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Old door bell push buttons.

Posted: Sun 03 Apr, 2016 1:11 pm
by Leodian
Seeing this old door bell push button on the North Street frontage of the old Dispensary made me wonder of the many people that will have used it, at least particularly when the building was still a dispensary that did emergency treatment and if needed also hospitalised them. Admittedly the building's main entrance was (still is) on Hartley Hill but the North Street door may likely have been used a lot. I took these photos on April 1 2016 (not an April Fool prank). The first is a close-up of the button, the second shows the doorway with the button and the nice carving above it and the third is a view of the North Street frontage of this very fine building.

PS. I pressed the bell but heard nothing and nobody came, though I'm not sure what I would have said if someone had come!
Old bell push button on the North Street frontage of the old Dispensary (taken April 1 2016 but not an April Fool prank).
Old bell push button on the North Street frontage of the old Dispensary (taken April 1 2016 but not an April Fool prank).
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Doorway on the North Street  frontage of the old Dispensary with the nice carving and the old door bell push button (taken April 1 2016).
Doorway on the North Street frontage of the old Dispensary with the nice carving and the old door bell push button (taken April 1 2016).
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View of the old Dispensary taken across North Street (taken on  April 1 2016).
View of the old Dispensary taken across North Street (taken on April 1 2016).
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Re: Old door bell push buttons.

Posted: Sun 03 Apr, 2016 1:28 pm
by sparky415
Nice quality building that...they don't make em like that no more..

Re: Old door bell push buttons.

Posted: Sun 03 Apr, 2016 1:30 pm
by Leodian
This is a close-up of an old bell push button marked 'Caretaker' on the Vicar Lane frontage of the recently closed Lloyds Bank at the junction of Vicar Lane and The Headrow. I wonder how long ago it was that pressing the bell would attract the attention of a caretaker? I like old features such as this.

PS. I pressed the bell but I heard nothing and nobody came to the door!
An old bell push button marked 'Caretaker' on the Vicar Lane frontage of the recently closed Lloyds Bank at the junction of Vicar Lane and The Headrow (taken April 2 2016).
An old bell push button marked 'Caretaker' on the Vicar Lane frontage of the recently closed Lloyds Bank at the junction of Vicar Lane and The Headrow (taken April 2 2016).
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View of the doorway with the old bell push button on the Vicar Lane frontage of the recently closed Lloyds Bank (taken April 2 2016).
View of the doorway with the old bell push button on the Vicar Lane frontage of the recently closed Lloyds Bank (taken April 2 2016).
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Re: Old door bell push buttons.

Posted: Sun 03 Apr, 2016 1:32 pm
by Leodian
sparky415 wrote:Nice quality building that...they don't make em like that no more..
Cheers sparky415 :). It's good that there are still some fine old buildings around.

Re: Old door bell push buttons.

Posted: Sun 03 Apr, 2016 3:17 pm
by dogduke
There is a similar in Dorset Avenue,Harehills. AND it WORKS !

Re: Old door bell push buttons.

Posted: Sun 03 Apr, 2016 5:04 pm
by jdbythesea
Crikey! My account is with this branch and my cheque book still shows Vicar Lane Branch (2,The Headrow, LS1 6PN) as the address.
I opened the account in 1968 and still use it as my current a/c. I can't remember the last time I visited but I'm guessing more than 30 years ago. I must add that I use a local branch nowadays nearer home.
I'd better give someone a call.

Re: Old door bell push buttons.

Posted: Sun 03 Apr, 2016 6:09 pm
by volvojack
Leodian wrote:Seeing this old door bell push button on the North Street frontage of the old Dispensary made me wonder of the many people that will have used it, at least particularly when the building was still a dispensary that did emergency treatment and if needed also hospitalised them. Admittedly the building's main entrance was (still is) on Hartley Hill but the North Street door may likely have been used a lot. I took these photos on April 1 2016 (not an April Fool prank). The first is a close-up of the button, the second shows the doorway with the button and the nice carving above it and the third is a view of the North Street frontage of this very fine building.

PS. I pressed the bell but heard nothing and nobody came, though I'm not sure what I would have said if someone had come!
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Don't recall ever seeing that front door in use when I worked in North Street in the 1950s, The times I visited there the entrance was on Hartley hill opposite the car park.

Re: Old door bell push buttons.

Posted: Sun 03 Apr, 2016 7:09 pm
by buffaloskinner
On the few occasions I had the pleasure!! of visiting the dispensary it was always the side entrance.

Re: Old door bell push buttons.

Posted: Mon 04 Apr, 2016 2:48 pm
by MiggyBill
Here's an old bell push from inside Leeds Station, opposite to where KFC/McD's/Subway are in the lovely art deco vestibule. I presume it is one of the doors leading into The Queens Hotel. I pressed it but no porter came!

Re: Old door bell push buttons.

Posted: Mon 04 Apr, 2016 3:47 pm
by warringtonrhino
Leodian wrote:This is a close-up of an old bell push button marked 'Caretaker' on the Vicar Lane frontage of the recently closed Lloyds Bank at the junction of Vicar Lane and The Headrow. I wonder how long ago it was that pressing the bell would attract the attention of a caretaker? I like old features such as this.

PS. I pressed the bell but I heard nothing and nobody came to the door!
868R.jpg
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In a previous life, :D I went through that door hundreds of times.
It was the entrance to Kitson & Partners Chartered Architects, who occupied all of the floors above the bank.