The building being used as a polling station during local elections about May 1965 is Morley Friends' Adult School. This stood at the junction of Ackroyd Street, Cross Peel Street and Charles Street, until it was closed in 1998. Since then it has been thoroughly cleaned up and converted into flats, with another storey made out of the high upstairs hall. At the left hand side of the building two former wooden shops, one a gents' hairdresser, have been pulled down.placeholder image
The building being used as a polling station during local elections about May 1965 is Morley Friends' Adult School. This stood at the junction of Ackroyd Street, Cross Peel Street and Charles Street, until it was closed in 1998. Since then it has been thoroughly cleaned up and converted into flats, with another storey made out of the high upstairs hall. At the left hand side of the building two former wooden shops, one a gents' hairdresser, have been pulled down.

Glorious colour photos take you back to Leeds town in mid-1960s

Andrew Hutchinson
By Andrew Hutchinson

Specialist Reporter

Published 7th Feb 2024, 04:45 BST
Updated 4th Feb 2026, 07:59 BST

These wonderful gallery of memories showcases a year in the life of Morley in the mid-1960s in glorious technicolour.

The photos turn back the clock to 1965 and provide a fascinating glimpse into what life was like in the town with local landmarks, shops and pubs all featured as well as aerial views. The photos also showcase the town as an engine room of industry with memories from inside mills and factories. The images are published courtesy of the David Atkinson Archive whose collection is housed photographic archive Leodis, which is run by Leeds Library & Information Service. READ MORE: Memories of lost Leeds pubs in Morley, Gildersome, Churwell and Drighlington LOVE LEEDS? LOVE NOSTALGIA? Join Leeds Retro on facebook YEP RETRO NEWSLETTER: Sign up for our free monthly email digest of Leeds nostalgia

St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church on Corporation Street pictured in April 1965.

7. Morley in 1965

St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church on Corporation Street pictured in April 1965. Photo: David Atkinson Archive

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A view looking southwards along Queen Street, Morley, from the bell balcony of Morley Town Hall. The rooftops of buildings in the area around Peel Street and Hope Street are shown, plus the fronts of shops on Queen Street from the Co-op Emporium to the new Post Office. The tall chimneys on the left belong to Peel Street Mills (nearest), Peel Mills (next), then Melbourne Mills and Melbourne Street brickworks. Pictured in April 1965.

8. Morley in 1965

A view looking southwards along Queen Street, Morley, from the bell balcony of Morley Town Hall. The rooftops of buildings in the area around Peel Street and Hope Street are shown, plus the fronts of shops on Queen Street from the Co-op Emporium to the new Post Office. The tall chimneys on the left belong to Peel Street Mills (nearest), Peel Mills (next), then Melbourne Mills and Melbourne Street brickworks. Pictured in April 1965. Photo: David Atkinson Archive

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Looking north along Queen Street from the tower of Morley Town Hall which includes a substantial part of the town. The roof at the very bottom of the picture is that of Lloyd's Bank which is still standing. All the other roofs on this side of the road as far as the park have been cleared away and replaced by the Queen's Court complex of flats and shops. These include the glass roof of the Fent Warehouse Arcade, the higher building surrounding it, the old Post Office and telephone exchange, the Yorkshire Bank and an older block beyond which contained the gas showrooms during the Second World War. Pictured in April 1965.

9. Morley in 1965

Looking north along Queen Street from the tower of Morley Town Hall which includes a substantial part of the town. The roof at the very bottom of the picture is that of Lloyd's Bank which is still standing. All the other roofs on this side of the road as far as the park have been cleared away and replaced by the Queen's Court complex of flats and shops. These include the glass roof of the Fent Warehouse Arcade, the higher building surrounding it, the old Post Office and telephone exchange, the Yorkshire Bank and an older block beyond which contained the gas showrooms during the Second World War. Pictured in April 1965. Photo: David Atkinson Archive

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A view from Morley Town Hall Tower looking north-east towards Leeds, though nothing beyond the pit tip at Churwell is really visible. In the foreground are Morley Public Library and part of Morley Co-op's warehouse department with the chimney helping to supply the whole Co-op complex with central heating. Across the other side of Commercial Street is the Sunday School building for St. Mary's-in-the-Wood church and to the right of this Brighton Square has just been demolished along with houses at the end of Marshall Street just beyond. Pictured in April 1965.

10. Motley in 1965

A view from Morley Town Hall Tower looking north-east towards Leeds, though nothing beyond the pit tip at Churwell is really visible. In the foreground are Morley Public Library and part of Morley Co-op's warehouse department with the chimney helping to supply the whole Co-op complex with central heating. Across the other side of Commercial Street is the Sunday School building for St. Mary's-in-the-Wood church and to the right of this Brighton Square has just been demolished along with houses at the end of Marshall Street just beyond. Pictured in April 1965. Photo: David Atkinson Archive

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A view north along Queen Street from the bell balcony of Morley Town Hall, using a camera with wide angle lens. In the centre the properties on the triangular plot are at the junction with Troy Road. The greenery to the left is Scatcherd Park and over the roof tops to the right the Church of St. Mary's-in -the Wood can be seen in Commercial Street. Pictured in April 1965.

11. Morley in 1965

A view north along Queen Street from the bell balcony of Morley Town Hall, using a camera with wide angle lens. In the centre the properties on the triangular plot are at the junction with Troy Road. The greenery to the left is Scatcherd Park and over the roof tops to the right the Church of St. Mary's-in -the Wood can be seen in Commercial Street. Pictured in April 1965. Photo: David Atkinson Archive

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Morley Town Hall tower looking towards the north down Queen Street. The roofs of buildings on both sides of Queen Street are shown in the foreground. St. Mary's-in-the-Wood Church can be seen on the right, houses in Scatcherd Park Avenue are in the middle distance and three large mills, Victoria, Springfield and Prospect, dominate the background. Pictured in April 1965.

12. Morley in 1965

Morley Town Hall tower looking towards the north down Queen Street. The roofs of buildings on both sides of Queen Street are shown in the foreground. St. Mary's-in-the-Wood Church can be seen on the right, houses in Scatcherd Park Avenue are in the middle distance and three large mills, Victoria, Springfield and Prospect, dominate the background. Pictured in April 1965. Photo: David Atkinson Archive

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