“It was resolved that in the opinion of the meeting it is expedient to establish a Club in Leeds to be called The Union Club on the principle of those which now exist in some of the large towns in England.”
Note from the inaugural meeting, 23rd March 1849
In 1849 when the Leeds Club was founded, gardens and fields bordered Albion Place and the house of William Hey, a distinguished surgeon, was the only significant building. On the present site of 3 Albion Place were two houses owned by a Mr Martin, which were leased and then, in 1861, purchased by the Club for £5,300. There then followed various proposals to improve the site and, following a building project, the alterations were reported as complete at the AGM in January 1864.
The building and the Club were acquired by its current owner in December 2007. Since that time over 8,000 square feet of space have been renovated. This renovation included removing asbestos, undertaking major re-plumbing and re-wiring work, replacing rotten floors and installing new telephone, Wi-Fi and fibre optic systems. The result is an eclectic blend of the best from the 19th Century with the best of today.
“The labours have been great and the result of them has provided one of the best club houses in the country.”
Note from the minutes of the AGM, 1864