My first task for our micro commission was to obtain old photographs of specific locations.
Leeds Bridge
Leeds Bridge was easy – it is iconic – the co-terminus of Leeds and Liverpool Canal (L&LC) and the Aire and Calder Navigation(A&CN). It is well known by many because of links to Louis le Princ. How many know that he actually took the photographs from the A&CN offices?
Unknown - provided by David Lowe, Chair of Commercial Boat Operators Association
View from Leeds Bridge, Circa 1958
The former Leeds Dock (Dock Street) with passenger boats Water Prince, Water Princess and Water Gipsy - but for what special occasion?
River Lock
River Lock should also be easy - it is seen by many as the start of the L&L Canal but I had an image in my head of a boat being launched from the boat yard, which is now known as Granary Wharf, into the River Aire. Not many people see Leeds as a boat building industry so it would provoke thoughts. I contacted Mike Clarke who to me is the font of all knowledge on the L&LC. “I don’t have that photo but is this any good?” It was old but recent enough to show that the boat yard had become derelict – the Co-op coal yard was also in a state of decline demonstrating how quickly the waterways had lost their trade. And this was taken in?????
Unknown: provided by Mike Clarke, President of Leeds and Liverpool Canal Society, from Leodis Photographic Archives
Canal Wharf from Victoria Bridge, 1961
The Entrance to River Lock is visible at the bottom left which enabled water freight to connect East and West, putting Leeds at the centre of the Trans-Atlantic and European Trade Routes.
Leeds Dock
Our third location was to be the site of the current Leeds Lock Keepers House. Easy to describe to a boater. It is the site of the sanitary station -the only one in Leeds. It is at the entrance to the Royal Armouries car park – but pedestrians usually leave by the opposite side, straight into Leeds Dock – they do not realize how close to the river they are. I contacted David Lowe – an expert in both past and present – blending his current role through the National Commercial Boats Association with his career from the early 70’s when he set up the first passenger carrying boat business in Yorkshire. Interestingly his photograph was taken in 1967 – how is that old? It showed the site of the oil depot with a number of massive boats offloading their cargo. Massive corrugated warehouses – very utilitarian not the magnificent architecture of the waterways early life but demonstrating how so recently Leeds was still operating as an Inland port.
Unknown - provided by David Lowe, Chair of Commercial Boat Operators Association, 1967
Esso Terminal
The first Tanker offloading at the Terminal which was integrated into the regeneration of Clarence Dock (now Leeds Dock). This wharf now incorporates a boaters Utility Facility and the former Lock Keepers House, which will host Canal Connections CIC Exploration Hub.
Knostrop Lock
Next to our final destination within our Time Travel Cruises – Knostrop. It embraces our Past, Present and Future. The Flood Alleviation Scheme, creating Leeds waterfalls, completed in 2017. The first time the technology of deflating weirs had been used in the UK strengthening the resilience of Leeds in the event of flooding. Yorkshire Water (YW) treatment plant using an anabolic digester creating 100% sustainability in its operation. The Leeds City Council incinerator embracing the green energy. Another call to David but his photograph did not show the original craft of A&CN keels operating under sail but was taken in the ‘90’s. It was another tanker being loaded with waste from the YW site. Demonstrating how recently Leeds was operating with water freight but now using the waterways to remove the pollution created by the growth of Leeds in the post-Industrial era.
Andy Horn
Knostrop Lock, 1997
The effluent barge ‘Trentaire’ loading the very last water freight from the Yorkshire Water Site.
I enjoyed my journey through the photographs. It helped me realize I had said I wanted OLD photographs to demonstrate Heritage. That did not mean they had to go back 300 years to the creation of the A&CN. Heritage is about PRIDE. Whether that be where we live or who we are.