Richard A Thackeray
Legendary Member
I've just been reading one of my library books, & there's a chapter about one of the most prominent citizens of Leeds
Arnold Ziff
I knew the name, & his connection to the 'Stylo' shoe company, but the other involvements/philanthropic gestures stunned me
A Russian Jew, by family descent
His father (Max) came to these shores in the early 1900s, & worked for his aunt, in her shoe shop, in Holbeck
After WW1, the firm prospered. Max & his wife had a son; Israel Arnold
Not the best of scholars, at Leeds Grammar School, he helped in the family business during school holidays
He certainly did enough to go to Leeds University, to read Economics!!
During WW2, he attained the rank of a Staff Sergeant, in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, with responsibilities ranging from the procurement of ammunition, vehicles, clothing
Post-war, & back at the family business, times were hard, like the rest of British industry, getting raw materials was difficult
They persevered
In 1959, he set up (for £1,000) 'Town Centre Securities' to buy & trade in land for (mainly) retail)
Within 18 months, such was his acumen, that it was floated on the Stock Exchange, valued at £250,000!!!!
In the 1950s, Leeds Council was considering building a bus-station, & (advanced for the time!) a multi-storey car-park on Merrion Street
The plans fell through, but Ziff took them & amended them
In 1964, Ziff & his wife, opened the Merrion Centre & Merrion Hotel
(I'm sure 'Town Centre Securities' still own it, or at least have offices there, as my wife consulted there, a few years ago)
Stylo grew, & bought another shoe company, in the 60s
At the time of writing the book, Stylo had 225 Barratts shops, & 250 concessions in Dorothy Perkins shops!!
Records also show that by 2003, the turnover was £200million plus, assetts of £60 million, & employed almost 5,800 staff
Not bad, considering the beginnings in a 2 person shop in Holbeck
The story doesn't end there, as his philanthropism shows;
- In 1998,, the Leeds Art Gallery was in need of refurbishment
Ziff helped to finance the work. & paid a large proportion of the cost of the 'Henry Moore Gallery'
- In the 90s, Yorkshire County Cricket Club was in a dire position, with little new talent coming along, or places to train
Ziff bought premises, sold them to YCC, at a knockdown price, & paid for the adaptation
- He heard stories, in the mid 80s, about the desire, by the Council, to create a 'Kew Gardens Of The North'
The following day, Leeds Council received a cheque for £30,000
He then gave £250,000 to the costs (of a projected £1million)
Typical of the man, he was most perturbed when a plaque announcing his contributions was placed on the building!
(It was actually renamed 'The Arnold and Marjorie Ziff Tropical World' in 2008)
- He was involved with raising funds for the first MRI scanner, in Yorkshire at St James Hospital
A (radiologist) friend persaded him to travel to Israel to see one in action
Together with a group of other prominent business leaders, they raised the required £1million within 6 months!!
His only demand being that as the people of Leeds had helped to raise the money, it would be free to use, by the citizens of Leeds!!
(that makes me presume, that a private company run it, like the early MRI scanner, at Pinderfields General Hospital)
- He financed the creation of the post of a 'Professor in Retail Management', at Leeds Metropolitan University
- He helped to set up the Universitys 'Business School', on the site of the old Leeds Grammar School
- His wife, & he, presented the University with a £80,000 Steinway Piano for the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition
- Dr Jonathon Sachs (Chief Rabbi) called him, "One Of Anglo-Jewrys Most Outstanding Figures"
He was proud of his heritage & his people, but also loved others
In 1994, he became a Trustee, of the Leeds Parish Church Restoration Fund (now Leeds Cathedral)
He was, in London, for an event, & (so the story reported goes) & was driven past one of the biggest gay clubs of the time, & another passenger made disparaging remarks
Ziff, responded, to the vitriol, with "I don't Know Why You Can't Just Live & Let Live!"
The Queens Hotel, on City Square was a favourite venue, he knew the first names off all the restaurants permanent waitresses & waiters (presenting them with birthday presents)
He, & his wife, strongly supported & helped the local NSPCC, Variety Club of Great Britain
He sat on the Boards of the Halifax Building Society, & the Leeds Permanent Building Society
He was a Magistrate for over 30years
1981, brought him an OBE
1991- 1992, he was the High Sherrif of Yorkshire'
1993, a Honorary Doctorate, from the University of Leeds
2000, a Lifetime Achievement Award at the (Yorkshire Post ) 'Yorkshire Awards' ceremony
2003, a Honorary Doctorate, from Leeds Metropolitan University
He passed in 2004
There is no statue, no civic plaque, to Ziff
It is stated in the book, that Leeds is his epitath
I only wish, I'd known more sooner
As I titled this "what a man!!!"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Ziff
https://www.theguardian.com/news/20...yYf4YwQpGh7wOLuPpNFq9d_4MQnUqlSRU5xoCX9cRtPpU
The book in question
It also has a chapter about VC winners, from Leeds
12 holders were born in Leeds, 4 others are buried there
(one has a statue)
Arnold Ziff
I knew the name, & his connection to the 'Stylo' shoe company, but the other involvements/philanthropic gestures stunned me
A Russian Jew, by family descent
His father (Max) came to these shores in the early 1900s, & worked for his aunt, in her shoe shop, in Holbeck
After WW1, the firm prospered. Max & his wife had a son; Israel Arnold
Not the best of scholars, at Leeds Grammar School, he helped in the family business during school holidays
He certainly did enough to go to Leeds University, to read Economics!!
During WW2, he attained the rank of a Staff Sergeant, in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, with responsibilities ranging from the procurement of ammunition, vehicles, clothing
Post-war, & back at the family business, times were hard, like the rest of British industry, getting raw materials was difficult
They persevered
In 1959, he set up (for £1,000) 'Town Centre Securities' to buy & trade in land for (mainly) retail)
Within 18 months, such was his acumen, that it was floated on the Stock Exchange, valued at £250,000!!!!
In the 1950s, Leeds Council was considering building a bus-station, & (advanced for the time!) a multi-storey car-park on Merrion Street
The plans fell through, but Ziff took them & amended them
In 1964, Ziff & his wife, opened the Merrion Centre & Merrion Hotel
(I'm sure 'Town Centre Securities' still own it, or at least have offices there, as my wife consulted there, a few years ago)
Stylo grew, & bought another shoe company, in the 60s
At the time of writing the book, Stylo had 225 Barratts shops, & 250 concessions in Dorothy Perkins shops!!
Records also show that by 2003, the turnover was £200million plus, assetts of £60 million, & employed almost 5,800 staff
Not bad, considering the beginnings in a 2 person shop in Holbeck
The story doesn't end there, as his philanthropism shows;
- In 1998,, the Leeds Art Gallery was in need of refurbishment
Ziff helped to finance the work. & paid a large proportion of the cost of the 'Henry Moore Gallery'
- In the 90s, Yorkshire County Cricket Club was in a dire position, with little new talent coming along, or places to train
Ziff bought premises, sold them to YCC, at a knockdown price, & paid for the adaptation
- He heard stories, in the mid 80s, about the desire, by the Council, to create a 'Kew Gardens Of The North'
The following day, Leeds Council received a cheque for £30,000
He then gave £250,000 to the costs (of a projected £1million)
Typical of the man, he was most perturbed when a plaque announcing his contributions was placed on the building!
(It was actually renamed 'The Arnold and Marjorie Ziff Tropical World' in 2008)
- He was involved with raising funds for the first MRI scanner, in Yorkshire at St James Hospital
A (radiologist) friend persaded him to travel to Israel to see one in action
Together with a group of other prominent business leaders, they raised the required £1million within 6 months!!
His only demand being that as the people of Leeds had helped to raise the money, it would be free to use, by the citizens of Leeds!!
(that makes me presume, that a private company run it, like the early MRI scanner, at Pinderfields General Hospital)
- He financed the creation of the post of a 'Professor in Retail Management', at Leeds Metropolitan University
- He helped to set up the Universitys 'Business School', on the site of the old Leeds Grammar School
- His wife, & he, presented the University with a £80,000 Steinway Piano for the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition
- Dr Jonathon Sachs (Chief Rabbi) called him, "One Of Anglo-Jewrys Most Outstanding Figures"
He was proud of his heritage & his people, but also loved others
In 1994, he became a Trustee, of the Leeds Parish Church Restoration Fund (now Leeds Cathedral)
He was, in London, for an event, & (so the story reported goes) & was driven past one of the biggest gay clubs of the time, & another passenger made disparaging remarks
Ziff, responded, to the vitriol, with "I don't Know Why You Can't Just Live & Let Live!"
The Queens Hotel, on City Square was a favourite venue, he knew the first names off all the restaurants permanent waitresses & waiters (presenting them with birthday presents)
He, & his wife, strongly supported & helped the local NSPCC, Variety Club of Great Britain
He sat on the Boards of the Halifax Building Society, & the Leeds Permanent Building Society
He was a Magistrate for over 30years
1981, brought him an OBE
1991- 1992, he was the High Sherrif of Yorkshire'
1993, a Honorary Doctorate, from the University of Leeds
2000, a Lifetime Achievement Award at the (Yorkshire Post ) 'Yorkshire Awards' ceremony
2003, a Honorary Doctorate, from Leeds Metropolitan University
He passed in 2004
There is no statue, no civic plaque, to Ziff
It is stated in the book, that Leeds is his epitath
I only wish, I'd known more sooner
As I titled this "what a man!!!"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Ziff
https://www.theguardian.com/news/20...yYf4YwQpGh7wOLuPpNFq9d_4MQnUqlSRU5xoCX9cRtPpU
The book in question
It also has a chapter about VC winners, from Leeds
12 holders were born in Leeds, 4 others are buried there
(one has a statue)
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