Hyde Mill, Pattreioux, Gallahers or Senior Service , the many names it was known by, shown here during the nightshift, lights ablazing !
The blue sign could be seen from Werneth Low at Night !
Hyde Mill was designed by architect Sidney Scott, and was completed in 1906. The site had been acquired by Hyde Spinning Co Ltd from the trustees of C. J. Ashton. The Mill was four storeys in height, 47 bays in length and faced with bright red bricks with a water tower at its south western corner. When the mill was fully furnished with all the machinery it contained 116,532 mule spindles.
The Cotton mill closed in 1958 and was sold to J. A. Pattreioux, makers of Senior Service cigarettes. The Gallaher group purchased the building in 1959 and the mill continued as a cigarette factory for over 40 years. Gallahers closed in 1999 and production was moved to Northern Ireland.
The building was also the home of Findel Education, a supplier of educational products for a few years after the cigarette production ceased.
The building was sadly demolished in 2009/10 and is now home to a new housing estate.
Thanks to Lee Brown for the great photo ! :)
Here is a photo of Hyde Mill taken from Bradley Green Primary School in 1987.
Thanks to Dave for this photo :)
I remember the smell that this place used to give off during its cigarette days. Difficult to describe, but I can almost taste it now. Yuck! Also remember the blue lights of the Senior Service sign which I could see from where I lived when I was a kid. Shame they knocked it down as it was an imposing building. Another one bites the dust.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo!
ReplyDeleteI worked at Senior Service in the Powers Samas Dept as a Punch card operator/ tabulators/sorters etc, in the office block in front of the factory, the office block was built 1961/62, I had left school in July 1961, and started working at Seniors in Aug 1961, and so for the first eight months until April 1962 we were driven over to the Derby St Manchester offices until the new office block at Hyde was completed. Working at Senior Service was the best job I ever had, it was a marvellous place to work, We walked through the factory every day to the staff canteen, and I always liked the smell of the place, I thought it was lovely, not "yuck" like a previous comment! I worked at Seniors until I left to have my first baby in 1968. I have very fond memories indeed of Senior Service, and I, like a lot of other people was sad to see this great building demolished!
ReplyDeleteLove both photos !
ReplyDeleteBoth are different views to the usual front facing ones.