1768-1781
At the sign of the dial
From August to October 1768, meetings were held in the Old and New King’s Arms public houses in Leeds to assemble supporters and to organize management of the new library. Premises were also found. 
This is an image is a drawing of about 1800 of Joseph Ogle’s bookshop in Kirkgate-end. The shop is in the brick building on the right with the sun dial. The Golden Cock public house is next door.
The Leeds Library’s first librarian was a bookseller, Joseph Ogle, and the library opened on 1 November 1768 in first floor rooms above his shop found at ‘the sign of the dial’ at Kirkgate End. This modest first accommodation was later described by the historian of Leeds, Thomas Dunham Whitaker, as “a dark and incommodious garret in a back yard”. Kirkgate though was at the very heart of contemporary Leeds.
This shows the Golden Cock public house in about 1910. It is the double-fronted building on the left. The right-hand section of this building was formerly Joseph Ogle’s bookshop - the original home of the Leeds Library which would have been approached via the alleyway. Copyright Leeds Library and Information Service.
