Meanwood, Leeds: Retro photos show life in north Leeds suburb long before it was voted 'one of coolest neighbourhoods in Britain'

Architect Edward Welby Pugin (b.1834), produced designs for Meanwood Towers in the 1860s. A piece by Eveleigh Bradford on the website Thoresby.org mentions that Pugin ‘produced a fantastical design, with gables, gargoyles and soaring chimneys. Known first as Carr House, then Meanwood Towers, it still survives, peeping above the tree-tops, but converted now into flats, its chimneys reduced…’

The house was formerly the residence of Thomas Stuart Kennedy and his wife Clara. At the side of the property an organ house was built and a Schulze organ installed. A picturesque wooden building, the organ house could seat 800. Noted organist Samuel Sebastian gave the first recital. Later, the organ found a home in St Batholomew’s Church at Armley. Thomas Stuart Kennedy was also a founder member of the prestigious Alpine Club. Before his death in 1875, architect Pugin produced drawings for other Yorkshire buildings: Our Lady and St Paulinus, Dewsbury; and Carlton Towers for Lord Beaumont.

The Convalescent Home for Children, built and furnished by a Mrs Mapleton, on land given at Meanwood by Miss Beckett, was opened on Saturday afternoon August 30, 1879 by the Bishop of Ripon. The new home was intended to replace the smaller one which had been run by Mrs Mapleton. A report added: ‘Although not upon a large scale, the institution is in every way admirably adapted for the purpose, being in a pleasant and healthy situation and comfortably furnished, with the addition of such pictures and toys as are likely to amuse and interest the youngsters…’ Accommodation was provided for 15 children.

An account from July 3, 1880 said that memorial stones of a new Wesleyan chapel in the course of erection at Meanwood were laid on the previous day. Since 1811 the members of the Wesleyan body in the district had worshipped in a plain little chapel which was built in that year. It was added that for some time the accommodation was limited, and steps had been taken several years earlier to provide funds for a new chapel. The appeal for funds met with a good response, a very suitable site was secured about 300 yards from the old chapel. Plans for a new building were prepared by William Hill of Leeds, a member of and a designer of churches for the Methodist New Connexion. The style of architecture adopted was Gothic. The total cost was about £2,200. Amongst the contractors were Wm Wilson & Son, who were responsible for the masonry and brickwork. Architect Hill’s other works in Yorkshire included a Methodist church and school, Sheffield; Bethesda Methodist church, Elland; Yeadon Town Hall; and a Public Dispensary, Leeds.

Architect Edward Schroeder Prior’s first major work was a design in 1881 for Carr Manor House, Meanwood. Described as being in the style of a 17th century manor house, the property was built for Sir Thomas Clifford Allbutt, a Dewsbury-born physician. He was president of the British Medical Association and noted for inventing the clinical thermometer, and for supporting Sir William Osler in founding the History of Medicine Society. Later, Carr Manor House was occupied by Leeds-based surgeon Sir Berkely Moynihan but is presently used by the Ministry of Justice as the Judges’ Lodgings, housing High Court Judges when in the city.

During March 1882, the Leeds School Board’s, Mr Hepper, (chairman of the Sites and Buildings Committee) asked the board to ratify the acceptance of tenders for erecting a new school at Meanwood. The total cost was £7,158 18s 6d. This was accepted.

The development of suburban road transport between Meanwood and Leeds centre is detailed by J. Soper in Leeds Transport Volume 1 – 1830 to 1902 (1985). An omnibus, operated by John Wood, ran via Headingley to Meanwood in late 1841 but this was short-lived. By 1847 a ‘bus was running twice daily to Meanwood from the Wheatsheaf and Commercial Inn’. In the horse-drawn tramway era, Soper mentions that construction of the Meanwood Road tramway began in April 1878. Approval by the Board of Trade was given on July 10th and the line opened for traffic on the 16th. Following Leeds’s adoption of mechanical traction or steam trams in the late 1870s, the Meanwood tramway was laid with heavier rails in anticipation of their introduction on the route. Initially, workmen’s cars appeared in 1889 but were little used and discontinued. Horse trams were eventually withdrawn in March 1898 and a through steam tram service commenced between Wortley and Meanwood. Electric tramways were introduced into Leeds by the Corporation in the late 1890s. Starting on April l9, 1901 was an electric car through service between Elland Road and Meanwood via Briggate.

Building work continued at Meanwood during the 20th century. By April 1920 a start had been made on the 800 concrete houses which were to be erected on the Meanwood estate recently acquired by Leeds Corporation. The advisory architect was H.S. Chorley. The limit of 10 to 12 houses to the acre was expected to assure abundant room for garden plots and greenery. There were two types of houses, costing £725 and £800. The contractors were Airey & Sons of Leeds.

On August 3, 1920, the first tenant moved into his new concrete home. The tenant, Mr F. Hill, told a Yorkshire Evening Post reporter that he was well satisfied with everything he found. The rooms appeared light and airy and he considered there would be ample space for furniture and the requirements of a working-class family.

During mid-November 1922, Meanwood Entertainments Ltd decided, as a result of a public competition, to adopt the prize-winning name of ‘The Capitol’ for their picture house. A prize of £5 was given for the best suggestion for the title – a novel procedure that gained useful publicity. The Capitol was opened on Monday November 27, 1922 by the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Alderman Frank Fountain. ‘The Prodigal Judge’ was the opening film. Seating was provided for 1,294. Closure came on Saturday July 27, 1968 after the showing of ‘Bonnie and Clyde.’ Mecca Bingo took over the cinema, lasting until the end of 1979. Demolition followed in early 1980, the site was subsequently occupied by a retail outlet.

John Smiths Brewery added another pub to their holdings in Leeds on February 9, 1939 with the Becketts Arms at Meanwood where, it was said, the population had been growing rapidly in recent years. Company architect B. Wilson produced the plans and the general contractors were Wm Birch & Sons Ltd of York. At night, the hotel was set to be a distinctive building because of the neon signs, made and installed by Oldham Sign Service, New York Road, Leeds.

Thanks to Leeds Libraries and Leeds Museum Service for help with this piece.