Swindon House Chapel - Morley, Leeds. (First Report)

Swindon House Chapel (our first report)

Morley in General:
Situated very close to Morley town centre, the mills are part of Morleys lineage as a textiles town, and many are still standing in varying states of dereliction. Some are being used and some have already been converted.
Recently with the demolition of a mill next door to Morley High school, to make room for yet more boxes I decided it would be best to document them before they dissapear completely.
While these buildings are not fantastically preserved, they are interesting to visit if you are passing through. They could all be probably done in a day.


Swindon House:
The chapel was built in 1893, it was last used by J-Mills removers and storers, their boxes for shipping and paperwork are littered around the building. They vacated to a different premises around 1974.
Despite being so close to the housing estate, we went in in full view in the middle of the day, twice. And encountered no problems, however it does seem the bottom floors are a hangout for teens or kids, no needles that we saw. Some beer cans and such.

Although much of the house is empty, the ceiling is still stunning. The floors are in a dire state with many holes and unsafe paths, the majority is safe, so long as you watch your step, and walk apart in groups. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that though.

Sorry to say I don’t know more, our archives are now held in the Leeds Library and I haven’t had the time to check them yet.
Pictures are by DarkTransparent:

This is the back of Swindon House:

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The front:

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Strange old machinery in the yard:
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First Floor (basement):

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The Balcony:

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Second Floor:

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Third Floor:

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I would have uploaded more pictures but it seems to be a bit temperamental with me right now. I could probably also do with some room shots, we didn't think of that too much at the time.
And thus ends our first report. ^_^

Great pics like no 7.

Interesting explore, CP. Good pics and report.
The strange old machinery, btw, is a Gestetner, which is an early form of copier...a sort of cross between a photo-copier and an offset litho printer (for those who might be interested. ).

Cheers

Thanks for the info, I wonder why a chapel would have needed it? Do you know if they were affordable to the general public, or would it have been workplaces. (the website says he designed them for home use) I mean its big to start off with, I cant imagine one in my living room.

Chocolate-Poop said:

I wonder why a chapel would have needed it? Do you know if they were affordable to the general public, or would it have been workplaces.

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I was thinking it may have belonged to the company that used it (J Mills), as they were generally used in the workplace. If it was the chapel, it could have been for parish newsletters, flyers and posters, etc. I can't imagine them used at home much either, but perhaps small organisations and businesses ran from home might have done. No idea how affordable they'd have been though.

I love the front of this building, its gorgeous. and all the ornate plasterwork inside, i hope that can be preserved in some way.

Great pics,

Cheers,

Sal

I know it's grade 2 listed at least, but then I also cant see anyone wanting to convert it really. I think it's maybe too badly damaged.

The Gestetner in your photo looks like one of the older Foolscap models - not that expensive and could be worked by a hand crank as well as the inbuilt electric motor. Operating costs of these machines was not expensive, apart from ink and paper all you needed was the 'waxed' stencil. You cut the stencil in an ordinary typewriter - any 'Art Work' was cut with a scribing tool. On the basic machines the stencil was mounted on a large drum. Changing stencils could be a rather messy business, and your duplicates could have ink smudges all over them. However these machines were a god send to small groups, clubs, societies etc.

Dirus_Strictus said:

The Gestetner in your photo looks like one of the older Foolscap models - not that expensive and could be worked by a hand crank as well as the inbuilt electric motor. Operating costs of these machines was not expensive, apart from ink and paper all you needed was the 'waxed' stencil. You cut the stencil in an ordinary typewriter - any 'Art Work' was cut with a scribing tool. On the basic machines the stencil was mounted on a large drum. Changing stencils could be a rather messy business, and your duplicates could have ink smudges all over them. However these machines were a god send to small groups, clubs, societies etc.

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Foxylady might be right when she said J Mills were maybe using them then, the documents on the floor are smudged in places as are the company logos. I can include the information in my art project, thanks for the help.

Foxylady said:

Interesting explore, CP. Good pics and report.
The strange old machinery, btw, is a Gestetner, which is an early form of copier...a sort of cross between a photo-copier and an offset litho printer (for those who might be interested. ).

Cheers

Click to expand...

Ye I'm interested cos for many years Gestetner had a major production plant locally (in Wellingborough) where several relatives worked. Not came across them before myself so thanks for the info Foxy

reddwarf9 said:

Ye I'm interested cos for many years Gestetner had a major production plant locally (in Wellingborough) where several relatives worked. Not came across them before myself so thanks for the info Foxy

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I am sure that a major manufacturing plant was needed. These machines were common in the 1950s/1960s, I can remember that both my junior and senior schools had them. It was only the advent of the photocopier that made them redundant - even then many small organisations continued to use them because of the cheap running costs.

For the ordinary family there was no such thing as the all-in
printer/scanner/copier in the 50s/60s. Most members of this forum may be surprised to learn, that small printing presses were commonly advertised for home/family use, at this time. I am of an age that I can remember reading adverts in the daily press for these machines. ' Your children can print their Christmas thank you letters', was one advertising ploy! Printing ink is just the thing to let children loose on - very messy and indelible. A stain even 'trust pink' wouldn't remove!!

Dirus_Strictus said:

I am sure that a major manufacturing plant was needed. These machines were common in the 1950s/1960s, I can remember that both my junior and senior schools had them. It was only the advent of the photocopier that made them redundant - even then many small organisations continued to use them because of the cheap running costs.

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I think you'll find schools carried on using them well into the 90s!

Spirit Duplicators are another name for that kind of press.

My primary school had hand cranked one, which produced worksheets printed with purple strange smelling ink.