York Road Library - Leeds - June 2010

[KingElvis]

I haven't seen a report on this place for ages so here it is again, the old library and swimming baths on York Road in Leeds. The baths went years ago, all that remains now is the shell of the old library.

The place is totally wrecked and the roof is missing, the floors are warped and most of the lovely stained glass has been smashed. Saying that, it has the best owl mosiac in the known world

Here's some hsitory I've borrowed from the interweb. I'm down to an instant camera these days and no tripod so the pics are pretty awful.

The building was designed by architect H. Ascough Chapman for Leeds Corporation in 1902 and opened in 1904. The lending department of York Road Library which was opened on 11th October 1904 by the Lady Mayoress Mrs A Currer Briggs. This library and the adjacent swimming baths are now closed. The library service is now based in the Richmond Hill 'One stop shop' centre.

Here it is in 1904



And here it is in 2010







Classic telephone now even more covered in crap.



The friendly owl



A few more from the bottom floor.





Spiral staircase up.

[KingElvis]

The phone in 2007

The phone in 2010