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Description and History of Site:-

The Italianate building with the central clock tower facing onto North Street had originally been built in the mid C19 as the Smithfield Hotel. It was subsequently absorbed into Thomas Green and Son's iron work which was to the rear. Ward noted that the site had been started in 1849 by Thomas Green, who had originally commenced business as a white-smith in Sheffield, before coming to Hunslet Lane in 1835. The firm was still active in 1972. Green had subsequently established himself as an iron founder, on Lower Headrow, and developed gradually by his firm thereafter. The foundry was built on land bought from John Rhodes for £3,600, a sum not finally repaid until 1861. By this time Green employed 120 workers, as compared with only 26 in 1851. The works was by the 1860's the largest manufacturers of lawnmowers in the country, having produced 2,000 machines in four months in 1861.The firm continued to grow, and the works expanded also. They became a limited company in 1879, and by 1883 the works covered 1.5 acres and housed 400 employees. There were three foundries by this time, for cast iron, malleable iron, and one for brass, plus several annealing furnaces, a boilermaker's shop, an engine erecting shop, tool shops, and a machine-fitting shop.Besides lawnmowers they made steam-engines, especially for tea plantations, and Wilkinson's Patent Tramway Engine, which were to be used by Leeds Tramways. Output of these reached 75 a year by 1898. By this time Green employed 120 workers, as compared with only 26 in 1851. The works was by the 1860s the largest manufacturers of lawnmowers in the country, having produced 2,000 machines in four months in 1861.
The firm continued to grow, and the works expanded also. The were made a limited company in 1879, and by 1883 the works covered 1.5 acres and housed 400 employees. There were three foundries by this time, for cast iron, malleable iron, and one for brass, plus several annealing furnaces, a boilermaker's shop, an engine erecting shop, tool shops, and a machine-fitting shop.
Besides lawnmowers they made steam-engines, especially for tea plantations, and Wilkinson's Patent Tramway Engine, which were to be used by Leeds Tramways. Output of these reached 75 a year by 1898.

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Key Words :- ironworks lawnmowers steam engines

Viewing the Site :- No public access in commercial use, can be viewed from the public highway

Address :- 92 North Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7PN
Grid Ref :- SE 3059 3411
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.802396 , Long -1.537021
Local Authority :- Leeds Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site extant - Protected status unknown
Site Condition :- Site in alternative industrial use
Contributor :- John Suter - 10 December 2015

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © John Suter