I wonder if you have knowledge of a Harry Prince who operated a wheel building & hearth metal works business on Jack Lane, Hunslet during the 60`s & early 70`s?

There’s a picture showing a young lad in front of a workshop I know was Harry Prince’s premises. I`m certain that young man is me, John MacAlevey, who bought the business from Harry Prince with a friend & formed FMN Metalworks in the early 70`s.

The Text says -

`1972 - A young boy poses with his dog at the family firm of Barber Brothers, a well-established vehicle builders located in Leak's Yard on the north-east side of Jack Lane. Part of a wheel leans against the brick premises.`

To add narrative to my story, I met my business partner while we were both in the TA at Regent Street, he was 27 yrs. with six children eldest 9 yrs. I was single.

We bought the business from Harry prince for 1001 guineas to include all fittings & equipment within building. There was an open hearth on which we bashed out hot iron metal pins for Leeds Council, hundreds of them but unfortunately LCC wouldn’t pay out on new accounts for six months which hurt our cash flow. The other half of the business was wheel building & fellying, that’s where we forced in solid rubber to the metal rims of wooden wheel that showmen & cart owners bought in to re-new. We worked 18 hours a day, seven days a week, often through the night. That fellying machine was given to Armley Industrial Museum by me who made me an `Advisor`! We employed my partners father as we became busy fabricating air ducting tubes & all went well for 18 months until sadly, due to huge pressures on him & me to a lesser extent, he took his own life in the workshop & I left the business but was presented with the tax bill for the whole business..my van had been written off on Regent Street through no fault of mine so life became difficult.

It was a sharp lesson in life for me as all my family were elsewhere & not in Leeds.