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The 2008 ELHAS meetings programme got
off to great start in January when members and guests enjoyed a talk by
Ken Goor entitled 'Colourful Characters of Leeds'.
Ken, who has been a Leeds and White Rose guide for 23 years regularly
hosts guided walks around Leeds and further a field and is well known
in the city for his vast local knowledge. As well as being a guide and
speaker Ken is also an author and in 2006 published 'Haunted Leeds' a
book describing ghostly sightings and spooky happenings all over Leeds.
Not for the faint hearted, this book will surely keep you awake at night!
Ken's talk was designed around a 'virtual tour' of Leeds city centre beginning
with the hallowed occupants of City Square - the statues of James Watt,
Joseph Priestley, Walter Farquhar Hook and John Harrison. According to
Ken, however, James Watt was not so hallowed and in fact regards him as
a usurper whose only contribution was to prevent Matthew Murray from expanding
and growing his business. This was a view that found much favour with
his audience since some members of ELHAS have long felt that Watt has
no right in City Square and his statue should be replaced by one of Matthew
Murray. Ken described how the discoveries of distinguished scientist Joseph
Priestley led to the eradication of scurvy amongst sailors. He also said
how Priestley, who became a humanitarian after witnessing a young boy
hanged for stealing a pork pie, built the Leeds Library and was instrumental
in building the Leeds General Infirmary. Ken told how Walter Hook who
was vicar of Leeds rebuilt the parish church during his tenure since the
existing church was not 'high' enough for his tastes. The final member
of the 'gang of four' John Harrison was a great benefactor who built the
first Grammar School and St John's Church in New Briggate.
Moving on to other parts of the city Ken delighted his audience with anecdotes
about other famous Leeds inhabitants whose names are familiar to us all.
He told us how Jacob Kramer would paint all day then repair to the Jubilee
Tavern at night and sell his work for enough money to drink himself into
a stupor. And how Michael Marks came to Leeds seeking his brother Barnet
with only one word of English - 'Barrans' - the company his brother worked
for , only to find that Barnet had left Leeds to seek his fortune in the
Yukon Gold Rush. This obviously didn't faze Michael whom we all know founded
the great Marks & Spencer Empire. Coming into the 20th century he
regaled us with tales of the early years of such celebrities as Keith
Waterhouse, Peter O'Toole and Willis Hall before closing with some details
of John Vickers Conlon, (the 'bogey' man who sold matches outside Trinity
Church boar Lane) and Alice Porter aka Woodbine Lizzie a familiar sight
in the city centre wearing all her possessions round her. Sadly time got
the better of him and Ken was forced to draw to a close. However, it was
only too obvious to his audience that he had many more interesting stories
to impart.
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