Having little need to be in Holbeck, except those times I used the number 86 bus to go to Bramley and once to Pudsey, I didn’t see much of it. Moving house recently necessitated using buses going through Holbeck more often like the number 64 and 74 to town. We discovered the charming ambience of parts of the village quite by accident, so intrigued that we got off the bus at times to walk about.
I don’t know it very well, yet in those parts I have explored, albeit superficially, there is a peaceable, an inviting quietness, an atmosphere difficult to define. Being curious about the disused viaduct and not finding it included in the maps I had, my wife and I decided to take a walk through the streets over which it passes. We took pictures of those places interesting to us as we explored the route of the viaduct.
On Monday, this past bank holiday, we ambled through the subway separating Holbeck and Beeston at Lane End near the site of the old work house. We crossed over the existing railway line from Creskell Road on the narrow pedestrian bridge, a pitifully neglected piece of art, into jack Lane where we took the first photograph Lower Holbeck in Bloom (1) then Ex Libris, a picture of the stunning red old-library building.
The discovery of flowers exploding in profusion of colour – shades of red, orange, yellow, blue and white – covering that piece of land hemmed in by Sweet Street, Bath Road and the railway line almost took our breath away. What a sight. We couldn’t believe finding a treasure such as this on a piece of industrial land.
Mystery Tunnel and Sinister Holbeck pictures of the tunnel opposite Derwent Place, connecting Bath and Bridge Roads under the railway line, came next. Two of these pictures sport a naturally occuring hanging basket. Then BESBRODE Pianos housed in an austere looking building, yet with an arresting façade and a peep through the glass revealed the musical treasures inside. Afterwards precariously perched, was The Great Renovator spending the holiday chiselling tiles from the roof of a building, dust and chips flying all over the place. Lovely Holbeck followed that. The pictures of Cross Flatts Park and Spot Him in the Grass were both taken in the park and Park Fisheries in Beeston Road warranted a picture taken, because it is kept immaculate and just looking at it whets your appetite and tells you its hygiene accreditation of five is spot on.
This article was written by Frederik van Zyl using our Community Reporters website
Thanks for this great article/pictures. As part of the Holbeck Neighbourhood Plan Forum we welcome positives about Holbeck and are looking to keep on improving the look of the area and informing more people about its fascinating history.
Check out our Holbeck Neighbourhood Plan website http://www.holbeckneighbourhoodplan.org.uk with more info about what we are aiming to achieve.
Very cool, Pops!
Yes, this is how I remember the lovely walk and time spent in an almost unappreciated part of Leeds. Such pretty surrounds.
Very evocative and interesting, you will have to take on a tour next time we are in Leeds!
Nice post Frederik! Great to see the photos of the showroom. Have tweeted this on.
Thankyou very much for your kind words.