Friendliness paid off for Major, the Great Dane, who welcomed visitors to an anti-vivisection exhibition at the Merrion Centre in the mid-1970s. He used to ingratiate himself with shopkeepers, who fed him scraps which saved his life. The story was told by Major's new master, the Rev. David Broom, vicar of St. Margaret's on Cardigan Road who took Major in. Mr Broom and his wife had fed him up to a healthy 10 stones with Major wolfing down 4lb. of food a day. Mr. Broom, a member of Leeds branch of the National Anti-Vivisection Society, was supporting a campaign calling for alternative methods of research to animal experiments. Area organiser for the Aociety, Bob Marriott, said 1,200 people had signed a petition at the exhibition stand. The photo is one nine making up a mini gallery of memories showcasing life at the Merrion Centre in the 1970s. The photos, plucked from the Yorkshire Evening Post archive, are sure to evoke memories for a generation of shoppers who visited during the decade. READ MORE: The story of Leeds Merrion Centre LOVE LEEDS? LOVE NOSTALGIA? Join Leeds Retro on facebook YEP RETRO NEWSLETTER: Sign up for our free monthly email digest of Leeds nostalgia
1. Merrion Centre in the 1970s
Friendliness paid off for Major, the Great Dane, who welcomed visitors to an anti-vivisection exhibition in April 1974. | YPN Photo: YPN
2. Merrion Centre in the 1970s
Tesco was hosting a closing down sale in January 1976. | YPN Photo: YPN
3. Merrion Centre in the 1970s
Studio 2 at Radio Leeds, which at this time was operating from the Merrion Centre. The interviewer, on the left, is Chris Hawksworth. Also seen in the studio is the writer Harry Patterson, more commonly known as Jack Higgins. Pictured in February 1971. | YPN Photo: YPN
4. Merrion Centre in the 1970s
The infectious Oompah atmosphere of the Hofbrauhaus was caught by members of Women's Circle and their guests in April 1972. | YPN Photo: YPN
6. Merrion Centre in the 1970s
Merrion Centre Superstore pictured in 1978. | YPN Photo: YPN