Black Horse Statue - Leeds

Picture of Lloyds Bank Black Horse Statue Leeds.

I have been meaning to revisit this statue in Leeds city centre for a while now and today as I walked along Park Row, I thought now is as good a time as any.

This statue in steel by sculptor Peter Tysoe "The Black Horse" 1976 is outside the Lloyds Bank on Park Row in the finance district of Leeds city centre, it was installed when the building was completed.

Treasures Revealed in Leeds Festival 2011

Picture of stained glass window at All Souls Church Leeds.

This window is filled with beautifully made glass and I guess it would, if not in the window of a church, not look out of place in an art gallery.

Over the next few days, from Saturday 30th April - Sunday 8th May, 31 different places of Worship across Leeds will open their doors to the public at various times and reveal the many and varied treasures within them.

Treasures Revealed in Leeds is now in its 6th year and you can pick up a leaflet in tourist offices or participating Places of Worship. Details are also available on-line at Treasures Revealed in Leeds.

I know and have visited for this blog several of the participating places of worship including the Anglican church All Souls, in which is the above stained glass window. Also the church of St. John the Evangelist, Wortley de Leeds.

Right in the city centre is the Catholic cathedral of Saint Anne. Also in Leeds city centre is Leeds Parish Church.

I have yet to visit most of the other places that are open over the next nine days, but I will try to visit at least a few of them during the festival.

Bluebells In Leeds Churchyard

Picture of bluebell flowers in Leeds churchyard.

I photographed these bluebells growing wild in the churchyard at St Marks, Woodhouse a few days ago.

I tried to get a headstone in the photo I wanted to to take, but gave up after not wanting to get down on my hands and knees as I often do for the right picture. I quite like the wildness of the churchyard here, but there are far to many broken bottles and bits of glass and other nasty hazards lying on the surface. So I abandoned my usual technique and found somewhere I felt was clear of debris adjacent to some bluebells, rather than line up what I wanted in the picture and then get down and personal to the subject.

Shy Statue in Leeds

Picture of Shy statue in City Square Leeds.

I took this photo of one of the statues by Alfred Drury in City Square Leeds, lots of people have taken a similar picture of this statue, so I thought what if she were shy...

Apple Blossom in Leeds

Picture of Apple Blossom in Leeds.

Walking along Blackman Lane on my way back to the Leeds city centre from All Souls Church I saw an apple tree with blossom on it, hence the above photo.

I love this time of year, the days are warmer and longer and many of the trees are easier to identify because of the new leaves and or flowers on them.

Roger Stevens Building Fountains

Picture of Leeds University Roger Stevens Building with fountains.

I first posted a picture of the Roger Stevens building on the Leeds University campus about a year ago.

I recently walked through the campus and passed the building and was surprised to note that the fountains were working and there are some quite nice seats around the water feature that were not here last time I was here.

The photograph above of the Roger Stevens Building, showing water feature with fountains was taken a few days ago.

Happy Easter

Picture of one of the stations of the cross at All Souls Church Leeds.

My picture today is an Easter picture, not that when I took the above photo at All Souls Church, Leeds a few days back I had this in mind. However it is I think appropriate to remember that Easter is not just about chocolate eggs and bunnies.

This wood carving, by Anton Dapre (1877-1981) was carved 1949-50 and is one of Stations of the Cross on the walls of All Souls.

Happy Easter and in the words of Dave Allen.. "May your god go with you".

The Edge - University of Leeds

Picture of The Edge Leeds University Sport centre.

The Edge on Willow Terrace on the campus at the University of Leeds comprises a swimming pool, gymnasium, fitness and facilities for sports science.

Wild But Not a Weed

Picture of cowslip wild flower on University of Leeds campus.

Walking through the campus of Leeds University I was surprised to see a couple of cowslip wild flowers growing in a lawn just across from The Edge the recently opened sports centre.

Unlike the recent dandelion flower that I posted about recently, this cowslip would I think be classed as a wildflower rather than a weed.

Yorkshire Bank Leeds

Picture of Yorkshire Bank Head Office Leeds.

A few days back I posted a picture of the Head Office building of the Yorkshire Bank here in Leeds on Merrion way, that photo was a side view.

The above photo of the Yorkshire Bank HQ is of the front with the main entrance.

Dandelions - Weeds or Flowers

Picture of dandelion flowers in Leeds.

I have spoken to a couple of gardeners in the last week and both thought that this year there has been a bumper crop of dandelions here in Yorkshire.

I am not sure how true this is but there does seem to be quite a few around where I have walked the last couple of days. I photographed these dandelions at Blenheim Square in Leeds this afternoon.

Whilst I am generally a lover of wild flowers, I am not really sure about dandelions, are they weeds or flowers?

A Big Yes For AV in Leeds

Picture of Yes Campaigner for AV vote in Leeds.

Whilst in City Square in Leeds city centre I came across someone campaigning for a yes vote for AV in the referendum on Thursday May 5 2011.

The referendum is to be a simple majority yes/no question as to whether to replace the current First Past the Post (FPTP) electoral system used in general elections with the Alternative Vote (AV) system.

My view on the vote is simple, the Communist Party and the Sun newspaper are both against AV, I think that this tells me all I need to know!

The buildings in this picture of a view of City Square Leeds are from left the former Majestic cinema, the former Leeds General Post Office and lastly the much more recent office building No 1 City Square. Directly behind the Yes campaigner is the tall bronze statue of the Black Prince

Vaisakhi Festival Leeds 2

Picture of Sikhs TV interview Leeds.

This young woman is a reporter with Sikhs TV here in the UK and she and her cameraman were in Leeds at the Vaisakhi Festival talking to people for the station.

Picture of Leeds Vaisakhi Musicians.

These 3 musicians/ singers are I think from a sikh temple in Leeds and are on the platform at the front of the civic hall on Millennium Square, Leeds.

Vaisakhi Festival Leeds

Picture of Fabian Hamilton MP speaking at the 2011 Vaisakhi festival in Leeds.

By chance I attended the Sikh Vaisakhi festival in Leeds yesterday. Vaisakhi Day celebrates both the Sikh New Year and the anniversary of the establishment of Khalsa in 1699.

The above photo shows Leeds North East MP Fabian Hamilton giving a short speech to the many members of the Sikh community in Millennium Square in front of the Civic Hall.

Picture of Vaisakhi Day celebrations by the Sikh community in Leeds.

I am sorry to say that I have no idea what these young men are doing, but it drew a large crowd.

I will post some more pictures from the Vaisakhi Day here in Leeds tomorrow.

Cat Sitting on Fence

Picture of ginger cat.

I see this ginger cat quite often, I have a friend with a very similar one, but this is not the same cat this one being far more adventurous than the one that lives with my friend.

Former Sheepscar Library Leeds

Picture of Former Sheepscar Library on Chapletown Road Leeds.

There is much talk of the closure of various public libraries both here in Leeds and also elsewhere across England as councils struggle to balance the books.

With this in mind my picture today is a building that was opened as the Sheepscar Branch Library in 1938 on the junction of Roundhay Road and Chapletown Road.

Today this building, having long since closed its doors as a library, is now home to the Leeds Office of the West Yorkshire Archive Service.

Whilst I have never been inside this building I have found them most helpful on the telephone, whilst I was and indeed am still looking for the burial records (showing plot details) for the churchyard of Saint Mark in Woodhouse here in Leeds. Amongst the various records held here are the ecclesiastical records of Ripon, much of Anglican Leeds and some of Bradford.

I am planning to visit the West Yorkshire Archives office in Leeds in the above building to hopefully do some research both about some of the churches here in Leeds but also to find out more about what it is they do.

Black Prince Statue Leeds - Panel

Picture of battle panel on plinth of Black Prince Statue Leeds

Traveling through Leeds train station quite often, I walk through City Square and sometimes admire the large equestrian sculpture of the Black Prince by Thomas Brock that is the centerpiece of the layout of the square.

On the tall stone plinth on which the statue stands there are a couple of bronze panels showing I think a scene from perhaps the battle of Crecy or maybe Poitiers, one of which is the subject of the above photo.

On the sculpted panel you can see Edward the black prince on his mount behind the English archers directing an attack.

Mural Leeds City Centre

Picture of mural Leeds city centre.

This mural painted onto the side of a building between Kikgate market and the Corn Exchange in Leeds city centre is nicely done and has been there for as long as I can recall.

I know nothing about this mural, neither the name of the artist(s) or what it is supposed represent. There are very few murals in the here in Leeds, this being the only one I can think of, though of course there may be others?

Worlds Tallest Student Block

Picture of Sky Plaza Building Leeds.

This tall building is the Sky Plaza and when it was completed in 2009 it was for a short while the tallest student housing block in the world, standing as it does at 37 stories and 103 metres high. This record only lasted for about a year, but by Leeds and Yorkshire standards it is a pretty tall building, being the 2nd tallest building in both Leeds and Yorkshire, after Bridgewater Place, Leeds.

The Sky Plaza building is close to the Yorkshire Bank head office building just across Claypit Lane.

Yorkshire Bank HQ Leeds

Picture of Yorkshire Bank HQ building Leeds.

This view of the Yorkshire Bank head office building on Merrion Way here in Leeds shows the side of the building seen from Lovell Park Road across a construction site.

Founded a little over 150 years ago on the 1st May 1859, the Yorkshire started life as the West Riding Penny Savings Bank and around a year later the name changed to the Yorkshire Penny Bank. A hundred years after its founding the name changed again to Yorkshire Bank Limited.

The bank lost its independence in 1911, being taken over by a consortium of British Banks and in 1990 it was sold to National Australia Bank. The Yorkshire has branches mostly across the North of England with a few scattered further south.

Busking in the Leeds Sunshine

Picture of busker on Briggate in Leeds city centre.

This last few days the weather here in Leeds has been very sunny and warm too.

Here on Briggate I said hi to someone I have not seen for some months, Holoman who hails from the US but now is part of the Leeds music scene. Here in the city of Leeds we have I think some of the best street musicians around and in my view Holoman is up there with the very best.

Holoman has a great voice and knows how to give a good performance and on this sunny afternoon there were quite a few people stopped to catch some of his songs.

A Victorian Tragedy in Leeds

Picture of memorial cross in churchyard of St John the Evangelist church Wortley de Leeds.

From a distance or from any angle but the front this memorial cross in the churchyard of the church of St John the Evangelist in Wortley, Leeds would not rate a second glance, there are many similar memorials in most churchyards.

The words on the memorial give some small idea of the tragedy that befell this small community on New Years Day 1891. On that day there was to be a performance by children of the Wortley church school in the old hall, their costumes caught fire before the performance and 11 girls died in this terrible accident.

The cross in the churchyard was erected in their memory on the 19th July 1891.

Picture of detail on fire memorial cross at Wortley churchyard, Leeds.

Even after 120 years the words on this simple memorial have the power to make this old soldier feel sad.

To the glory of god,
and in loving memory of eleven children,
who lost their lives through accident by fire,
In Wortley church school,
New Years Day 1891.

Emily Lister, aged 12 years
Harriet Riley, aged 11 years
Ada Whitteron, aged 11 years
Maggie Kitchen, aged 12 years
Emily Sanderson, aged 9 years
Elizabeth Tingle, aged 12 Years
Ethel Fieldhouse, aged 13 years
Clarissa Roberts, aged 11 years
Florrie Elwell Brookes, aged 9 years
Caroline Eveline Steel, aged 9 years
Julia Florence Anderson, Aged 9 years

This memorial was erected by members of the congregation and other friends.

Church of St. John the Evangelist, Wortley

Picture of Church of St. John the Evangelist, Wortley de Leeds.

On the day I visited the church of St. John the Evangelist, Wortley de Leeds the grass in the churchyard had been very recently cut. The churchyard has quite a few upright Victorian memorials and headstones and is in far better condition than several others I have visited in Leeds.

This view of the church is from the churchyard and is partly obstructed by several trees. The churchyard of St Johns has been turned into a wildlife trail with markers naming various trees, shrubs and other things of interest.

The current church was built in 1898 and replaced a former church that was built on this site in 1787.

Smith and Farrier in Victorian Wortley, Leeds

Picture of Headstone of Smith family in the churchyard of St John the Evangelist, Wortley de Leeds.

I love wandering around old churchyards, looking at the headstones of people who are now long gone. Looking for clues about the stories that lie behind these often stark words engraved on a slab of stone. Sometimes they merely state the name, the dates of birth and death and more rarely they gives clues about the life they once lived.

The above photograph taken by me a couple of days back in the churchyard of St John the Evangelist, Wortley de Leeds gives a little more info.

The headstone reads..

Sacred to the memory of Mary the beloved Wife of David Smith, Smith and Farrier of Wortley. Who departed this life September 11th 1847 aged 43 years.
Also Mary Ann and David, children of the above who died in their infancy.
Also Hannah second wife of the above who died October 9th 1873 Aged 63 Years.
Also the above David Smith born October 13th 1808 Died April 23rd 1874.

I love that the stonemason missed out the "e" in Farrier and add a little one after the initial lettering.

Of more sobering note is that David and his beloved Mary had two children die in infancy, this being sadly quite common during this period. I will shortly see if I can perhaps find out a little more about the Smith family of Wortley here in Leeds.

Churchyard Flowers Wortley Leeds

Picture of Churchyard Flowers Wortley Leeds.

I walked around a small churchyard in Wortley, Leeds today. I had walked past the Victorian church a couple of times years ago and thought I would take a look as I was nearby this afternoon.

The grass had been cut recently and there were quite a few daffodils growing in amongst the grass. This Anglican church is called St John the Evangelist, Wortley De Leeds.

There are a few interesting memorials in the graveyard, but more of that tomorrow.

Gone But Not Forgotten

At the end of the afternoon on the final day of shows by the in house team of interpreters at the Royal Armouries it was a bit like the end of term at school with a final photograph.

I would like to name these people but I only know around half of those in the photo and also I usually ask them before I put it up on the LDP. Not that it really matters, they know who they are.

It must be official now, the YEP reported the story in an "exclusive" on Saturday, I have just noticed. Sadly all but I think one person in the above photo no longer has a job at the Royal Armouries.

I like to think this is not the end but a new beginning, one door closes and another one opens. Finally I wish all of them the very best for the future and who knows perhaps I will encounter them again in the future.

Knights Battle at Royal Armouries Leeds

Picture of knights in armour at Royal Armouries museum Leeds.

This photo was the last of the days interpretations and the last for the interpretation department at the Royal Armouries Museum Leeds, so the was a good crowd watching.

This photo shows Andy Deane and Andrew Balmforth (back to camera) giving a demonstration of 15th century pollaxe combat wearing late medieval foot combat armour. Anyone who thinks a knight was fairly safe in a suit of armour should hold a pollaxe and imagine what this heavy duty "tin opener" would do to the person at the business end!

Picture of Andrew Balmforth in foot combat armour at royal armouries museum Leeds.

I thought it only right that both Andy and Andrew should be pictured on this their last battle.

This short series of picture of the interpreters of the Royal Armouries museum here in Leeds will finish with the final picture tomorrow.

Annie Oakley Never Came To Leeds

Picture of Annie Oakley at Leeds Royal Armouries Museum.

I took this photo of Carla in the role of Annie Oakley at the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds. I had met Carla before and she posed for me as the lady with the lamp Florence Nightingale.

Carla and I discussed Annie Oakley and the fact that she was a member of Buffalo Bills Show and had visited Yorkshire with the show back in 1887. I knew already that Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show had visited Leeds with the show being camped at Burley Park in the city. I think the closest Annie came to Leeds was a show in Sheffield.

I know that Carla looks at my blog and I also know that she is taking a short holiday in the sun about now, I hope you have a great vacation and all the best for the future!

Last Gunfight at Royal Armouries Museum Leeds

Picture of last gunfight at Royal Armouries Museum Leeds.

Having visited the Royal Armouries Museum a couple of days back here is another of a small series of photos of the interpreters either during of after a performance.

This photo shows David Eliot and Andy Deane dressed as gunfighters of the old West, set during the 1880s. David and Andy are stood in the amphitheatre with the Royal Armouries building on the left.

I have called this post The Last Gunfight at the Royal Armouries because as of now the interpretation department has gone and so have the staff.

Swordplay in Leeds

Picture of Swordfight at the Royal Armouries museum Leeds.

I took this photo at the Royal Armouries museum at Clarence Dock here in Leeds yesterday. These are two of the interpreters on the staff of the museum dressed as 18th Century Swordsmasters giving an idea of the techniques used with small swords by gentlemen of the Georgian period for self defence.

I have visited the Armouries several times over the last couple of years and I had not caught this interpretation before and I found it interesting and well done.

I would like to be able to suggest that you look in to the armouries and catch a couple of these fine interpretations, however this was the last day that they will be performed here at the Royal Armouries in Leeds. Due to financial cutbacks at the museum, this week was the last for many employees at the armouries in Leeds.

The horses at the armouries were disposed of this week, but I am happy to report that Copper a fine mare that I met when Andrew Balmforth introduced me to her has gone to a new home near Leeds having been acquired by a member of staff.