PDA

View Full Version : Victoria and Hunslet Mills, Hunslet, Leeds, Jan '09



boxfrenzy
13-01-2009, 03:18 PM
Victoria, Atkinson and Hunslet Mills were flax mills initially, built in the heavily industrialised “Workshop of Leeds” district of the city, Hunslet.
The building on the main road, was Victoria Mill, a flax mill built in the 1860’s. It became a tailoring company in the early years of the twentieth century, and later a tool and ironmongers called RH Bruce.
Victoria Mills.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/3194128776_3011cb8be9_b.jpg

The inside is empty. Little remains after over 40 years of being empty. On one of the floors is the serving hatch for the canteen
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/3194116406_c3b609deaf.jpg

Almost all of the floors in the whole of the complex look the same. They were built to withstand fire, a constant threat for flax mills.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3517/3194116400_62ff6fe3bf.jpg

Inside the mills, it appears that nothing is there, however on closer look it is quite photogenic. Stone stairs connect every floor.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3428/3194116398_e7c6b3b8d9.jpg

The entrance to Victoria Mills was under this arch, now dangerously subsiding. These gates were breezeblocked up in the late 1990's
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3127/3194122196_0b0b2a5400.jpg
The pikies, who were parked opposite on South Point on a few occasions last year opened up different places. Here is the reception for RH Bruce. Fantastic arches and moulded plaster peel and are great colours.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/3194122204_1ea8a66ed4.jpg

Doors.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/3194122210_c62040dc87.jpg

Upstairs, the floors are the same as the rest of the site, cleared of rubbish and needles.
In more recent years the complex was reroofed, and apparently it will take three years for the building to dry out beneath.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3430/3194128764_73f1bd3a69.jpg

In the basement of Victoria Mills. Old electrical fuse boards and a last remaining toilet, complete with eloborate decoration.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3306/3194128766_2d75ef2a6e.jpg

Remains of a hand-painted delivery notice.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3428/3194122192_4c732d4b5c.jpg

One of the last chimneys remaining. Originally this was handpainted with the name Boyd Thomas, a cloth finisher during the war years who used part of the site.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3495/3194122182_08903d3ddc_b.jpg

Hunslet Mills runs alongside the River Aire, and is empty, like the rest of the site. It's spiral staircase looks particularly dodgy at the top.The large site was a 7 story mill used for blanket weaving.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3444/3194116412_091b357fcd.jpg

The ground floor opens onto a large high room which looks like it may have held a furnace at some time in the past.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3472/3194116424_1a3ef85cc9_b.jpg

The giant looms are long gone, and like the rest of the mill, the floors are empty.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3456/3194122172_56c8d51f94.jpg

Joining Hunslet Mills and Victoria Mills is another building, Sydney.A.Smith, last used in the 1950's for the manufacture of ladies coats and skirts.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/3194116418_309269d2bb.jpg

I've always wanted to go here since seeing Mexico's report a long time ago. It is very empty, and a bit sad to see such a great building ruined. Much of the site has been empty since the mid 1960's. A plan for 700 flats and commercial property has been approved however, but who knows when that will start? Currently work to the waste ground outside is underway. Maybe in 10 years, Hunslet Mills will be a great place to live, but at the moment it sits by the river, derelict and huge and ruined.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3462/3194128782_327598c5ae.jpg

boxfrenzy
13-01-2009, 07:51 PM
Thanks for the comments.
Well spotted about the sagging windows Mat. This picture through the anti pigeon blinds shows it a bit worse. If nothing is done, I would imagine that one day this will collapse, which would be very bad indeed.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/DSC_0010.jpg


The building isn't leaning that much, just my poor picture.

andym
13-01-2009, 09:07 PM
Excellent report, I love this kind of old abandoned mill, not that many of them round these days.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3444/3194116412_091b357fcd.jpg


This very much reminds me of Old Lane Mill in Ovenden (below). I've never seen this style of architecture on my side of the Pennines, must just be a Yorkshire thing. I believe the tall narrow tower type thing on Old Lane, is a 'latrine tower', would presume it's the same on Hunslet Mill.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2083/2452951014_ec36ff4b36.jpg