Leeds nostalgia: Remembering Quarry Hill flats 80 years on

In the first of three articles, we take a look back at the iconic building, which was the largest of its kind in Europe and which was meant to be the beginning of a new way of life for people in the city centre. However, it was liked and loathed and despite being built with the intention of standing for a hundred years, it barely lasted 40 and was unceremoniously pulled down. The legacy of that loss still lingers today, as much of the area has yet to be fully developed.

Back in September 1976, Sammy Taylor, pictured, was moving out of his home - he was one of the first people to take up residence there in 1938. The 80-year-old was moving to a house in Saxton Gardens instead. At the time, only 71 families remained in the flats, which once housed 3,000.

The flats were an achievement and the city was rightly proud. Nothing had been attempted before on that scale. They even drew visitors from across the world.

Construction began in 1936, with people moving in two years later. There were 900 families living there. It was dubbed a ‘re-housing experiment which roused national interest’.

It was a self-contained village but while it opened in 1938, it was talked about as far back as the 1890s - it was seen as part of the solution to rid the city of a vast area of slum housing and raise thousands from the poverty line.

But it did much more than that, it created a housing model other cities were envious of and for those who lived there, it was a taste of a utopian dream.

We’d like to hear of your memories of the flats. Perhaps you grew up there or had relatives that did. Contact [email protected] or call 0113 238 8353 (Tues/Thurs/Fri, 9am-3pm).