To help bring to life the memory of David, we have created a walking tour of some of his life in Leeds. Through the tour, we hope to help you see the world through David’s eyes, by including some of the places he worked, slept and socialised, as well as the spots where David spent the last few moments of his life.
The blue line shows the suggested route for the walking tour. When you reach the location you can click on the purple icons to find out more about David’s life. Along with each purple marker, there are some pictures of Leeds from the time David was alive, to help show what kind of a city Leeds was then, compared to what it is now, and some information about what each place was and how it is relevant to David’s life.
The tour is approximately 3km and lasts around 35-40 minutes, depending on how long you spend at each marker. The stops we have included are;
- Kirkgate Market – this was home to an abattoir and meat market where David worked
- King Edward Hotel (now Halifax) – a place where David enjoyed drinking, and where many of his troubles began
- Mecca Ballroom (now Reiss) – another place where David enjoyed drinking and socialising, this was a popular location amongst David and his friends
- Bridal House (now Stitches) – after David found himself on the streets, this was one of the common places where officers would find David sleeping
- John Peters Furniture Store (now Costa/easyHotel) – another spot where David was often found sleeping rough
- Leeds Bridge – from this spot, you can see the point where David is likely to have entered the water. You can also get an impression of the river, and a feel for what it may have been like for David on that night
- Printworks – this formerly industrial part of Leeds was home to many factories, including ones where David worked
- Church Army Hostel (now empty) – this former hostel took in homeless men with nowhere else to go, but unfortunately David was turned away due to his skin colour, which would be unheard of now
- Riverside Court (aka Warehouse Hill) – based on witness testimony, this is believed to be the spot where David entered the water
Bibliography
Farrar, M. (2017). David Oluewale 1930-1969. Available: https://www.africansinyorkshireproject.com/david-oluwale.html. Last accessed 26th Nov 2018.
Photos by the kind permission of Leeds Library and Information services, http://www.leodis.net
Remembering David 