusk.

I had been walking around Broadcasting Place and also the University of Leeds looking to add to the number of Leeds Civic Trust blue plaque structures that I have pictures of.

Bridgewater Place may be the tallest building here in Yorkshire but there are not too many places to get a decent view of this building. This image is looking out across the Leeds-Liverpool canal from Granary Wharf on the Leeds Waterfront. On the left of this picture you can see one end of the 18th century Leeds and Liverpool canal company warehouse.

My photography of Leeds here in the heart of Yorkshire is available in high resolution either in print form, on disc or by digital download.

Broadcasting Tower, Broadcasting Place, Leeds

This photo is another view of Broadcasting Tower, on Broadcasting Place part of the Leeds Met campus here in Leeds, Yorkshire.

This view of Broadcasting Tower is looking at the structure from the base sideways on and really highlights the unusual design of the new building on the Leeds skyline.

Sculpture Henry Moore - Victoria Gardens, Leeds

This statue of a reclining woman in bronze by the renowned Yorkshire sculptor Henry Moore is outside the Leeds city art gallery.

This large scale work of art is titled Reclining Woman: Elbow 1981 and is by the entrance to the extension dedicated to the work of Henry Moore at the city art gallery on Victoria Gardens here in Leeds city centre.

In the background of the picture you can see the clock tower of Leeds town hall.

Statue Sir Peter Fairbairn - Leeds

Like the similar Victorian statue of Duke of Wellington on Woodhouse Moor in Leeds this statue has I think suffered at the hands of students. Although a traffic cone is easily removed also the road sign resting on the plinth.

This statue is of Sir Peter Fairbairn who was mayor of Leeds at the time Queen Victoria opened Leeds Town Hall and at the ceremony the Queen knighted him.

The statue in bronze by Yorkshire sculptor Matthew Noble was erected in 1868 in the prosperous Woodhouse Square not far from the Leeds General Infirmary.

The son of Sir Peter Fairbairn also became mayor of Leeds and an MP for Otley as well as being chairman of the Leeds School Board.

Broadcasting Tower, Leeds Met

This building that has taken shape in the Leeds skyline over the last couple of years is Broadcasting Tower, part of the Leeds Met Broadcasting Place development.

I have not really been up close to Broadcasting Place prior to going there to get a few photos, but like it or loathe it this rusty looking tower stands out.

The Broadcasting Tower is a 226ft 69m student accommodation block for Leeds Met with 23 floors being completed at the end of this summer

Broadcasting place takes in the Broadcasting Tower, Old Broadcasting House (former home of BBC) and a few other buildings off Woodhouse Lane, Leeds

Nelson Inn Armley, Leeds

I walked past this old pub on my way back from the Make Bake and Grow in Armley, Leeds and could not resist taking a few photos.

This photo shows the Nelson Inn, a pub in Armley not far from Leeds city centre at the time of the photo it is closed down. Being a bit of a buff on the history of the Napoleonic period I love the name of this Inn and find it sad that it should be shut.



On the Nelson Inn there is a Blue Plaque from the Leeds Civic Trust and it reads..

SAMUEL LEDGARD
(1874- 1952)

Was landlord here 1896-1952.
The renowned private operator of bus
And coach services in Yorkshire, in a remarkable
career he was also a farmer, brewer,
garage proprietor, quarry owner, haulage contractor
and caterer to royalty and the nobility.

Samuel Ledgard's father had the Angel Inn on Briggate in Leeds city centre, an old pub about which I shall post a story about on my Leeds in Yorkshire daily photo at a later date.

Winter Comes to Leeds in Yorkshire

I was walking through Leeds past the LGI (Leeds General Infirmary)towards the Swarthmore Centre. Heading towards another Leeds Blue Plaque to photograph and write a little about for this blog when I noticed that there were no leaves on the trees I was walking past.

So here today are a few berries on a tree adjacent to St Georges Church now that winter has come again to Yorkshire.

Leeds and Liverpool Canal Warehouse - Leeds

Like many people here in Leeds have quite often seen and passed by the building in the above photo knowing only that it is an old building on the Leeds - Liverpool canal.

This building was built as a warehouse on the Leeds and Liverpool canal by the Leeds and Liverpool canal company in 1777. The former warehouse is stone built and is now a Grade II* listed building. In the 1990's the building was renovated and is today home to offices and a restaurant.

On the day I took these photographs it was cold, overcast and I was surprised to see someone fishing. The yellow sign in the photo is an advert for the new Granary Wharf development, Leeds on the other side of the canal to this old warehouse.



This Blue Plaque is on the rear of the warehouse facing the canal and I only noticed it when walking along the canal the day I took these pictures. The blue plaque by Leeds Civic Trust reads:

Leeds and Liverpool Canal Warehouse

In 1777 this robust stone building
was constructed as a terminal
warehouse for the Leeds and Liverpool canal.
Started in 1770, the canal was finally completed
in 1816 at a cost of £1,200,000 - nearly five
times the original estimate.

Borders Bookshop Briggate, Leeds - Closing Down

Anyone who thinks that the current economic climate is anything but chilly (Gordon Brown for example) only need look at the high streets of our towns and cities.

This photo shows the entrance on Briggate, Leeds of the Borders bookshop a few days back, the white A4 notices on the doors say that the company went into administration last Thursday. Borders the book group run 45 bookshops around the UK and although the administrators say they are trying to sell them as a going concern it does not look good for the company and especially the 1,150 employees.



Here in Leeds city centre the Borders store is holding a closing down sale as can be seen by the new signs by the entrance in the photograph above. I took this photograph on Monday and for a book lover like me this is a sad day. If and when this Borders bookshop closes for the final time there will be only one major bookshop in Leeds city centre and that is Waterstones.

Sebastian John - Leeds Singer Songwriter

This photo shows a young man playing guitar and singing on Briggate in Leeds city centre.

I had a few words with this busker and asked if I could feature him on my Leeds in Yorkshire daily photo and he said yes.

I had not seen him before, he plays well and can sing. He is sebastian John and yes he is young being 18 years of age. It was a cold, clear and sunny day last week when I took his photograph and I was not surprised to notice he was wearing cutoff finger gloves.

Sebastian John plays guitar and the piano and can be seen playing in Leeds city centre courtesy of Guitarjed on youtube.. Sebastian John, Leeds

Briggate, Leeds is a popular place for buskers to perfom in Leeds city centre another young Leeds singer songwriter is Hannah Trigwell.

Tamworth Piglets Loose at Temple Newsam Home Farm

One of the really nice things about the Home Farm on the Temple Newsam estate near Leeds is that he public can get up close and personal with farm livestock like these piglets. Until they grow too big for the bars that keep them in they have free run of the farm yard.

The piglets in the photo are a breed of pig called Tamworth, the farm at Temple Newsam is a rare breeds centre and the largest in Europe.

The Tamworth breed pig originated in Sir Robert Peel's Drayton Manor Estate at Tamworth, Staffordshire, after the existing herd was interbred from 1812 with pigs from Ireland known as 'Irish Grazers', that Peel had seen in Ireland in 1809. Tamworth pigs are of a ginger to red colouration, is hardy and well disposed to people.

Sadly these fine pigs are no longer popular with commercial pig farmers and as because of this they are not as common as they at once were and the population is under threat hence you can see them here at Temple Newsam not far from Leeds.