SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Just looking at BFI north website and found this of John Betjeman in Leeds. Thought it might be of interest. http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-poe ... orth-1968/

[quote="urban rambler"]Just looking at BFI north website and found this of John Betjeman in Leeds. Thought it might be of interest. http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-poe ... north-1968.


Wonderful to see.. Thank you very much indeed.
Shame there was not more as Leeds had /has so much more that could have been shown.

Thanks Urban Rambler, I very much appreciated seeing that short film. I was great to be taken back in time to 1968.

Thanks for the link. Really was quite incredible at how leeds has changed and gow technology that seems primitive to us nowadays seemed advanced to those back then.

Id love to see more videos like this of leeds in the 60s,70s,80s ,90s.

It was a good example back then just how ugly those new buidings were compared to the old. I would have liked to have seen him inside the Civic Hall as i only have had a glimpse once on an episode of "Frost" where his Boss was at a Police Function.
God knows what Sir John would think of the monstrosities that litter the Landscape of Leeds City Centre today.

On the same website is a map from which you can select from a range of films by location. http://player.bfi.org.uk/britain-on-fil ... 11/Leeds//

Hi volvojack i am with you all the way some of the new builds to me look a right mess.But then when money rears its ugly head any thing goes.

I enjoyed watching this film, with its reminder of life in the 1960's. One memory it brought back was of Whitelock's in the days when it had a double existence: at lunchtime, quite an upmarket eatery with really good food, with the place full of businessmen and in the evening, bulging with students when it was one of the in places to go. Youngers No3 was my drink in those far off days.

My memory is that Betjeman was a keen supporter of the Victorian era when it was still completely out of fashion. The contrast between the derelict Strawberries (I was christened in nearby St Bartholemew's) and Seacroft was heresy at the time, but is now recognised as very relevant.

The look around the inside of Spenfield, the luxurious house on Otley Road, was also interesting, but JB didn't draw a direct comparison with that conspicuous wealth and the conditions for the ordinary people of that era.

Leeds Town Hall is certainly a magnificent building but I don't think it could be described as practical today. Inside, the Victoria Hall is an imposing venue: I've attended wonderful concerts there and proudly walked across the stage to my own round of applause when I received a degree. As a police officer, I spent a lot of time polishing the court benches with the seat of my trousers and I've prowled up and down the corridors waiting to give evidence. More recently, I've been to the newer courts nearby, both as a witness and juror, and the new accommodation is better, if less imposing. I've worked in the Bridewell under the Town Hall when it was long last its "use by" date. Apart from the Victoria Hall, I think it's now something of a white elephant which the council tries to find uses for. The Victorians did tend to build memorials to themselves. Morley Town Hall is a smaller copy, in much the same state. Whatever the faults with some modern buildings, they are more easily demolished and replaced when they are no longer suitable.

Overall, a very interesting film and I'm grateful for the link.

Good interesting observations there jma. Regarding your reference to the Seacroft Centre it was conidered to be something really forward thinkingin it's day, they even had a Nightclub and my brother who had a Variety agency booked Bob Monkhouse in there on the opening night. sadly the whole centre became run down very quickly.

Used to work with a Lad who lived in the Strawberry's and his Dad took an Off Licence shop on Amberley Road, he said it was great to have a bath and toilet inside.

What state the Queens Hotel was in,the outside was filthy.
It opened in 1937,Dad worked there from 1938 until he retired in about 1981.
Had a quick internet search to see when it was cleaned,could only find a planning
application in 1995 for disabled access and external cleaning so was it nearly 60 years before
it was cleaned or was there something in between ?
That makes it around 20 years since the last clean.

The Norwich Union building must qualify as one of the worst inflicted on this city.