club meeting - How well do you know Leicester ?

Speaker: Malcolm Riddle, How Well Do You Know Leicester? Images of 20^th Century Leicester.

Malcolm handed around a sheet on which we were to write our answers to the questions - name the street and/or building of the displayed image. Clearly, it would not be possible to put all the images in the newsletter, or to comply with copyright, so what follows is a flavour, in words, of the challenges set for us! Neither will it give justice to the work, research and time Malcolm had clearly put into our evening entertainment, but here goes. All the images were from sites within a mile of the city centre.

There was much head scratching, hilarity and muttering as we all puzzled over in excess of thirty images. It was interesting and fascinating to see the different modes of transport, dress and changes there have been over many years. Horse drawn vehicles to modern day pedestrianised areas. There is always the question whether ‘progress’ is for the best/better on the eye!

Views from different angles can always confuse the memory, of course, or is that an excuse?! There were clues in some of the images - some more obvious than others. Having lived in and around Leicester all of my life I still found it difficult to relate to many of the images. When the location is pointed out the mind clears……! The quiz also reminded/taught us more of the history of Leicester - industry, kings, ways of life and how this changes over time. It is also interesting to listen to the chatter, giving an insight into how much detail some folk e.g. Andrew know of, for example, buildings and their origins and uses - personal interest and the day job? Will we look more keenly as we navigate the city, spotting the old buildings tucked away amongst the more modern or now ponder on the history behind them, rue the destruction of our heritage, in some instances.

Many views caused us angst and included bridges over the canal/river,‘the straight’ near West Bridge

and Western Boulevard. How many gates were there in Leicester - judging by some of the street

names there were many e.g. Applegate, Humberstone Gate, Belgrave Gate….. apparently only four

(North, South, East and West) - the word ‘gate’ also means ‘road’. Views of Granby Street, Belvoir Street, Market Street etc showed us just how ‘run down’ some of our previously vibrant streets have become - sad to see and be reminded of!

The Thomas Cook Building on Gallowtree Gate, the Corn Exchange building with it’s external stairway and the Town Hall we saw without the modern clutter surrounding. The Police Station on Charles Street we learnt had green and red lights on top - the light changing from green to red when there was a fatality on the streets of Leicester. We saw a view of St Margaret’s Church from Church Gate - how many of us knew this had once been considered as a contender for the cathedral in Leicester?

No pictorial quiz of Leicester would be complete without images of Abbey Park, New Walk, the City Rooms, the Natwest Bank building in St Martins (now Middleton’s Steak House and Grill), the Crescent on King Street, the Jain Center on Oxford Street, Wyggeston’s House and the Guildhall……. The Bow Bridge, a Victorian replacement for the original Medieval bridge and it’s connection with Richard the third (we learnt/were reminded of the legend that Richard the third’s body had been thrown in the River Soar), the Free Grammar School near to the current Highcross Shopping Centre, the building on Humberstone Gate that used to be a weighbridge and the YMCA building near the railway station - all buildings we can relate to in the Leicester of today.

Well, who won? As the meeting wore on it came as no surprise that Andrew, with team mate John, were the winners getting a score of 33 (some questions were awarded two points) which far surpassed many of us, I suggest! Well done, guys. The double act - Unite for Good - the current Rotary logo! No prize - just the satisfaction of knowing so much and winning.

Andrew thanked Malcolm on behalf of the Club for the ‘best ever quiz’ (it would be if you won, wouldn’t it!). Thank you.