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Posted: Sun 17 Feb, 2008 10:16 am
by munki
I know this slightly duplicates another forum, but I thought it might make a good new feature for the site.On Thursday night, needing to dull my senses, knowing that I would hate it in advance but unable to resist, I took a trip to the new Wetherspoon's bar on Millennium Square - the Cuthbert Brodrick.Housed in a pretty ugly modern box of a building, surrounded by some of Brodrick's greatest works, the interior seemed to be designed specifically to induce headaches, neurasthenia, & low level hysteria and of course had me thinking that the Hull based God of Victorian architecture would be turning in his Jersey grave. For once, I actually found myself wishing that they HAD spelled the BRODRICK with an E.However, it also got me thinking that there must be, all over the city, people, things, events, memorialised in the name of our beloved boozers. In the spirit of our dear Katie Scholes, Patron Saint of Secret Leeds, I thought it would be good to uncover these histories, remember these men, women, events, here. Who was General Eliot? What is a Chemic? & why is it so important that we Hark to Rover?So here's the challenge. The next time you go to your local, or indeed any pub, ask the landlord / landlady where the name comes from, what it means... who it was.Obviously there are a lot of generic names, The King's Head & the Red Lion are not going to be that interesting, but a lot of them will be related to people & events in the history of Leeds. The best of them, we will turn into separate threads under this forum, to remember the people & events recorded in the name of the pub... Find some pictures of the people remembered, uncover their biographies, tell their stories...It should reveal a whole map of 'hidden' meaning across the city. & also, it combines booze & local history, which I just know is going to appeal to a lot of you! So, get out there, have a drink, do some research, & report back!If you can also remember to tell me the name of the road the pub is on, & if possible some or all of its postcode, that would be good.I look forward to your responses!    

Posted: Sun 17 Feb, 2008 10:18 am
by munki
From left to right - a bar called the Cuthbert Brodrick, & a building designed by Cuthbert Brodrick. Which do you prefer?

Posted: Sun 17 Feb, 2008 10:37 am
by tyke bhoy
To be fair Munki, although the Cuthbert Brodrick is currently in its third incarnation (previously Qube then Cocoon) the inside decor has not changed much. I think the Qube was owned by the Wychwood Brewery and was probably an attempt to attract the "wine bar" clientele to a real ale pub hence the decor.As for Chemic. It probably isn't anything other than being related to or frequented by employees of the chemical industry. That certainly is the reason why Widnes RL were nicknamed "the Chemics" long before they became the Vikings.

Posted: Sun 17 Feb, 2008 10:39 am
by munki
So, was there a 'chemical industry' in Woodhouse at the time when the Chemic was named? Can we find any evidence of it to post on here?    

Posted: Sun 17 Feb, 2008 10:40 am
by drapesy
The 'Skyrack ' in Headingley takes its name, I understand, from a corruption of the words'Shire Oak' - which of course was nearby.

Posted: Sun 17 Feb, 2008 10:56 am
by Trojan
The pub name that always fascinates me - although it's not in Leeds (it nearly is)is the Babes in the Wood at Woodkirk. It's supposed to be unique - but why is it called so? Anyone know?

Posted: Sun 17 Feb, 2008 11:58 am
by electricaldave
The Chemic in Woodhouse, and the street on which is stands both get their name from the nearby Johnstons Chemical Works whose main product was sulphuric acid ( back then it would have been called Vitriol or oil of vitriol), although it also had other chemical products.The factory was demolished in the 1890's, and the 'Marions' streets of housing were built in its place.For the middle and later Victorian history Woodhouse, and the nearby part of Meanwood have been involved in chemical and dyeing and before that Woodhouse especially was pretty much out of the Leeds industrial miasma.

Posted: Sun 17 Feb, 2008 12:08 pm
by electricaldave

Posted: Sun 17 Feb, 2008 12:12 pm
by cnosni
There is of course that most friendliest (hee hee)public house the Tommy Wass in Beeston on Dewsbury Road,named after the landlord there in the 19th century.It used to be a farm house called Bridge Farm,and due to its location on Dewsbury road it developed into refreshment rooms and then into a public house. The farm/pub was originally owned by Thomas Wass born 1831 in Morley and baptised at Batley 19/06/1831 .He was the son of Stephen Wass,a carpenter,born Calverley circa 1800 (no baptism to confirm this)and Judith Loocock born 1799 in Morley,they married 10/01/1820 at Batley.Thomas had a number of siblings,and according to the 1851 census he had followed his father into carpentry.He was living at Shuflanton(is that correct Morleyites??)in the census ,along with his parents and siblings.By the 1861 census Thomas had married,to Rachel Oades Broadbent,and was living in Beeston.He is shown as a Carpenter journeyman,and it is not clear whether he is actually living at Bridge Farm at this time as now address is specified.The 1871 census shows him still living in Beeston,at a place called Lands End,with Rachel his wife and 8 children.He is now shown as a farmer of 11 acres employing farm hands.Strangely enough this move from Carpentry to farming is not uncommon,i have such instances in my own family tree.By the 1881 census it would seem that Tommy is definitely at Bridge Farm,though the census refers to it as "Wass House"Thomas has moved up further by now farming 64 acres and employing "1 Man",though obviously the farm land belonged to the church and Thomas would have been their tenant he was clearly making headway from being a journeyman carpenter.When Thomas died in 1887 it passed to his son Asa.As the land upon which the farm was built belonged to the church commisioners there was a covenant imposed on the deeds to prevent the making,storage or sale of alcohol.After the death of Asa in 1924 the house was bought by Melbourne brewries after the covenant was released.Though it was called Bridge farm it was known to the locals as Tommy Wass's.The family gave the brewery permission to retain the name when it opened as a pub.

Posted: Sun 17 Feb, 2008 12:29 pm
by Yorkshireranger
Poser???THe Butterbowl pub in Farnley, does anybody know how the name came about??????????