Towerhurst

hosted by

Oakwood Church Leeds



Home Walk Around The Clock

At Tudor Lodge on Oakwood Lane by its junction with Springwood Road stand some imposing gate posts


These formerly marked the entrance to Towerhurst, the home of William Penrose-Green who was Conservative Lord Mayor of Leeds in 1909


William Penrose’s widowed mother remarried Thomas Green, proprietor of Smithfield Ironworks in North Street. Starting with wire production Thomas’ had rapidly extended his product range to include bells, lawn mowers, garden rollers, food preparation machinery, steam locomotives, road rollers, and even steam trams. He and his business were prospering.


William married his stepfather Thomas’s granddaughter Martha, taking the additional name Green. He quickly rose to lead the Company


Politically influential on Leeds City Council and Roundhay District Council; he was well travelled; a local philanthropist who gifted lands on which Oakwood Church, the Air Training Corps building and Roundhay St John’s School stand


A keen motorist and sportsman he played a major part in establishing Leeds Golf Club at Cobble Hall


William and his neighbour at Springwood Arthur Greenhow Lupton, one of a well known family of woollen merchants, and one other person were the leading citizens who sat on the small Roundhay District Council which lasted from 1889 to 1912. They were involved in many community schemes, including promoting the Roundhay and District Electric Lighting Company Ltd. For as long as possible they campaigned to preserve the District Council, standing out against incorporation within the City of Leeds and the prospect of paying higher ‘Rates’ (now called Council Tax)


Though no impropriety was demonstrated, he withdrew from political life following litigation about potential conflicts of interest. The High Court found that being a director of several businesses that supplied Leeds City Council disqualified him from membership of it


William died in 1941 and Towerhurst was demolished in the 1960s. Whitechapel Close and Whitechapel Way were built in its former grounds

Notes


Download


Articles

Oak Leaves ODHS


Part Four - Spring 2003

William Penrose-Green

by Dr. Raymond Dalton


Part Twelve - Autumn 2012

The Leeds Extension Act of 1912. 'The Runaway Ratepayers of Roundhay' become part of Leeds

by Anne Wilkinson


Related

Part Twelve - Autumn 2012

Sale of Surplus Land from the Roundhay Park Estate. The Pursuit of 'a Park for Nothing'

 by Neville Hurworth


Links

Oakwood Church


Air Training Corps


Roundhay St John’s School


Electricity


Contact

history@oakwoodchurch.info

More Local History Oakwood Clock

Oakwood Church Leeds