A glimpse into 1970s Leeds is captured on these nostalgic images which show a very different city to the one we know. The photographs were taken by Eric Miles.
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| Shoppers crossing Lands Lane. |
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| Opposite the Parkinson Building on Woodhouse Lane – Austicks for stationery, Ainsley’s for sandwiches. |
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| Pedestrianisation – looking towards Betty’s Cafe – and Peter Lord if you want some Clarks Shoes. |
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| Kirkgate Market still covered in grime. And new premises for the Leeds not-so-Permanent in the long run Building Society. High & Mighty on the extreme left and Thom’s. |
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| Entrance to Kirkgate Market with its wonderful Victorian facade. |
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| This is one of the arcades that criss cross the city centre. |
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| Inside the market hall – a markedly different shopping experience from that in the ‘arcades’. |
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| Interior of one of the Victorian Arcades. In those days you could pop in to a tool factor/ironmongers and seek advice on the right kit for making a stopped-housing joint. |
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| Big Mechanical-Clock in Thornton’s Arcade. |
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| Parkinson Building and Tower. |
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| University originated as the Yorkshire College of Science. This is the Great Hall designed by Alfred Waterhouse RA in the inevitable Gothic style, and built in the 1880s for £22,000. |
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| Lower Briggate. |
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| Exterior of Thornton’s Arcade. |
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| Newsome’s Famous Flower Corner in the Indoor Market. |
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| Shop in that part of Kirkgate Market. |
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| Parkinson Building on Woodhouse Lane. |
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| Parkinson Building on Woodhouse Lane. The Morris Motor Company appears to have a monopoly on transport. |
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| The halls of academe, Leeds University. |
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| The Empire on which the concrete never sets. Style a bit different compared to the Great Hall. |
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| Graduation Day 1973 – entrance to the Clothworkers’ Court. |
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| Sunday Morning. Woodhouse Moor. |
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| City of Leeds and Carnegie hall of residence. |
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| Horse and cart on Brudenell Road |
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| Brudenell Road, looking towards the Royal Park pub. |
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| Slum clearance, near Burley road, 1972. |
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| Slum clearance, Burley Road. |
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| Slum clearance, Burley Road. |
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| Walking across the clearance area towards the Kirkstall Road. |
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| Slum clearance. |
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| Fishing on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal near Armley. |
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| Snow? An upturned table and a dry grass slope are all you need. |
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| Street play with what’s available – Leeds 4 area. |
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| Leeds-Liverpool Canal 1973. |
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| Sporting Arena. Definitely not Headingley – cricket at Roundhay Park. |
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| Temple Newsam, Whitsun, 1975. |
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| Urban River Bank. |
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| Theatreland, Upper Briggate. The coach would’ve been operated by the splendidly named West Yorkshire Road Car Company. |
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| Top end of Vicar Lane. To your right – the ABC cinema. To your left – Tate of Leeds: Ford dealers – The ‘NEW ESCORT’ is ‘now on show’. |
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| Exact whereabouts forgotten – but the street sign [centre left] might say Rillbank Lane. |
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| Department Stores – on your right: Debenhams. On your left: Lewis’s – which was nothing to do with John Lewis. |
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| The pavement is our playground. |
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| Kirkstall Abbey. |
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| River Aire. |
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| Bank Holiday fishing in the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. |
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| Moorland Road – waiting to make a call. |
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| Simple fun in the children’s playground propelled by push power. |
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| Delph Lane area. |
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| Kirkstall Road, looking towards YTV Studios. |
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| Cardigan Road. Coal Depot. |
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| Kirkgate Market. |
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| Albion Place looking east towards Briggate. |
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| Lands Lane. |
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| Number 58 Circular ascending Belle Vue Road. |
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| Woodhouse Moor. More simple pleasures from a bygone era. |
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| Branksome Place. |
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| Church demolition. |
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| Brudenell Road. |
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| City of Leeds and Carnegie College – Main Building. |
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| Town Hall. |
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| Even the dog gets a turn at skipping. |
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| Temple Newsam. Courtyard Cafe. |
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| Temple Newsam. Whitsun 1975 – Rhododendron time. |
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| Lands Lane. |
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| City Square. Exhibition Hall. |
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| City Square. |
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| The leafy suburbs. Probably near Weetwood Lane, What is that wonderful white car? |
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| Bardon Grange. |
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| Looking towards Kirkstall Road. |
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| In the foreground – Housing. In the background – Industry. |
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| Looking across Burley Road past the Fire Station to Yorkshire Chemicals. |
