After not the coldest, but certainly the most gloomy and wet Winter we are now enjoying a sunny Spring with plants and bulbs flowering very early.
This is much in evidence at the visitor attraction of the gardens of Abbey House Museum, the former gatehouse to Kirkstall Abbey.
Brightly coloured primulas cover the area. Drifts of crocus have been replaced with hundreds of flowering daffodils of different varieties. But the gardens’ crowning glory is a magnificent large white Magnolia tree. It is so outstanding that many are taking photographs of themselves in front of it. Hopefully, we will not have a late frost before Easter so that it will still be in flower for all to enjoy.
Inside Abbey House there is a new exhibition called “Objects in Focus”. Early photographs and advertisements from the Museum Service’s collection of people or their companies are displayed and have models of those people wearing the same clothes as in the photograph or advertised products. There are three exhibits of famous South Leeds people and South Leeds companies.
The first is of Colonel Thomas Walter Harding 1843-1927 who lived at Abbey House from 1890 until 1912. He was the owner of Tower Works, a factory in Globe Road, Holbeck, making steel pins for the textile industry and he became very rich. He served for 33 years in the Leeds Artillery Volunteers and was given the honorary title of “Colonel” which he kept and used. Harding was keen on art and championed the opening of the Leeds Art Gallery in 1888.
He donated many pictures including the famous “Scotland Forever” by Edith Butler (the one of soldiers charging on horseback). He promoted the design of City Square and commissioned and paid for the sculptures including the Black Prince. He was the Lord Mayor of Leeds 1896-99 and became a Freeman of the City in 1903. In 1912 he moved to Lincolnshire and then to Cambridge where he became the High Sherriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire. Before leaving Leeds he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University. A portrait of him is displayed in his red robes and a model is wearing them.
Then there was the company of Simpson Fawcett founded in 1859 in Black Bull Street in Hunslet.
An original advertisement tells us that they made buckets, tubs, washing machines, wringing mangles and much furniture made from bamboo and cane. Examples of these are on display. But they were probably the most famous for inventing and making prams. Prior to that, infants had to be carried, usually by a woman with a shawl supporting the baby or toddler.
EJ Arnold & Son Ltd set up initially in Blaydes Yard at No. 3 Briggate supplying school stationery. Last July Ken Burton wrote an excellent article in South Leeds Life about them so I will not repeat his interesting comments except to say that following expansion, they set up in Butterley Street, Hunslet, and later, a publishing company based in Dewsbury Road.
What is interesting about the exhibition is that examples of educational artefacts are on display including a counting frame or abacus and several dolls in national costumes to assist with geography lessons.
Of course, there are many other exhibits, not necessarily connected to South Leeds. Two outstanding ones are that Leeds was a major musical instrument maker. For example, Dearloves made stringed instruments and Hopkinson Brothers pianos.
There is also an eye-catching original Contessa scooter made in 1957 by the German firm of Triumph Werke Nurnberg which rivalled and predated Lambretta. There is a photograph of its owner, Geoffrey Unwin riding it at a scooter event. He won many prizes at scooter rallies and he kept the scooter in immaculate condition as it is now.
Both Abbey House and its lovely gardens and Kirkstall Abbey across the road, are in easy reach by Nos 33, 34, and A1 buses from the bus station. Alternatively, there is a free adjacent car park.
This post was written by Hon Alderwoman Elizabeth Nash
Main photo: Kirkstall Abbey framed by the magnificent magnolia by Susan Tellum, via West Leeds Dispatch
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