On Friday night, the DQ and I enjoyed our favourite type of night out - a walk around Sheffield with our camera's. One part of our walk took in a whole area of the city that is currently fairly derelict - urban decay.
Sheffield has literally hundreds of complete and empty cutlery, scissor, saw workshops - leftover from when we used to supply the world with every blade it required. These workshops started in the city centre and spread out into the suburbs. Thankfully, the council has now realised their importance and stopped pulling them down - they are quite unique and I have never visited another city that has anything similar.
2 of the works have mercifully been rescued and retained as workshops -
The Portland Works and Harland Works. A city centre one is used as unique shops, another as a bar (
Crystal Bar).
The Butcher Works is a stunning apartment complex with the
Academy of Makers built into in. There are a hundred and one uses for these amazing old places. Each place has its own names - I wonder how these were named? The Beehive works are currently being converted into office space. They can't be easy to convert as they would have been built cheaply with little or no heating, small doors etc.
This one is intriguingly called
Eyewitness Works - Wikepedia says that they still manufacture here - I shall have to investigate.
We sneeked into an alley and discovered the
Archipelago works - now a hub for artists and printing works.
They had a box full of art card that was free to help yourself - so we did.
It was interesting to wander through this desolate area of the city. It is very close to the centre, but the DQ commented on how exceptionally quiet it was.
It is unbelievable to think that in my lifetime, up until the 1980's, these companies would have employed hundreds of men and women.
4 comments:
I hate it when cities allow such interesting areas to decay. We live near Savannah, Georgia and thank goodness most of it has been preserved.
You completely and totally make me pine for England... I love your photos. I hope you're having a great weekend!
Tammy x
Wonderful photos!
I wish Stoke-on-Trent City Council were as sympathetic as that of Sheffield.
They can't pull down the old pot banks fast enough :-(
Truly, I could weep.
I am grateful the industrial heritage of Sheffield is being preserved. I like places where the old and the new co-exist happily, that's life, isn't it?
Lovely photos and an interesting stroll with you, as always, Diane. Don't suppose you could do me a favour? Could you let me know where that photo in the tunnel with the graffiti was taken? Could you email/send a fb message? If I'm brave enough, it would be a great place for a photo shoot!
Post a Comment