Leeds Daily Photo: February 2023

Wednesday 22 February 2023

Wildflower Meadow, Yorkshire

Picture of a Wildflower Meadow, Yorkshire.

I had been driving around after visiting Bolton Castle, a 14th-century castle in Wensleydale two Summers ago when I passed a small meadow brimming with wildflowers.

Calverley Cricket

Picture of guys playing a match Calverley Cricket.

Old Pub Richmond Hill, Leeds

Picture of Old Pub Richmond Hill, Leeds.

This pub the Fisherman's Hut public house looks to have been closed for some years. It was a dank and damp day when I passed it a few days back. I may be wrong but I think there has only been one day with no rain since the new year started. It has already rained a little first thing this morning. This was one of the reasons I posted some nice summer picture over the last few days. This pub is a short walk down from the Grade I listed church of St Saviour. There is another Anglican church St Hilda nearby which I will post about on another date. I attended a musical event at St Hilda last year and I took some photos of the stained glass windows therein. On the tiles above the corner of the pub building is the date 1929, so I guess that was when it was built. The only thing I know about this rather dilapidated former pub is that it was a Tetley's public house. This old pub is on the corner of Ellerby Lane and Cross Green Lane. It lies just across from the big newish Echo Central flats. I have only visited this area a few times and have not quite worked out where Richmond Hill starts and Cross Green finishes. one thing of note shortly after walking away from the pub I noticed a red kite flying high perhaps 50 yards ahead. I watched it for a few minuted till it flew off into the distance. I have seen these beautiful birds elsewhere around Leeds before but never this close to the city centre.

Faculty of Business and Law at Leeds Metropolitan University

Picture of Faculty of Business and Law at Leeds Metropolitan University

Saltaire United Reformed Church

Picture of Saltaire United Reformed Church.

This a beautiful shot with Daffodil flowers showing.

Clock Tower at Seacroft Hosptial

Picture of Clock Tower at Seacroft Hosptial.

Tuesday 21 February 2023

Bendy Bus Leeds

Bendy Bus Leeds.

I caught one of these bus a few days later.

Cat Churchyard

Picture of the Cat Churchyard.

Monday 20 February 2023

Leeds Museum - Discovery Centre

Picture of the Leeds museum discovery centre in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

I had forgotten that this place existed until I walked by it the other day. I first chanced across it from the top deck of the Leeds tourist bus on its press launch. Unfortunately they operate on an appointment basis, so apart from saying hi to the girl on reception I have nothing further to add till I make an appointment and look into it further.

Sheffield Steel Rollergirl #17 Holly Hotrod

Picture of the Sheffield Steel Rollergirls No 17 at the Great Yorkshire Showdown.

With the No 17 on her arm, this is I think Holly Hotrod, at least thats who I think it is having consulted the Sheffield Steel Rollergirls website.

No 17 was photographed during a bout against Liverpool's first Roller Derby team, the Liverpool Roller Birds.

Perhaps one day I will get the hang of low light moving sports, but as sport photography is not really my thing I just try my best and take quite a few shots. In an effort to make the above photo look not too bad I have played with it in photoshop a little.

Newcastle Roller Girl

Picture of member of the Newcastle Roller Girls.

On Sunday the Leeds Roll Dolls hosted hosted The Great Yorkshire Showdown, hours of flat track roller derby.

After the first bout between the Leeds Roller Dolls and the Newcastle Roller Girls, I caught up with this member of their team outside the building. The daylight was so much better than the terrible lighting inside the Huddersfield Sports Centre.

This Newcastle Roller Girl is I their No 27, and her skate name is Whippi Longstocking. Normally when I get a snap of a roller girl I get them to turn around once because their roller derby name is emblazoned on the back of their t shirt.

Sunday 19 February 2023

The Great Yorkshire Showdown - Leeds Roller Dolls

Picture of members of Leeds Roller Dolls B Team in a bout at Huddersfield.

Yesterday, Sunday The Leeds Roller Dolls took part in and hosted The Great Yorkshire Showdown.

Teams from Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Lincolnshire, Middlesbourough, Sheffield, Wakefield and our own Leeds Roller Dolls, introducing the New Second Travel Team came together at the Huddersfield Sports Centre.

The Dolls invited me over to see them in action again and I was pleased to be able to say hi.

I knew there was a team in Sheffield because I chatted to a member wearing a Sheffield Steel Rollergirls shirt at the last bout I attended but I had no idea there was a team in Wakefield, the Wakey Wheeled Cats.

The Leeds Roller Dolls may have been fielding their B team, but they were determined to show the other teams they meant business. I think the doll in the above photo shows this!

I will be posting more from the The Great Yorkshire Showdown over the next few days. There were some new faces to me, so excuse the lack of details. Also the lighting at the Huddersfield Sports Centre was horrible, making everything look yellowish, not ideal for reasonable photos.

Stand of Trees outside Aberford

Picture of stand of trees outside the village of Aberford in Yorkshire.

I was walking along an old country lane near Aberford when I saw the above stand of trees in a recently ploughed field, it was towards the end of the afternoon hence the long shadows.

Twins

Picture of twin lambs in a field in Yorkshire.

Travelling by bus as I sometimes do recently has one advantage over doing the trip in my car, I get to see over walls.

On my journey this morning I saw a field with some quite young lambs with their mothers in it. On the return journey I hopped off the bus in the middle of the trip and snapped a few shots over the wall of the nearest lambs.

I am not very good at telling the different breeds of sheep that can be found on the farms and fields across Yorkshire but I will ask the next farmer I encounter.

Sleeping Cat

Passing a house in the village of Clifford, near Leeds a few days back I saw this cat snoozing on a mat by the front door. It was a bright, warm and sunny day not at all like the weather we have had the last few days.

Outside now here in Leeds it is damp, cold and quite wet having I think rained since last night. Did I mention the murky, grey 10/10ths cloud cover.

He Was Monty's Double

Picture of Field Marshal Montgomery at 1940s weekend in the village of Haworth in Yorkshire.

I was over in the village of Haworth this afternoon for their 1940s weekend. The event is held in the village over a Saturday and Sunday early each summer and attracts thousands of visitors to the village in the Worth valley best known for its lasting association with the Bronte sisters.

Many of the visitors to Haworth over this weekend turn up in 1940s costume perhaps as members of the British army, navy or air force others as members of the forces of our allies and some as members of the German forces. Some prefer no uniform at all but dress in the fashion of that era with stockings, frocks and perhaps fur accessories.

I no longer wear any uniform but have one thing in common with the chap in the above photo, we both served in HM Forces. Just in case you could not guess he was at Haworth as Field Marshal Montgomery whose nickname was Monty.

The Evacuees

Another picture from the 1940s weekend at the village of Haworth not far from Leeds here in Yorkshire. This picture show a couple of girls who are taking part as evacuees, they are on an old coach travelling down Haworth main street.

The main street of the village was packed and there was little room between the people and the old bus, I just got a few quick snaps as it passed in front of me. This photo was the best of those that I caught before it moved beyond me.

Cornflower

I love this time of the year, wildflowers that for much of the year lie unnoticed begin to flower and this cornflower is one of them.

I saw a small patch of cornflowers growing on the verge of a country lane a few days back and got my camera out for a few photos.

Farm Lawn Mower

I spent a little time in the village of Thorner a couple of days back, mostly to have a look at the church.

As I was walking back along the main street I saw the tractor being used to cut the grass on the village green. Nearby on a tree was a poster promoting the Thorner Gala on Saturday 2nd June on the village green, I think that the two are not unconnected.

Years back I had a good sized lawn and one of my favourite possessions was my old Suffolk Punch lawn mower, I loved that mower but I would have happily swapped it for the grass cutter used in the photo.

Pub Creche

Picture of Pub creche sign in Farsley, Leeds.

I have only recently discovered the small town of Farsley a few miles from Leeds, not sure why but I had never visited it before.

Walking past a public house in the town I saw a sign on the pub wall about them providing a free crèche for husbands. I thought it was a great way to get noticed.

The sign reads: HUSBAND CRECHE Is he getting under your feet at home.. Is he moaning about shopping... Would your day be stress free without him... Then We Have The Perfect Answer Drop him off at our free husband crèche inside Our friendly staff will take special care of him whilst you enjoy a peaceful afternoon thats stress free TLC Guaranteed

I suspect this sign is tongue in cheek.

The pub is the New Inn on Town Street, Farlsey.

Not Quite New Inn

Picture of a pub sign at the New Inn of Farsley, Leeds.

The pub where I saw the sign for the husband creche that I posted yesterday is the New Inn at Farsley.

This public house although called the New Inn was established back in 1877. There are I think more than half a dozen pubs also called the New Inn around Leeds, most of them I think are Victorian. Deceptive I know but I guess back in the 1870s it was the new inn.

Tiddler

Picture of stickleback fish.

Wandering though a public park in Pudsey the other day I discovered a new to me at least visitor centre.

Inside the West Leeds Country Park Visitor Centre are amongst other exhibits some tanks containing some native fish species. The one that interested me the most contained the smallest fish and one that I had not seen since I was a boy.

The above photo shows a couple of small fish, these being the three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus. These small (4-6 cm) fish are to be found in streams, rivers, ponds and also canals here in the UK and are also native to Northern Europe and N America.

There were quite a few sticklebacks in the tank but because there were quite a few reflections on the glass I tried to catch a few away from the daylight behind me.

Here in the UK the stickleback is also known to mostly young boys as the tiddler.

Scout Hut

Picture of a scout hut in Pudsey near Leeds.
Walking through Pudsey near Leeds a few days back I spotted this building that from the sign is used as a scout hut. Another sign says it is also the home of the Hazel Bell School of Dance.
Many years back I was a scout and collected all the usual badges for some slight proficiency in various skills probably including first aid and sailing. The first aid mostly seemed to consist of bandages, very handy that skill.

St Josephs Pudsey

This is the Catholic church of St Joseph in Pudsey. The present church was designed by Dewsbury architect Charles Fox and was opened on 17 September 1934. St Josephs Church can be found at Mount Pleasant Road, Pudsey, LS28 7AZ

Death Row Geese

Picture of Canada geese at Yeadon Tarn, Leeds in West Yorkshire These two Canada Geese look quite happy swimming adjacent to the waters edge on Yeadon tarn this afternoon. Back in September last year officials at Leeds/Bradford airport decided that the flock of Canada geese at the tarn posed a hazard to aircraft. Early one morning at around 5am officials from FERA cordoned off the lake and took out the geese. When I say they took them out I do not mean they took them to McDonald's for an early breakfast I mean rather that they shot them. Having just looked at the FERA website I see that there is a Canada goose just taking to the air in a photo, presumably they felt the after photo (after their bird management expertise) was just too graphic. Apparently the cull or killing, to be less ambiguous, at the end of last summer may not be the last of the matter because local newspapers have reported another cull of these large waterfowl is a possibility.

Former St Andrews Yeadon

Picture of the former church of St Andrew at Yeadon, Leeds.

The above photo shows a view of the former church of St Andrew on Haw lane Yeadon. St Andrews was built in 1891 in the Arts and Crafts perpendicular style by the architects Thomas and Francis Healey of Bradford. The church was built with money raised by public subscription at a cost of £3,500. The church has an unusual bell tower adjacent to the main entrance. Unusually for a church built at this period there are only two stained glass windows, one of which is a memorial to the soldiers and sailors who died in the Great War 1914-1918. I will post a photo of this I think beautifully done war memorial window sometime soon. Today this fine old building is listed as Grade II and is the New Life Community Church.

New Arrival at Tropical World - Leeds

This photo shows a new arrival at Tropical World here in Leeds, this is a Morelet crocodile. This Morelet crocodile is one of several that are newly installed in there new home at Roundhay Park in North Leeds. These crocodiles are around two years old and about two feet long and when fully grown they will be around 10 feet in length. Morelet's crocodile also known as the Mexican crocodile are freshwater crocodiles native to areas of Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. The Morelet crocodile is an Endangered species and these babies were given by the Cotswold Wildlife Park in Oxfordshire. The Cotswold Wildlife Park were the first in the UK to breed Morelet crocodiles in 2007 and at that time it was the only place in the UK that these rare crocodilians could be seen by the public. I grew up quite near to the Park and my younger sister had a Saturday job there.

Tropical World, Leeds is also home to a small colony of Meerkats.

Warm Fire at Oakworth Station

Ladies Waiting Room - Oakworth

This photo shows the ladies waiting room at Oakworth station on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. The KWVR is today run by volunteers and is a marvel whereby the public can travel back in time on a railway with steam engines and lots of informative railway staff. This year is the 40th anniversary of the cinema film The Railway Children and Oakworth station and indeed the whole KWVR feature in the film. I can still recall Perks shouting "Oakworth, Oakwoorrtthh" when a train pulled into the station. The actor Bernard Cribbens will always to me be Mr Perks the station porter in this marvelous film. One of the things I like about my Leeds daily photo blog is that I can explore places that normally without my trusty Canon would be off limits. Todays post is one such place the ladies waiting room at Oakworth. It still has gas lighting and a working coal fire. When I entered there was a lady walker warming herself at the fireplace and I asked if she minded my intrusion and as you can see from the picture there was no problem. As someone who travels on the modern railway often, I would really appreciate the old fashioned charm of this station rather than the cold charmless rooms available today.

St Oswalds Church Collingham in Snow

Picture of St Oswalds Church Collingham in Snow.

St Oswalds Church Yorkshire Redux

This is a view through the gate to the parish church of St Oswalds in Collingham, Yorkshire.

1704 Nunlow Steam Loco at KWVR

This image shows the 1704 Nunlow Steam Locomotive on the The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway 'The Railway Children' line near Oakworth Station. Nunlow was built by Hudswell, Clarke and Company Limited an engineering and locomotive building company in Hunslet, Leeds in 1938. Hunslet, Leeds was a centre for engineering and locomotive construction from the time industrial revolution. This steam train photograph is another taken by me at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway steam gala last week

Princes Exchange From The Waterfront

Princes Exchange From The Waterfront.

This photograph is the award winning Princes Exchange building viewed from the waterfront. I pass by this building often and until the day I took this photo I had not been around to the rear of the building and did not realise how close the the Leeds waterfront it is.

Wild But Not a Weed

Picture of cowslip wild flower on University of Leeds campus.

Walking through the campus of Leeds University I was surprised to see a couple of cowslip wild flowers growing in a lawn just across from The Edge the recently opened sports centre.

The Edge - University of Leeds

The Edge - University of Leeds.

The Edge on Willow Terrace on the campus at the University of Leeds comprises a swimming pool, gymnasium, fitness and facilities for sports science.

Leeds All Souls Church

Picture of one of the stations of the cross at All Souls Church Leeds.

My picture today is an Easter picture, not that when I took the above photo at All Souls Church, Leeds a few days back I had this in mind. However it is I think appropriate to remember that Easter is not just about chocolate eggs and bunnies. This wood carving, by Anton Dapre (1877-1981) was carved 1949-50 and is one of Stations of the Cross on the walls of All Souls. Happy Easter and in the words of Dave Allen.. "May your god go with you".

A Big Yes For AV in Leeds

Picture of Yes Campaigner for AV vote in Leeds

Whilst in City Square in Leeds city centre I came across someone campaigning for a yes vote for AV in the referendum on Thursday May 5 2011. The referendum is to be a simple majority yes/no question as to whether to replace the current First Past the Post (FPTP) electoral system used in general elections with the Alternative Vote (AV) system. My view on the vote is simple, the Communist Party and the Sun newspaper are both against AV, I think that this tells me all I need to know! The buildings in this picture of a view of City Square Leeds are from left the former Majestic cinema, the former Leeds General Post Office and lastly the much more recent office building No 1 City Square. Directly behind the Yes campaigner is the tall bronze statue of the Black Prince

Copyright of Photographs

Copyright of Photographs

Oddly when I mentioned the images being used to someone I know, he said "well its in the public domain", now you should know this guy earns his living by a picture framing business that he owns and runs. By that thought anything on a shelf in the supermarket could be thought of as being in the public domain. Sorry this out of date..

Yorkshire Bank Leeds

Yorkshire Bank Leeds

A few days back I posted a picture of the Head Office building of the Yorkshire Bank here in Leeds on Merrion way, that photo was a side view. The above photo of the Yorkshire Bank HQ is of the front with the main entrance.

saltaire ice cream boat

saltaire is where I used to live.

I hope you dont mind. I used to work with the owner of this boat.

A Single Tree

Holy Trinity, Meanwood, Leeds

Holy Trinity, Meanwood, Leeds.

The architect was William Railton 1801-1877, once builder of Nelson Column in London.

Dental Surgeons Otley

The Victoria Hotel - Blue Plaque

The Victoria Hotel - Blue Plaque

The Victoria Hotel was built in 1865 to serve people attending the Assize Courts newly held at Leeds Town Hall. Its stylish accommodation then comprised spacious dining rooms and bars, a billiard room and large meeting room, private sitting rooms and 28 bedrooms.