Hepworth Refractories (kilms/mine/air-raid ), Loxley, South Yorkshire, December 2019

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HughieD

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1. The History
Continuation of my earlier report on the Loxley Valley so please see HERE for a fuller history. Found a bit more info on the impact of the flood. The valley was badly hit by the Great Sheffield flood of 1864. Thomas Marshall & William Crapper, Clay & Brick Dealers, claimed £1,217 in insurance including the loss of 2,600 tons of clay and the loss of brick production for 26 weeks at 30,000 Bricks per week. Fire Brick Manufacturer Thomas Wragg’s losses were more modest at £560.

Looking over Thomas Wragg’s in the Loxley Valley:

49224059887_121aa819e3_c.jpgLoxley Valley 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Advert for Thomas Wragg’s:

49223354818_a0b9ab0ca2_z.jpgLoxley Valley 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr

2. The Explore/3. Pictures
It’s such a big site that I decided to spread it over several reports. I’m going to cover everything apart from the main Hepworth’s factory and Claremont House in this report. The kilns factory is due south-east of the main factory. It is on the opposite side of the River Loxley of this section was demolished years ago, but there's still some of the long kilns remaining. In some ways this is more interesting than the other site as the long kilns are quite photogenic as is the iron roof supports. It’s an easy in now Bovis have given up on the site:

49194913726_2b92fb71de_b.jpgimg4622 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49195155641_03d5895119_b.jpgLoxley 13 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49194908441_2719b488a3_b.jpgimg4626 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Yup – he’s been here:

49194403808_055432cf2d_b.jpgimg4627 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49194903726_06dc1e53f2_b.jpgimg4632 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49194398508_d450c68432_b.jpgimg4633 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Some half-decent graff too:

49195092427_b10ae46447_b.jpgimg4636 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49195348777_3ec9f875a8_b.jpgLoxley 14 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49195090632_46bd8d4bbf_b.jpgimg4637 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Crumbling long kiln:

49195348232_69b1ac7e66_b.jpgLoxley 15 by HughieDW, on Flickr

An old works chart:

49195085707_4bb95df671_b.jpgimg4639 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49195153756_5c0d4a740b_b.jpgLoxley 17 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The electrics room:

49195087717_fcd9dc8a3e_b.jpgimg4638 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49194889911_2dd000930b_b.jpgimg4642 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49195082132_87656afd23_b.jpgimg4644 by HughieDW, on Flickr

All bathed in the winter morning sun:

49194650808_fb6d73fb51_b.jpgLoxley 16 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Nearby, the work’s own water purification plant:

49194649843_15b3cc7689_b.jpgLoxley 18 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And another building pretty-well sealed up:

49205825256_1a8b71f075_b.jpgimg4666 by HughieDW, on Flickr

We did check one big factory down-stream, but it was, surprisingly, pretty well sealed up:

49195346007_bc126625a5_b.jpgLoxley 19 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49206044442_fc2dfab099_b.jpgimg4649 by HughieDW, on Flickr

So, it was up the bank and into the woods behind the factory of the clay mine:

49195342492_67738e6373_b.jpgLoxley 25 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49194648573_328376d82d_b.jpgLoxley 20 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49206036522_98f426525b_b.jpgimg4655 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49205341623_4a47c1233b_b.jpgimg4654 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49195151261_6fd2e1e03e_b.jpgLoxley 21 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49195343162_17cb55c63f_b.jpgLoxley 24 by HughieDW, on Flickr

This old Colorquix piece was a nice surprise:

49205832276_a57969112c_b.jpgimg4651 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49205343603_0cacfa8be1_b.jpgimg4652 by HughieDW, on Flickr




Here’s the entrance:

49194647528_67a47af61c_b.jpgLoxley 22 by HughieDW, on Flickr

…and beyond:

49195343882_3609a7503f_b.jpgLoxley 23 by HughieDW, on Flickr

No wellies, so one for next time. And finally, just down the hill from here, this cue little WWII air-raid shelter:

49189220143_0379c23809_b.jpgimg4665 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49189222558_fa7a71c257_b.jpgimg4659 by HughieDW, on Flickr

49189723421_cd017649ff_b.jpgimg4663 by HughieDW, on Flickr
 

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