SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

I’m intrigued by this photo I saw on Facebook of cattle being driven past Quarry Hill flats. It’s been suggested that they were probably coming from a train at Hunslet goods yard and across Crown Point Bridge but as far as I can see in old maps, the abattoir was at the side of the market on New York street so there would be no need to go past Quarry Hill. I understand this was a regular occurrence and am interested to know where livestock would have been coming from and going to on the photo?

Will have been unloaded at Marsh Lane Goods Yard

While Marsh Lane Goods Yard is a possibility, my experiences in the 1950s (I worked in all the main Leeds goods yards as an apprentice maintenance fitter) suggest that the most likely source for cattle by rail would have been Hunslet Lane Goods - I never saw cattle unloaded elsewhere. Route would have been Kidacre Street/Hunslet Lane/Crown Point Road/Duke Street.

[I think you are on the button Jim, i lived just around the corner from the Hunslet Goods Yard now Crown Point Shopping Centre a massive goods yard in the past.You would never know it had been there if it was not for the old track way at the top just below what was Pottery Fields.

I worked at all three goods stations mentioned in the very early sixties.2 3 or 4 months spells at Hunslet East,about 10 months at Hunlet Lane,general office work and about 6 weeks at the Shannon St entrance of Marsh Lane operating the weighbridge of the bulk cement lorries(top right hand corner if the map)
I never saw any cattle and have no recollection of a cattle dock,but my money would be on Marsh lane and the short walk to the abattoir compared to the other 2
Cattle moves were.more varied then but in later years they were only Irish cattle via Holyhead to a few selected destinations,York Hogate Dock was the nearest one I knew of and that wss late 60's early 70's
Will be meeting up with some old colleagues soon,they might remember something

Hi Dogduke. Cattle dock and pens at H/Lane were between Heinz's warehouse and the bonded warehouse, backing onto Kidacre Street. Marsh Lane dock and pens backed onto Shannon Road (not Shannon Street as folk might think). Very little livestock in the 50s and 60s. Never saw any at Marsh Lane, and a scattering at Hunslet Lane. Obviously both facilities would have been far more intensely used pre-WW2, but most info seems to indicate H/L as the last major use. I had both yards as my personal ODM responsibility (all areas) for different two year periods in the 60s, ML first. Sporadic visits to both in the 50s. Indeed I went to H/L on my first day's employment at ODM!

jim wrote: ↑

Tue 20 Jun, 2023 1:40 pm

While Marsh Lane Goods Yard is a possibility, my experiences in the 1950s (I worked in all the main Leeds goods yards as an apprentice maintenance fitter) suggest that the most likely source for cattle by rail would have been Hunslet Lane Goods - I never saw cattle unloaded elsewhere. Route would have been Kidacre Street/Hunslet Lane/Crown Point Road/Duke Street.

I can see that looking at a 60s map but wouldn’t they then have turned left up New York street so wouldn’t have walked past Quarry Hill?

It's all aling time ago but!
I have no recollection of the one certain feature.
I never saw any cow muck at any of there places.

The Holyhead cattle later on were I think for for breeding rather than the food chain

BillyMorris wrote: ↑

Tue 20 Jun, 2023 7:34 pm

I can see that looking at a 60s map but wouldn’t they then have turned left up New York street so wouldn’t have walked past Quarry Hill?

The cows in the photo are actually walking past the Central Bus Station not Quarry Hill

Though I don't know where the cattle were being moved from I do recall seeing some running amok on New York Street/York Street as if they sensed what was about to happen. I recall that later on they came in cattle transporters rather than moving them on foot.