Rachael Unsworth

@leedstours.bsky.social

2044 Followers 1744 Following

Urban geographer & walking tour guide in Leeds 🌍 - local, in a global setting https://www.leedscitywalkingtours.co.uk/ Researcher, writer ('Leeds: Cradle of Innovation'), presenter, Leeds Phil & Lit, musician đŸŽ» European Professional chat posts only

Climbing rose with deep salmon buds that open to salmon mousse and lighten to lychee colour. But I don’t know the name.
GOAD Insurance Plan 1886 - key with 11 patches in yellow, blue or pink showing which sheet covers which area. Also the detailed Sheet 7, including the eastern end of Wellington St and Thirsk Row - location of the Hepworth warehouse. The Fourth White Cloth Hall was still in existence when this fire insurance plan was made. It lasted only 30 years from when the Third White Cloth Hall was chopped in half by the railway viaduct. The site was then cleared and the Metropole Hotel opened in 1899.
Excerpt from 1920 OS map showing the location of Hepworths’ warehouse. From 1920, their main premises were on Claypit Lane. The building is still there, opposite the First Direct Arena. Also a photo of the premises built in the early 20th century to replace the 1881 building that had been destroyed by fire. By 2020, when this photo was taken, the building had been refitted as modern offices and relaunched as ‘Tailors Corner’ (with no apostrophe after Tailors, much to my disappointment.
ALT: A print of Hepworths’ 1881 warehouse - showing mainly the Thirsk Row frontage, and the shorter side on Wellington St. Also a drawing of the blazing building - made into a postcard.
Photo taken July 2026 west towards the Knottingley & Goole Canal (the eastern end of the Aire & Calder Navigation) showing the coal hoist used to unload barges into sea-going vessels. Coal was the main commodity handled by the port until 1986. Historic photo of 'Tom Puddings', the specially designed coal barges with containers that coudl be lifted out so the coal could be tipped into a shop.
Part of Ordnance Survey map 1892 showing the port of Goole after more than 60 years of development.
Part of Ordnance Survey map first edition 1853 showing Goole's development since the new port opened on the right bank of the River Ouse in 1826. The eastern end of the Aire & Calder Navigation - this part known as the Knottingley & Goole Canal, a completely new channel to avoid the meanders of the River Aire - comes in from the west. It's parallel with the 'Dutch River' - a new course for the lower reaches of the River Don.
LEEDS400 logo - marking 400 years since the granting of the Charter by Charles I. Family crest of the Saviles with 3 owls on a black sash. The image is painted on glass - one pane in a display of family crests in Leeds Museum. See: https://wyascatablogue.wordpress.com/the-leeds-charter-of-incorporation-1626-whats-it-all-about/ The Savile family, originating in the Anjou area of France, had been awarded land by William the Conqueror after 1066. As well-established cloth merchants, it's possible that the owl had been chosen by the Saviles because of the association with the owl as a symbol of Minerva/Athena, the classical goddess who represented wisdom, knowledge, strategy and industry. Cloth making is one of the most ancient and fundamental of industries. So then the three owls became part of the early version of the new Leeds crest. The later development of the Leeds coat of arms is discussed here: https://www.leedsowltrail.com/leeds-coat-of-arms/
20th century aerial photograph above an area of back-to-back housing in Leeds showing ‘bye-law’ housing: blocks of 8 with gaps between where toilet blocks used to stand before houses were fitted with bathrooms. Before 1866, terraces were typically much longer. From Patrick Nuttgens’ 1973 film ‘In search of the city’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msp47VGdgyw SEE: Joanne Harrison’s 2022 thesis: 'Back-to-back houses and their communities in twenty-first century Leeds'. https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/32589/ Brian Barber’s 1975 thesis: 'Leeds Corporation, 1835-1905: a history of its environmental, social and administrative services'.  https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/26088/
Graham Thomas climber Glorious purply-blue campanula (that came from Mum's garden nearly 20 years ago and have seeded freely in my courtyard) Self-seeded foxgloves Magenta lychnis with its soft grey-green foliage - a filtched seedling that was outside the boundary of a local garden. Unknown climber (that has terrible black spot but produces wonderful blooms anyway)
The clock on the east side of the Civic Hall photographed at 06:15, midsummer 2022. The sunlight catching the gold leaf shines onto the Portland stone and creates an extra glow. The clocks on each side of the 1933 building were supplied not by Potts of Leeds, who were no longer as dominant as they had been for some decades up to 1905. These clocks were made by Synchronome, established in 1895 by Frank Hope-Jones to make electric clocks.
Portrait of John Marshall (1765-1845) by John Russell, dated 1805. University of Leeds Art Collection.
View upstream from Centenary Bridge showing former warehouses beside the Aire & Calder Navigation in central Leeds.
Sun on buildings in Briggate and student towers beyond, with huge black clouds behind to the north.
The huge deposit of documents relating to the development include plans for the immediately surrounding streets and Garnet Exchange rooftops. More street trees are to be planted and green/blue roof features – planting and water management. These are the relevant links: https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/online-applications/files/E16BC8789D03E9343E295A8167DECD43/pdf/23_05271_FU-REV_.TREE_PLANTING_PLAN-5607202.pdf https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/online-applications/files/BE841AEA279E6166E8BA9CAA7B5D0810/pdf/23_05271_FU-ADD_._PROPOSED_BLUE___BLUE-GREEN_ROOF_LAYOUT-5186740.pdf
The building elevations on the east side – Land’s Lane – from the designs submitted to Leeds City Council by architects Corstophine & Wright. https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/online-applications/files/C13F1F7623A0D258FB262ECBD5E4246A/pdf/23_05271_FU-REV_._PROPOSED_RENDERED_STREET_SCENE_ELEVATION-_LANDS_LANE-5186268.pdf
Part of the 1891 OS map of Leeds showing the site that eventually became The Core and where Garnet Exchange is to be developed. The Red Hall, built in 1628, still stood on the NW part of the site. Its name came from the novelty of its being built of brick. There were two theatres at the south side of the site.
ALT: Excerpt from the interactive development map of Leeds picking out the site where Garnet Exchange is to be built, replacing The Core shopping centre. Details here: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer
Demolition in progress at The Core, Leeds. On the left: view from King Charles Street to the east. The central peak of Thornton’s arcade on Land’s Lane can be seen beyond the almost-demolished building. On the right: view from Land’s Lane towards a 1960s office block above Albion St and a small white historic 3-storey building on King Charles St.
4 images of the same site in Leeds: Snowden Schofield opened a shop in 1901 and gradually took over several neighbouring sites on the south side of The Headrow to create a department store. In 1962, the assorted complex of premises was replaced with an impressive modernist shop, typical of the times. After changing hands several times, the 1960s store was redeveloped in the late 1980s. It never really thrived, even after the name change to ‘The Core’ and some further remodelling. It is to be replaced with student accommodation called Garnet Exchange, with commercial space on the ground floor. Two new east-west streets will be created through the site.
Plaque at Mount Vernon, George Washington's home, about 12 miles from the federal capital, as the eagle flies. In 1790, America's first President said: "I had rather be at Mount Vernon with a friend or two about me, than to be attended at the Seat of Government by the Officers of State and the Representatives of every Power of Europe".
The ornate central spire of Leeds Kirkgate Market. Designed by the Leeming brothers, the building was opened in 1904.
A white, two-storey building with green details on a small site between Dock Street and the entrance to the Aire & Calder Navigation Warehouse. The building is very small and the tiny yard to the west is triangular.
Desire lines: where people want to walk - strips of grass get worn out by countless feet as pedestrians choose the shortest route between 2 points. A. Access to and from Caffe Nero, Calverley St, near LGI. B. Vision at Meanwood – about here: https://what3words.com/card.string.pine C. St Mary’s Park, off Mabgate D. Sovereign Square, Leeds city centre E. Corner of Templar St/Bridge St, Leylands – about here: https://what3words.com/wash.fortunate.snacks
Three tulips, photographed from above. They are different mixes of red and yellow. The petals are are edged with a thick fringe - like a soft and colourful hoar frost.
'Ribbons', located on Quarry Hill, Leeds, is a large public artwork made in steel. It celebrates the contributions of women - historic and contemporary - to many aspects of the life of Leeds. The names of 383 women were cut out of the metal strips that undulate and entwine.
Sketch map by John Thorp, Civic Architect of Leeds (who kind of retired in 2010). It shows ideas for making a park amongst new buildings on the South Bank of the River Aire. It was produced in the year that brewing ceased at the former Tetley Brewery, by then owned by Carlsberg.
6 lettuces grown in different parts of Leeds from the same seed in 1927 to demonstrate the deleterious effect of air pollution on plant growth. The Horsforth example is the most successful, followed by Weetwood, Headingley (disappointing), University (poor), Park Square (pathetic) and Hunslet (a sad runt of a plant).
A bed of tulips - various colours - between part of the lawn and the paved path through the former Tetley site. In the middle distance are offices (completed 2024) (left) and the former Tetley offices of 1931 (right). Leeds Bridge is about 300 metres ahead.
Weeping willow at the east end of Eastgate, Leeds: a mature street tree just coming into leaf, its long trailing fronds lit up yellowy-green in morning sun.
A couple of my daughter’s acrylic paintings from some years ago. On the left is a face with only some features shown in detail (an eye, the nose and lips); the rest of the canvas is swirls of colour – cobalt blue, red, black, grey and a yellow with grey edges. On the right is a greyscale, stylised portrait of Stephen Hawking, with geometric shapes in neon green and an infinity symbol. She also does digital graphics for her song tracks. She sings in a range of styles and collaborates with other musicians and music tech producers.