Dewsbury Pioneer Industrial Society

[Rochester]

This place is epic, an amazing hall, victorian tiled staircases and a former restaraunt full of stained glass.

Visited with mickey love on sunday and 0742 on wednesday..

The Pioneer Building

In 1863, twenty years after the Rochdale Pioneers opened their co-operative, the North of England Co-operative Society was launched by 300 individual co-ops across Yorkshire and Lancashire. By 1872, it had become known as the Co-operative Wholesale Society (CWS).

Northgate’s Pioneer building was originally built to house the Dewsbury Co-op society, then known as the Pioneers’ Industrial Society. The hall seated over 1000 people, and later became the Pioneer Theatre and then the Pot Black snooker hall.

The impressive building was designed by Holtom and Fox architects, and built in 1872.

Henry Holtom was a prolific architect. Born in Stratford in the 1840s, he moved to Dewsbury in his early 20s. He became a member of Dewsbury town council, serving All Saints’ ward for three years in 1871, and in 1883 he was elected mayor.

During the 1880s his apprentice George Fox was made partner, and together the pair designed Dewsbury town hall, which was completed in 1889 for £40,000. As well as the Pioneer building and the town hall, Henry designed churches, schools and houses.

The building features a fantastic potts clock with a bell tower above.

http://silverstealth.fotopic.net/c1580101.html

[Rochester]

[ERNIE99_UK]

It looks as though some work has been done to the clock recently as the rods to the hands have been disconnected. Rebels pic btw!

[Rochester]

More from this sunday

[Rochester]

A few from yesterday, Met up with the meanwood monks, nice to meet you fellas..