The LS6 Living Museum

The LS6 Living Museum is a project I’ve been working on with the Hyde Park Picture House. As a longtime resident, I’ve always been fascinated with the social and living history of the area. The back to backs in the area were first built as a form of high density housing during the Victorian age, and in this area they would have housed workers for the local tanneries, mills and quarry.

No other city has the concentration of back to back terraced housing that Leeds does. Most cities have done away with their back to backs long ago. What is particularly interesting about the LS6 area is that there’s always been this mix of long-term residents who run businesses and work in the area, and students who are only here for a couple of years. That the area is popular with students means that a lot of people have lived in these houses that once housed factory workers.

I’m still collecting stories, photos and voice notes for this project and would love to hear from anybody who does live or who has lived in the area:

“We want to hear your stories and memories to help build up a ‘living picture’ of the Hyde Park area, and how it has changed over the years. We want to hear from individuals and families, whether you’ve been here a short time or a long time. We want to hear your stories and memories to help build up a ‘living picture’ of the Hyde Park area, and how it has changed over the years. We want to hear from individuals and families, whether you’ve been here a short time or a long time.

You’ll be able to contribute your memories to the museum, show us your photos and find out more about the local area that we all call home.

We’re particularly interested in the area around the Hyde Park Picture House, Brudenell Road / Queens Road / Chestnut Avenue area. If you have memories of going to the Hyde Park Picture House cinema or know somebody who does, we would love to hear from you.

So, if you’ve lived in LS6 and worked here, taken children to school or gone to school here yourself, run a business, played in a band or been a student here, we’d love to hear from you so that we can capture your stories and photos and add them to the museum.

Your memories will be hosted on a page on the Lost Cinemas of Leeds website, and may later appear on a separate LS6 Living Museum web page.”

You can email your memories, voice notes and stories into LS6LivingMuseum@gmail.com.