Friday 23 May 2014

Ski Village, Sheffield

History

Sheffield Ski Village was an artificial ski slope complex believed to be the largest artificial ski resort in Europe, consisting of a sports shop, bar, restaurant and a range of slopes.

It was destroyed by fire in 2012.

A full comprehensive history can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheffield_Ski_Village

All photographs are available as prints or canvas with or without the border. Message for sizes/ prices.

Esoteric Eric.










Anti-Aircraft Operations Room, Conisbrough

History

When no longer required for its original purpose, the former AAOR at Conisbrough became the Sub Regional Control to RSG 2 at Imphal Barracks, York. A floor plan of 1961 shows the following rooms on the lower floor: Directing Staff (Police, Fire, Other Government Departments, RSG), Army, Information & Conference, Generator, Vent Plant, Boiler, Scientists, Signal Office, Wireless and Teleprinter Room, Phonograms, Switch Room and Operations Room.  It is unknown when the building became disused but it has now been converted into a house with windows cut into the walls. Apart from its flat roof it is now barely recognisable as an AAOR.
Internal condition is unknown. The site is strictly private with security and guard dogs.

Here is a list of all known Cold War bunkers across the UK:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/873564/posts

Subterranea Britannica is a website of all things underground:

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/

Source:

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/c/conisbrough/index.html

All photographs are available as prints or canvas with or without the border. Message for sizes/ prices.

Esoteric Eric.


Thursday 22 May 2014

Firbeck Hall, Firbeck, Rotherham

History

Firbeck Hall was formerly the home of 19th century architect and writer Henry Gally Knight who is assumed to have been a principal information source for Walter Scott during the writing of Ivanhoe. Firbeck Hall was built in 1594 by William West, who made a fortune practising law and serving as an associate to Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury from 1580 to 1594.

In 1935, a Sheffield stockbroker, Cyril Nicholson, opened the hall as a country club, investing £80,000 in its renovation. The interior was dramatically modernised and featured a mirror-walled ballroom and an elaborate and versatile state-of-the-art lighting system. There was also a heated outdoor swimming pool. Membership fees ranged from three to seven guineas, and the club was patronised by the likes of Amy Johnson and the then Prince of Wales. Such was the reputation of the club, that the BBC transmitted its weekly Saturday show "Late Night Dance Music" with Henry Hall, Carroll Gibbons and Charlie Kunz from Firbeck.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, the hall was used by Sheffield Royal Infirmary and the Royal Air Force, with the adjacent aerodrome becoming RAF Firbeck. After the War, the building was bought by the Miners Welfare Commission for use as a rehabilitation centre for injured miners. This centre closed in 1984. It was purchased by Cambridge Construction. From then the Hall fell into a state of disrepair. Jason Cooper of Doncaster purchased Firbeck Hall and its 45 acres (180,000 m2) of grounds on 6 July 2010.

There have been on going plans for the future of Firbeck Hall:

http://www.worksopguardian.co.uk/news/local/plans-for-firbeck-hall-will-be-revealed-soon-1-5307228

Friends of Firbeck Hall is a voluntary group dedicated to the sympathetic restoration of the 16th century building:

http://www.firbeckhall.net/

Source:

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/mansions-manors-country-houses/81022-firbeck-hall-yorkshire-may-13-a.html

All photographs are available as prints or canvas with our without the border. Message for sizes/ prices.

Esoteric Eric.












Carousel Nursery, Mexborough

History

There is no information as to what this building was previously used for but in recent times it was the home of the Carousel Nursery for child care.

One can only speculate that due to harsh financial times and funding cuts the nursery had  to close its doors.

A video exploration can be found on this YouTube channel along with several other video explorations of buildings in the local area:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQz955Kjli2nzmUNwoc8DJQ

The building and surrounding grounds are currently for sale, information of which can be found here:

http://www.chrisrowlands.co.uk/test/Land%20PDFs/166%20WATH%20ROAD%20DETAILS.pdf

All photographs are available as prints or canvas with or without the border. Message for sizes/ prices.

Esoteric Eric.














Pit-Head Baths, Denaby Main

History

Denaby Main colliery was closed in 1968 after a 101 years of producing coal but originally served as a ventilation and pumping shaft for Cadeby. The site of the colliery itself is now home to the Dearne Valley Leisure Centre and the only building that remained was the pit-head bath house, which has since been demolished.

By the end of the 19th century, pit-head baths were common in Belgium, France and Germany. In England most miners bathed at home. As pit-head baths became more common over the 20th century, so miners' housing changed, with an increasing amount of bathrooms situated upstairs.

Pit-head baths were only slowly introduced in Britain. Legislation in 1911 stopped short of requiring them to be provided, and by the time the coal industry was nationalised only around a third of pits had bathing facilities.

Further information on the Denaby Main colliery and other pits in the surrounding area can be found here:

https://sites.google.com/site/conisbroughlocalhistory/denaby-and-cadeby-collieries

A short video exploration can be found on this YouTube channel along with several other video explorations of buildings in the local area:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQz955Kjli2nzmUNwoc8DJQ

Source:

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/industrial-sites/73418-denaby-main-colliery-bath-house-denaby-main-august-2012-a.html

All photographs are available as prints or canvas with or without the border. Message for sizes/ prices.

Esoteric Eric.