Blog

20 / 01 / 19

Cradle on Air(e)

Co-author, Rachael Unsworth, was interviewed on BBC Radio Leeds on Saturday 19th January 2019. So much to say about the book, and so little time ... But presenter Andrew Edwards ...

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10 / 01 / 19

Walking tour of ‘The Cradle’ Sunday 20th January

Author Rachael Unsworth will guide you on a walking tour of Holbeck and Hunslet. The route takes in sites that have links to a couple of dozen of the innovators featured in ...

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12 / 12 / 18

An ecosystem of innovation

From its beginnings as a textile trading town, Leeds became an early manufacturing location: first textile factories, then engineering. Many more products followed to make it a city of 1,000 ...

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26 / 11 / 18

From engineering to behavioural research

Guy Redwood’s ‘ruthless open-mindedness’ led him from studying electrical engineering to founding SimpleUsability. Principles of neuroscience are applied to improve the effectiveness of websites, mobile apps and packaging. Attracted by the ...

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25 / 11 / 18

Slumber not

Harrison Spinks have been making beds since 1840. Their vertical integration includes the whole chain of activities from sheep-rearing to hand sewing of mattresses. A lesson from looking at a ...

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22 / 11 / 18

Can’t build? Grow veg …

MEPC was about to start developing the former railway land between Whitehall Road and Wellington Place when the recession forced a halt. Research amongst people working and living nearby showed strong ...

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21 / 11 / 18

AW Hainsworth – Legendary Woollen Mill

The firm has its roots in the traditional economy of pre-industrial West Yorkshire with the forebears of the mill-owning dynasty earning a living as makers and merchants of cloth. As ...

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20 / 11 / 18

Making enterprises agile through digital transformation

BJSS is the kind of business that the early entrepreneurs of Leeds would find surprising. Founded in Leeds in 1993, the skilled technologists have an award-winning track record in taking ...

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16 / 11 / 18

Cooking up a digital storm

Leeds Digital Festival is a celebration of the digital sector, a chance to showcase achievements and the people making it all happen. The 2018 festival was three times the size ...

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16 / 11 / 18

Translation innovation

thebigword, founded by Leeds man, Larry Gould, successfully patented its Highly Secure Translation Editor connecting its expert linguists to commercially-sensitive work. Linguists can securely carry out translation and audio transcription tasks ...

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15 / 11 / 18

Pioneers in filming and temperance

Louis le Prince came to Leeds in 1866 and experimented in cinematography. In 1888 he patented a one-lens camera and filmed activity on Leeds Bridge – probably the world’s first ...

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15 / 11 / 18

21st century businessmen

Jonathan Straight and Chris Black attended the book launch. Jonathan’s company, featured in the 'green' section of the book, dominated the market in recycling bins. Chris Black’s father, Alan, started ...

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15 / 11 / 18

The art of moving on

Tetley's Brewery, owned by 'Leeds Legend' Joshua Tetley from 1822, pioneered high quality beer. After the last barrel was brewed in 2011, art and education charity Project Space Leeds took ...

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14 / 11 / 18

Flaming bad luck for ace printer

When Alf Cooke’s printworks near Crown Point Bridge burned down he built again on Hunslet Road and continued to run a flourishing business. Fire destroyed this too but Cooke pressed ...

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14 / 11 / 18

Trading legends

Vickers Oils started making mineral oil preparations for the woollen industry in the mid-19th century. This bill was made out to fellow Leeds Legend, AW Hainsworth, in 1859. These ‘Living ...

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13 / 11 / 18

Ad astra

Some early innovators had little formal education, yet they managed to acquire learning, some of them via the Mechanics' Institute. Tony Harrison, graduate of the University of Leeds, poet and ...

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01 / 11 / 18

One of the earliest factories anywhere in the world

Benjamin Gott’s Bean Ing Mill, started in 1792, was the first and largest of the Leeds woollen mills, famous throughout Europe in its day. Gott revolutionised the production of woollen ...

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21 / 10 / 18

Culture is all around us

Compass Festival brings original live art and interactive encounters by local, national and international artists to cultural venues, civic buildings, local businesses and out on the city streets. Artists invite passers-by ...

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09 / 10 / 18

Multi-coloured green business

Since 2001 this environmental social enterprise has been gathering in and reselling unwanted paint - up to 200 tonnes a year. This is an example of innovation that we've added since ...

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08 / 10 / 18

Reinventing the Cradle

Innovations came thick and fast through the 19th century and continued into the 20th century. There was something of a lull when British industry lost out to foreign competition and ...

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01 / 06 / 18

Park here and play

Sponsors DLA Architecture contributed towards enlivening Victoria Gardens beside the Art Gallery. Leeds aims to be a child-friendly city.

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