The Inns and Pubs of Kirkgate

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Thu 01 May, 2008 5:08 pm

A photo of the Old Crown Yard - looking towards Kirkgate - you can see the other side of the Yard at the extreme left hand edge of the picture of the Old Crown above. This yard is typical of many that once led off Kirkgate.

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Thu 01 May, 2008 5:23 pm

Cross Shears/Shears Tavern/Grove TavernFirst appearance found in Leeds Directory for 1807(also 1809) as 'Shears Tavern'.This pub appears in Baines 1817 and 1822 and Commercial Directory for 1818-20 as the "Cross Shears" without number, but a "Shears Yard" is also listed as being at No.9 Kirkgate. I assume they are the same place and the name was possibly interchangeable at this time. it would also appear to show that the pub was named after the implement used to shear sheep rather than being owned by a Mr Shears!. By Baines numbering system no 9 would have been on Lower Kirkgate on the south side. Parsons 1826 places it at No. 76 Kirkgate, and calls it the 'Shears Tavern' The first reference to the 'Grove tavern I have found to is in Pigot 1830 who doesn't give it a number but refers to it as "The Grove Tavern, Groves, Kirkgate). White 1839 gives its address as "No.76 and 77 Kirkgate".Pearson and White (1830) gives its address as 'Cookson's Grove and 79 Kirkgate. LeedsDirectory for 1839 gives its address as 1 Wharf Street, but Parson's 1872/73 has it as 27 Wharf street - presumably a renumbering.76 Kirkgate is the number given to the "Shear's Tavern" by Parsons in 1826 so it may be that the Grove Tavern is a succesor to , or name change of the Shear's Tavern. As I have yet to find a source that lists the Shear's and the Grove concurrently I am reasonably sure that one replaced the other.This pub stood on the west corner of Wharf Street and Kirkgate.It appears to have survived the building of the railway bridge in 1866 that caused the demolition of the Phoenix - but a study of O.S maps appears to show that it was either rebuilt, or at least remodelled.- howver I believe this had the efect that the pub lost its frontage to Kirkgate and there appears to be a small building(shop) on the corner of Wharf street whilst the rebuilt or remodelled Grove Tavern is smaller and completely on Wharf street- adjacent to this shop. Another renumbering appears to have occured by the time of the Post Office directory of 1882 when it appears as 31 Wharf Street - an address it then seems to retainThe last entry I have found for the Grove Tavern I have found is in Kelly's Directory for 1888 - Landlord Charles Deighton. Slater's 1890 directory shows 76 Kirkgate to be a 'Lodging House' -propreitor Charles Deighton! so we can assume that Deighton turned the pub into a lodging House c 1888-1890. The lodging house continued at least until the 1930's [stop press! - 1970s!, believed destroyed by fire].. The pubs yard seemed to retain the name 'Shear's Yard'- which still existsThis Leodis photo of 1935 shows where the pub would have been(extreme left of pic). before the changes effected by the construction of the Rail bridge. Frustratingly the photo does not show the former Grove Tavern (by this time a lodging house) which is out of shot to the left. The site is now empty.Victory Inn.82 Kirkgate. First reference found in White,1842

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Thu 01 May, 2008 5:52 pm

The Fox and Grapes I was going to start a separate thread about this long gone Kirkgate pub - part of which survives remarkably - but this seems to be the best place for it.The pub was not on Kirkgate - but had a yard that exited on to it. It faced the Old White Cloth Hall and was seven buildings down from the 'Crown and Fleece'A very ancient Inn it appears in the 1797 directory, also 1800, 1807 , 1809 and Commercial Directory for 1818-20 without number. Baines 1817 numbers it, under the old system as 27 Kirkgate.Parsons 1826, Pearson and White(1830) and Baines 1834 number it as 96(or 5ct 96 Kirkgate - meaning number 5 in Fox and Grapes Yard) and it appears in Pigot 1830 and 1841 without a number.It then appears in White 1847 as being at 'No 7 Crown Street'.It is shown on the 1847 O.S.Map but by the 1908 map the pub seems to have closed - but the building is clearly marked - showing the same outline.(see O.S.maps Si posted on page 9 of the 'Skulls thread')Still listed in White 1861, but by Parsons 1872/73 it would appear it has become a temperance hotel. By 1876 (McCorquadale) the buildings appears to have become the Headquarters of 'Leeds Artizan's Club'(sic)!!!Subsequent directories have it as the lodging houses.This Google earth image shows the outline of the pub - Kirkgate is at the extreme top right of the pic.

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Thu 01 May, 2008 5:54 pm

And here is the tiny bit of the Fox and Grapes that survives.The Car park booth is built on the site of the old pub which has been demolished - but you can see the remains of the upper floor, fireplaces and chimney-breast that belonged to the pub. [the white building in the background is the former 'Crown and Fleece'] 2012 update- this has now been demolished.

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Thu 01 May, 2008 5:55 pm

A shot from Fox and Grapes Yard (incidentally there's nothing in the Yard to tell you of its name - its just a carpark) - Showing the shadowy remains of the dwellings that were once along the North side of the yard From looking at aerial photos of the area it seems that these buildings, and the former ' Fox and Grapes' were demolished in the late 1970s. 2012 update - this has now been demolished.

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Thu 01 May, 2008 5:55 pm

The view down the alleyway to Kirkgate.

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Thu 01 May, 2008 5:55 pm

The "inviting" view of the Fox and Grapes Yard from Kirkgate.Situated between 96 and 97 KirkgateThe "open" sign refers to 'Girl Talk' massage parlour and sauna. The Malt Shovel.Appears in Leeds Directory for 1800, 1807 and 1809.(no number)Baines 1817 lists this inn, and the yard attached to it as being at "31 Kirkgate". As this directory numbers the "Fox and Grapes Yard" at No.27 the Malt Shovel must have been just to the west of the "Fox and Grapes" The Shakespeare.Again following Baines numbering system - this Inn is identified as No.35 and so must have been a little to the west of the malt Shovel.

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Thu 01 May, 2008 5:55 pm

The Crown / Crown and Fleece.Like the Fox and Grapes this inn was not on Kirkgate, but had a yard, called Crown Court , that exited on to Kirkgate.Of course there is so much about this pub on the'Skulls' thread - and much that we are trying to find out still that there is not much I can add here.The first appearance I can find is in Leeds Directory for 1800 - identified as being on Call Lane - innkeeper "Townsley".The Leeds Directory for 1809 identifies its location as "near the Assembly Rooms,Call Lane" - landlord William Townsley.In Baines directory of 1817 and 1822 (landlord William Harrison) and Commercial Directory for 1818-20 its address is given as "Assembly Street"and is referred to as "The Crown"in this and all previous directories.It appears in Pigot 1830 as "The Crown and Fleece" for the first time and also in Pearson and White's clothing district directory for 1830, again as the Crown and Fleece - landlord John Ainley.This is a Leodis pic that shows the entrance to Crown Court - on the left hand side.It's last directory appearrance I have found is 1931. by Kelly 1932 the building is occupied by Ion Dyson, (Plumbers) and the Decca Record Co.The entrance to Crown Court, between Nos 103 and 104 Kirkgate is now inaccesable due to scaffolding around the old cloth hall building.This is a fantastic pic for Secret Leeds - part of the skulls mystery, a tram and a Melbourne sign (belonging to the Scotsman)What more could you ask for???

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Thu 01 May, 2008 5:56 pm

The Scotsman.[see entry below for The Old Buck/Royal Standard/ Queen's Arms/Drayton Manor ]at 105 Kirkgate - on the corner with Call Lane.(3 Call Lane)This pub has been featured on the lost pubs thread. Originally a Melbourne house it was later Tetleys. 106 Kirkgate appears in parsons 1872/73 as a wine merchants. It would appear it also had a retail licence and appears as 'Scotsman Stores' in directories throughout the last quarter of the 19th century. Address given variously as 105/106 Kirkgate and 1/3Call Lane. [Appears as 'Scotchman Stores (sic) in 1882 Post office directory].It closed in the 1990's and is now the site of an amusement arcade. The carved Scotsman's head above the entrance reveals the building's true identity. It seems to have retained the 'Scotsman Stores' upto the end of the 1930s (see Kelly 1938 ) Kelly 1940 lists it as 'Scotsman Hotel'The pub closed c 1992/93 (last Yellow pages entry)See further pics on Page 3 and 4.The Old Buck/Royal Standard/ Queen's Arms/Drayton Manor [it may be that the Scotsman is the same pub or built on same site] Although no Number is given to it this inn appears in the directory of 1797 as "The Buck". The Buck that stood at the junction of Briggate is also listed in the 1797 directory - and although neither is given a number (the 1797 directory eschews numbers!) the fact that two different landlords are listed in separate entries (Messrs Ambler and Thornton) would seem evidence of two separate inns. Two Buck Inns are listed in directory for 1809 - James Midgley is Landlord of this Inn. Baines 1822 and Parsons 1826 calls it the "Old Buck ", presumably to distinguish it from the other 'Buck', and gives it as No. 106. - which would place it to the west side of the Scotsman - presumably the Call Lane entrance was much narrower at this time.[106 Kirkgate is an address that no longer exists - the numbers jump from 105 to 107 either side of Call Lane] Confusingly Pigot 1830 lists it as being at 104 - I dont know if this is a renumbering or simply an error. Pearson and White(1830) has it at no. 106By the Time of Baines 1834 an inn called "Royal Standard" is shown as being at No.106 and Pigot 1834 also lists the Royal Standard on Kirkgate , but does not give a number.A further change appears to take place by 1839 when White lists "The Queen's Arms" at No 106. Pigot 1841 has a similar entry. Presumably this change was in honour of Queen Victoria who took the throne in 1837. the Queens Arms is then listed in Directories in 1842 and 1845 - but there then appears to be yet another name change by 1849 when Charlton and Archdeacon's directory lists a 'Drayton Manor' at 106 Kirkgate.

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Thu 01 May, 2008 5:56 pm

The Mason's Arms 107 Kirkgate/ 2 Call Lane (on the opposite corner of Call lane to the Scotsman)Like the Scotsman - this pub has been mentioned more than once on secret Leeds - and there is agood picture of the 'Square and Compass' sign on page 1 of the 'Lost pubs' thread.The first reference I have found is Pearson and White (1830) which confirms that it was on the corner of Call Lane and Kirkgate as it is identified as being at 30 Call Lane and 107 Kirkgate. This shows that an earlier numbering system was still in place on Call Lane, but the present system is being used on Kirkgate.Baines 1834 lists it as 107 Kirkgate. Pigot 1830 lists a 'Mason's Arms' on Call Lane , and Baines 1834 numbers it as 29 Call Lane. The Mason's Arms on Kirkgate is shown on the 1908 O.S.map, but not 1847.It continues to be listed in directories and phone books until 1961 - but is absent fronm the Leeds phone book in 1963 so must have closed around this time. Photo also shows the adjacent 'Regent'