Are you going out in Leeds over the Bank Holiday weekend?  Here at the Secret Library we thought we would share some of the photographs from our collections of just a few of the many places to visit in Leeds from yesteryear.

Place to eat out always feature on a day out.  Who remembers the Kardomah cafe or Jacomelli’s? The Kardomah was a great favourite with Leeds people, from it’s opening in 1908, to its closure in August of 1965. Conveniently situated on Briggate it was a great place to drop in while out shopping.

Jacomelli’s original café was opened in 1906 by Anthony and Francis Jacomelli, and was first called Jacomelli’s Swiss Restaurant and Café. They were taken over by Hagenbachs in 1949, and became a Berni Inn in 1967. The building we see here was demolished in 1973 to make way for the building of the Bond Street Centre.

There have always been plenty of theatres and later cinemas for entertainment but going further back the place to go was the Albion Street Music Hall. This opened in 1794 and an advertisement in the Intelligencer stated ‘that proper care will be taken that the room is well aired’. And in order ‘to make the Road easy and commodious Torches will be placed at proper distances to light the carriages from Boar Lane.’ The hall was mainly used for musical concerts and public meetings as well as variety entertainments. With the opening of the Town Hall in 1858, the use of the Music Hall declined, and it was closed in 1870.  It was later bought by Denby and Spinks, and used as a furniture store. The building was demolished in 1973, and the site is now occupied by British Home Stores. This is now part of Trinity Leeds shopping centre which opened in March 2013.

How about a trip to Roundhay Park – a favourite place to go on Bank Holidays. This photograph shows crowds by the bandstand in the park as people in their best clothes have dressed up to come out and listen to the band.

How about a walk? Whit Monday, which this year is 25th May, was often the day for an organised walk. Here members of Queen Street Chapel and Sunday School in Yeadon are just setting off on a walk with Hopeville House in the background.

Finally how about a drink to finish off the day?  Just one of the many public houses which have now disappeared from Leeds was the Old Cock and Bottle on the junction of the Upperhead Row and Guildford Street as it was at the time, now the Headrow. This inn was sold to Schofield’s in 1938 and remained part of the store until it was demolished in 1961 when the store was extended.

Enjoy your Bank Holiday weekend whatever you decide to do!