Gentle Lion

This trip is all about buildings, some will be of historical significance, but all will be ones with which I have a personal connection and memory.

Today it is - Victoria Hall, Saltaire

We have stayed around Saltaire today and eventually had a wander round Salts Mill, a place I have been visiting over many decades and of which I never tire. Hockney was admired, lunch was found  . . . and of course books were bought in the wonderful bookshop.

But my focus is on Victoria Hall, just a short distance up from the Mill and a few yards from where we are staying. Victoria Hall was opened by Titus in 1871 as a centre for clubs and societies, in part to compensate for the lack of public houses, which he would not allow. It is typical Victorian ornate stonework (see extra for a better view) - an impressive building. 

However, I have always loved the lions outside, especially this one. I always thought he looked like a kindly, contented lion, it is only now that I find he represents Peace. The one at the opposite side of the building is War and across the road, outside the former Factory school, are Vigilance and Determination. These lions were first designed by Thomas Milne for the foot of Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square, but at the last minute the commission was given to Edwin Landseer, at which point Titus took them on for the Hall. 

The reason I feel a personal connection with Victoria Hall is because, all the time we lived in the area, we knew it as a library, and a great library it was too. It took up the whole of the ground floor and had a large children’s section on the right as you went in. We used to go every week as a family and all went our separate ways, returning together with our own piles of books. This was when Dad got the reputation of choosing the biggest books, always with ships on the front!

It is now seems to be used for theatrical productions and shows, amongst other things. Today there was a Vintage Fair which seemed very popular. We didn’t go in but realise that we could have almost set up a stall with all the stuff we got rid of last week!