Holbeck
Encyclopedia
Holbeck is a district in Leeds
, West Yorkshire
, England
.
The district begins on the southern edge of the Leeds city centre
and mainly lies in the LS11 Leeds postcode area
. The M1
and M621 motorway
s used to end/begin in Holbeck. Now the M621 is the only motorway that passes through the area since the end of the M1 moved to Hook Moor near Aberford
. Since large parts of Holbeck have been vacated in preparation for the regeneration of the area, the district has in large parts suffered from a population exodus.
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal
also runs through Holbeck.
The place-name Holbeck is first attested in the 12th century in forms such as Holebec and Holesbec, from hol 'a hollow' and beck 'a stream' (an Old Norse
loanword, from bekkr, reflecting Scandinavia
n influence in Yorkshire
during the Viking age
), thus 'stream in the hollow'. The old manor belonged to the priory of the Holy Trinity at York
and after the Dissolution of the Monasteries
passed to the Darcy and Ingram families.
In the 18th century Holbeck was known for its spa water, which resembled that of Harrogate
, and was carried into Leeds for sale.
The supply diminished when numerous wells were sunk to supply the mills and works in the area and the water, which previously rose to the surface, could only be obtained by pumping from a considerable depth.
In the first half of the 19th century Holbeck village was a hamlet of few streets, most were owned by John Scholey (1774–1834) and are listed in his will at the Borthwick Institute for Archives
, University of York
. His family sold the properties at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution
. The area became industrial and several mills including John Marshall's Mill
were built to spin flax and thread. Marshall's Mill consisted of a spacious room lit by skylights, occuping an area of nearly two acres. There were ironworks, works for the manufacture of steam engines and machinery of all kinds. Matthew Murray
's Round Foundry on Water Lane was where the Middleton Railway
's first steam locomotives were built. In the mid 19th century Holbeck was one of the most densely populated suburbs of Leeds. Colonel Thomas Harding
was another industrialist with works in the area. By 1834 Holbeck was "the most crowded, most filthy and unhealthy village in the country." Slum clearance began by 1900.
Holbeck has suffered significant decline since the 19th century; many of the industrial buildings and warehouses have been demolished or fallen into disrepair. Holbeck is nevertheless home to 33 listed buildings and many other important architectural structures, some of the most notable of these are: The Dark Arches
, the Hol Beck, Marshall's Mill
, the Midland Mills
, the Round Foundry
, Temple Works
, Tower Works
and two railway roundhouse
s.
Holbeck was once well served by rail
; Holbeck railway station
(now demolished) was notable because it was a two-tier station with a low line and a high line. A disused railway viaduct
still runs through Holbeck. When it was built in 1869, it was thought to be one of the engineering marvels of the Victorian age. Plans are now underway to convert the track bed
(which is currently overgrown with trees and shrubs) into a raised walkway leading directly into Leeds City centre.
was the largest employer in Holbeck and had a distribution centre on Marshall Street. Kay's acquired Samuel Driver Ltd in 1956 and took over its Holbeck depot. Part of the Kay's premises is a Listed building.
Hasib Hussain
, the suicide bomber responsible for the Tavistock Square
bus bombing in London
on 7 July 2005, lived in the Holbeck.
of which the Hol Beck is a tributary.
It covers an area of about 553 acres. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal
runs parallel to the river on its south side.
, which is expected to attract investment of around £800 million and create around 5,000 jobs. However, the area surrounding the 'Village' is deprived and run down. From 2007, Leeds City Council
began vacating the back-to-back housing and in 2009 began demolition.
built by the Parliamentary Commissioners and consecrated in 1832. It is built in the early English style. There were places of worship for Independents, Wesleyans
and other denominations.
Currently the groups that meet in Holbeck include the Holbeck Christian Fellowship and Mosaic Church which is found on Sweet Street in a warehouse opposite the Commercial pub has been in Holbeck since early 2008. Over the last few years several of Mosaic's Church attendees have moved into Holbeck aiming to love the community.
Kwik Save
supermarket closed in 2005, leaving small independent convenience stores. The post office
closed in 2008, but reopened in 2009. There is a bookmaker, launderette and several fast food takeaways and a branch of the Leeds Building Society
.
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The district begins on the southern edge of the Leeds city centre
Leeds City Centre
Leeds city centre is the central business district of Leeds, England. It is within the Leeds Central parliamentary constituency, represented by Hilary Benn as MP since a by-election in 1999...
and mainly lies in the LS11 Leeds postcode area
LS postcode area
The LS postcode area, also known as the Leeds postcode area, is a group of postcode districts around Leeds, Wetherby, Tadcaster, Pudsey, Otley and Ilkley in England...
. The M1
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
and M621 motorway
M621 motorway
The M621 motorway is a short loop of motorway in England that takes traffic into central Leeds between the M1 and M62 motorways. It is the second longest motorway in the United Kingdom to carry a three digit number although it carries more junctions than any other three digit motorway within the...
s used to end/begin in Holbeck. Now the M621 is the only motorway that passes through the area since the end of the M1 moved to Hook Moor near Aberford
Aberford
Aberford is a large village and civil parish on the eastern outskirts of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 1,059 according to the 2001 census...
. Since large parts of Holbeck have been vacated in preparation for the regeneration of the area, the district has in large parts suffered from a population exodus.
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
also runs through Holbeck.
History
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
loanword, from bekkr, reflecting Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n influence in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
during the Viking age
Viking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...
), thus 'stream in the hollow'. The old manor belonged to the priory of the Holy Trinity at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
and after the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
passed to the Darcy and Ingram families.
In the 18th century Holbeck was known for its spa water, which resembled that of Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
, and was carried into Leeds for sale.
The supply diminished when numerous wells were sunk to supply the mills and works in the area and the water, which previously rose to the surface, could only be obtained by pumping from a considerable depth.
In the first half of the 19th century Holbeck village was a hamlet of few streets, most were owned by John Scholey (1774–1834) and are listed in his will at the Borthwick Institute for Archives
Borthwick Institute for Archives
The Borthwick Institute for Archives is the specialist archive service of the University of York, York, England. It is one of the biggest archive repositories outside London. The Borthwick was founded in 1953 as The Borthwick Institute for Historical Research. It was originally based at St...
, University of York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
. His family sold the properties at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
. The area became industrial and several mills including John Marshall's Mill
Marshall's Mill
Marshall's Mill is a former flax spinning mill on Marshall Street in Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.Marshall's Mill was part of a complex begun in 1791-92 by English industrial pioneer John Marshall...
were built to spin flax and thread. Marshall's Mill consisted of a spacious room lit by skylights, occuping an area of nearly two acres. There were ironworks, works for the manufacture of steam engines and machinery of all kinds. Matthew Murray
Matthew Murray
Matthew Murray was an English steam engine and machine tool manufacturer, who designed and built the first commercially viable steam locomotive, the twin cylinder Salamanca in 1812...
's Round Foundry on Water Lane was where the Middleton Railway
Middleton Railway
The Middleton Railway is the world's oldest continuously working railway. It was founded in 1758 and is now a heritage railway run by volunteers from The Middleton Railway Trust Ltd...
's first steam locomotives were built. In the mid 19th century Holbeck was one of the most densely populated suburbs of Leeds. Colonel Thomas Harding
Thomas Harding
Thomas Harding was a sixteenth century English religious dissident who, whilst waiting to be burnt at the stake as a Lollard in 1532, was hit on the head by a piece of firewood which killed him instantly....
was another industrialist with works in the area. By 1834 Holbeck was "the most crowded, most filthy and unhealthy village in the country." Slum clearance began by 1900.
Holbeck has suffered significant decline since the 19th century; many of the industrial buildings and warehouses have been demolished or fallen into disrepair. Holbeck is nevertheless home to 33 listed buildings and many other important architectural structures, some of the most notable of these are: The Dark Arches
The Dark Arches
Granary Wharf is a shopping centre built in the brick tunnels underneath Leeds railway station and above the River Aire on Dark Neville Street in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The tunnel complex is known locally as the Dark Arches.-History:...
, the Hol Beck, Marshall's Mill
Marshall's Mill
Marshall's Mill is a former flax spinning mill on Marshall Street in Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.Marshall's Mill was part of a complex begun in 1791-92 by English industrial pioneer John Marshall...
, the Midland Mills
Midland Mills
Midland Mills is a former flax mill on Silver Street in Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire.-History:John Jubb built the first mill on the site in 1793 but sold his business and mill in the early 19th century. The new owner took advantage of the expansion of the flax spinning industry in the Holbeck...
, the Round Foundry
Round Foundry
The Round Foundry is a former engineering works off Water Lane in Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.The Round Foundry was built in 1795–1797 by a partnership of James Fenton, Matthew Murray, David Wood and the financier William Lister, trading as Fenton, Murray and Wood,...
, Temple Works
Temple Works
Temple Works is a former flax mill in Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was designed by Joseph Bonomi the Younger and built by John Marshall between 1836 and 1840. Temple Works is the only Grade I listed building in Holbeck....
, Tower Works
Tower Works
Tower Works is a former factory notable for its three listed towers. It is located on Globe Road in Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, next to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The Italianate towers of the factory are a distinctive landmark on the Leeds skyline....
and two railway roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
s.
Holbeck was once well served by rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
; Holbeck railway station
Holbeck railway station
Holbeck railway station was a railway station that served the district of Holbeck, in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-Overview:Holbeck Station was unusual in that it had platforms on two different levels, the Holbeck High Level and the Holbeck Low Level .The low level platforms were closed to the...
(now demolished) was notable because it was a two-tier station with a low line and a high line. A disused railway viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
still runs through Holbeck. When it was built in 1869, it was thought to be one of the engineering marvels of the Victorian age. Plans are now underway to convert the track bed
Track bed
A track bed or trackbed is the term used to describe the groundwork onto which a railway track is laid. Trackbeds of disused railways are sometimes used for recreational paths or new light rail links....
(which is currently overgrown with trees and shrubs) into a raised walkway leading directly into Leeds City centre.
Recent times
From 1956 to 2004 Kays CataloguesKays Catalogues
Kay and Co Ltd was a mail-order catalogue business, with offices and warehouses throughout the United Kingdom. It was a very successful company, especially during the latter part of the 20th century....
was the largest employer in Holbeck and had a distribution centre on Marshall Street. Kay's acquired Samuel Driver Ltd in 1956 and took over its Holbeck depot. Part of the Kay's premises is a Listed building.
Hasib Hussain
Hasib Hussain
Hasib Mir Hussain was one of four homegrown terrorists who detonated bombs on three trains on the London Underground and one bus in central London during the 7 July 2005 London bombings....
, the suicide bomber responsible for the Tavistock Square
Tavistock Square
Tavistock Square is a public square in Bloomsbury, in the London Borough of Camden with a fine garden.-Public art:The centre-piece of the gardens is a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, which was installed in 1968....
bus bombing in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 7 July 2005, lived in the Holbeck.
Geography
The name Holbeck derives its name from the brook on which it is situated. Since industrialisation the beck, a natural watercourse has been canalised with stone setted floor and stone walls. It is crossed by several bridges giving access from Water Lane. Holbeck is on the flood plain on the south side of the River AireRiver Aire
The River Aire is a major river in Yorkshire, England of length . Part of the river is canalised, and is known as the Aire and Calder Navigation....
of which the Hol Beck is a tributary.
It covers an area of about 553 acres. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
runs parallel to the river on its south side.
Regeneration
Over recent years efforts have been made to regenerate the Holbeck area. The most notable scheme is the Holbeck Urban VillageHolbeck Urban Village
Holbeck Urban Village is the name given by local government and planning agencies to a mixed use urban renewal area south of Leeds railway station in Holbeck, West Yorkshire, England....
, which is expected to attract investment of around £800 million and create around 5,000 jobs. However, the area surrounding the 'Village' is deprived and run down. From 2007, Leeds City Council
Leeds City Council
Leeds City Council is the local authority for the City of Leeds metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England.-History:The city council was established in 1974, with the first elections being held in advance in 1973...
began vacating the back-to-back housing and in 2009 began demolition.
Landmarks
The Holbeck Conservation Area includes several industrial archaeological sites and Listed buildings. Holbeck is unique in Leeds as an area where many early to mid 19th century industrial buildings survive in an unaltered group within the original street pattern. The buildings are utilitarian two or three-storey brick structures with some larger complexes such as Temple Mill and the brick terracotta towers of Tower Works. Railway viaducts cut through the area, notably that of the Bradford and Leeds Railway of 1846 and the London and North Eastern Railway's extension line of 1860. Holbeck Public Library is built in red brick and terracotta.Religion
The old chapel, dedicated to St. Catherine and recorded in ancient documents as existing in 809, was rebuilt on the same site in the early 18th century. It became inadequate for the rapidly increasing population at that time and was demolished in 1836. The church of St. Matthew, stood on common land next to the old burial-ground. It cost £3,786 and was a Commissioners' churchCommissioners' church
A Commissioners' church is an Anglican church in the United Kingdom built with money voted by Parliament as a result of the Church Building Act of 1818 and 1824. They have been given a number of titles, including Commissioners' churches, Waterloo churches and Million Act churches...
built by the Parliamentary Commissioners and consecrated in 1832. It is built in the early English style. There were places of worship for Independents, Wesleyans
and other denominations.
Currently the groups that meet in Holbeck include the Holbeck Christian Fellowship and Mosaic Church which is found on Sweet Street in a warehouse opposite the Commercial pub has been in Holbeck since early 2008. Over the last few years several of Mosaic's Church attendees have moved into Holbeck aiming to love the community.
Amenities
The area has lost amenities as part of the population exodus connected with the demolition of properties as part of the regeneration scheme.Kwik Save
Kwik Save
Kwik Save was a discount supermarket chain in the United Kingdom until 2007. Its stores were small to medium sized high street supermarkets, mainly located in areas with below average incomes...
supermarket closed in 2005, leaving small independent convenience stores. The post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
closed in 2008, but reopened in 2009. There is a bookmaker, launderette and several fast food takeaways and a branch of the Leeds Building Society
Leeds Building Society
Leeds Building Society was established as the Leeds and Holbeck Building Society in 1875 and is now the 5th largest in the UK and serves approximately 650,000 customers. The society was renamed to Leeds Building Society in September 2005. It has 70 branches across the UK, with 29 located in...
.