The Great Grimsby Ice Factory…
When I first saw photographs of this factory about three years ago, I just knew I had to visit it. I found the triangular shape of the buildings with its conveyor belt systems, its machinery and the history of the place just fascinating.
But before I go any further, I would just like to say to the Associated British Ports (ABP) that I shall be back to take some external photographs. If I happen to come across any of you overpaid, under regulated vandals then I shall pull down your pants, spank your arses, cover you in honey, roll you in birdseed and leave you in the ice factory for the many hundreds of hungry pigeons, that you must so adore
I believe that this company is insidiously destroying the local areas cultural and industrial heritage, and I fear that the ice factory maybe next. Various architectural groups have fought extremely hard in order to preserve this region but have sadly failed. There have been petitions, court cases and appeals trying to save the unique tiny streets of the Kasbah area within the docks, which once contained the now demolished Hammond and Taylor and Cosalt buildings. The ABP stated, “there was no other option than to demolish them”, which simply wasn’t the case, but it was the cheapest and the most profitable.:icon_evil
The Grimsby Ice Factory is owned by the ABP and it is being totally neglected. This is a Grade 2 Listed building on the Heritage At Risk Register. If it becomes unviable to repair then it can simply be demolished.
This is a well-worn loophole that many unscrupulous property developers and owners often use. I feel that the only way this spectacular building may be save from neglect and ultimately demolition would be if the North East Lincolnshire Council were to apply for a Compulsory Purchase Order and remove the ownership of this building from the ABP. But with the state of the country’s current financial position I doubt our Industrial Heritage is anywhere near the top of its list.
So onto a little wiki history…
Construction of the building’s started in 1898 and took three years to complete. It was one of the largest ice factories in the world, producing 1,200 tonnes of ice a day, which was crushed and used to preserve the fish stored in the ships at Grimsby port.
Original historic machinery still remain within the Grade 2 Listed building, but with the deterioration of the roof allowing in the harsh elements and the damage from the constant pigeon population sadly the machinery is also at risk. The Great Grimsby Ice Factory Trust applied for a £11 million Heritage Lottery Fund in 2014 but the request was denied.
The buildings and its machinery are an integral part of Grimsby’s fishing heritage. Some of the largest and most important refrigeration machinery in the world exists here and was in use when Grimsby “was the busiest fishing port in the world”
The buildings are considered as the oldest and largest surviving of its type in the world and have been added to the World Monuments Fund’s biannual World Monuments Watch List, a global list of “buildings of historical importance that are at risk of being lost” and the English Heritage’s “Heritage At Risk Register”.
The ice factory thawed in 1990.
The many failed explores’…
I had a feeling that this maybe a little tricky site to access as being located on what is left of Grimsby’s’ live port, but I never expected it would end up taking four failed attempts, driving in total over 1,500 miles and probably spending around £170 in petrol lol…it hurts actually admitting that!
The problem is with me (well just one of them anyway) is that if I see a place I would really like to visit then I try not to give up on it until its either demolished or redeveloped. This can result in some truly frustrating and costly attempts!
The first visit was rained off as Grimsby was having one of its all too frequent monsoons. I wouldn’t have minded a “normal” amount of rain but this was mental, I needed a turbo mode on my window screen wipers which I didn’t have, the roads were flooding and after a couple of hours in the car waiting for it to stop the noise was doing my head in and by now it was day light, so it was no good anyway.
My second attempt was also a fail due to various overnight road closures and diversions, hence getting there far too late and missing that elusive window of opportunity, yet again.
The third attempt I got kicked off the site at about 2am by security, and then bumped into plod. I did notice there was something “dodgy” going on with folks milling about seemly doing nothing in particular, dealings going on via car windows and generally a lot of “activity”…but I was on my “own little mission” and didn’t have time to stop in the red light area. So I kipped in the car for the rest of the night and the next morning there was yet another monsoon, the fourth fail, I was starting to think this was never going to happen!
Finally on the fifth attempt I made it inside…proper big grin that night. I shone my torch into a small room, through a squeaky door and then suddenly it lit up one of the huge compressors…at last! It was a bit too chilly to stay the night in there, plus there was nowhere I could actually crash out that wasn’t covered in pigeon shit, so back to the car for a few hours kip and to return under darkness hoping for some nice light, which never happened, but I didn’t care by then lol
On with sum pics…
grimsby 1 280 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
The J and E Hall compressors…sole surviving type of equipment in the world
grimsby 1 248 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 1 224 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
main triangular compressor room
grimsby 1 164 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
upstairs offices
grimsby 1 178 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 1 114 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 1 107 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 1 085 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 1 052 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 1 287 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
these unique machines deserve to be saved.
grimsby 1 294 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
years of pigeon poo isn’t a good look
grimsby 1 313 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 1 317 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 1 339 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 1 360 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
It was a bit dark in here as some of the windows were boarded up. I did go up the spiral staircase but decided not to go onto the next floor, as it didn’t appear safe.
grimsby 1 371 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 1 397 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 1 411 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
I like to try and add a bog shot…there wasn’t a lonely chair available.
grimsby 2 004 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 2 014 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
The only brave one, all the other 30+ would fly out of the broken windows and roof as soon as you appeared, revealing your location lol and leaving you picking off feathers and all sorts of muck.
grimsby 2 023 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
I liked the warm tones of the colours, the smooth textures, patterns, the curly forms and the random feathers, sorry I’m talking shit again
grimsby 2 026 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 2 030 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
I don’t know what it is but I like it.
grimsby 2 048 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 2 059 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 2 067 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 2 079 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 2 086 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 2 125 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 2 138 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
OOOUUCH!!! But there weren’t a single dead pigeon anywhere to be seen, which was rather unusual…but that could be due to a lovely red fox that I disturbed inside the compressor hall, which probably frequents the factory for snacks.
grimsby 2 160 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 2 164 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 2 173 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
grimsby 2 167 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Thanks for lookin folks, I hope you enjoyed these pics as much as I did takin them…FINALLY
When I first saw photographs of this factory about three years ago, I just knew I had to visit it. I found the triangular shape of the buildings with its conveyor belt systems, its machinery and the history of the place just fascinating.
But before I go any further, I would just like to say to the Associated British Ports (ABP) that I shall be back to take some external photographs. If I happen to come across any of you overpaid, under regulated vandals then I shall pull down your pants, spank your arses, cover you in honey, roll you in birdseed and leave you in the ice factory for the many hundreds of hungry pigeons, that you must so adore
I believe that this company is insidiously destroying the local areas cultural and industrial heritage, and I fear that the ice factory maybe next. Various architectural groups have fought extremely hard in order to preserve this region but have sadly failed. There have been petitions, court cases and appeals trying to save the unique tiny streets of the Kasbah area within the docks, which once contained the now demolished Hammond and Taylor and Cosalt buildings. The ABP stated, “there was no other option than to demolish them”, which simply wasn’t the case, but it was the cheapest and the most profitable.:icon_evil
The Grimsby Ice Factory is owned by the ABP and it is being totally neglected. This is a Grade 2 Listed building on the Heritage At Risk Register. If it becomes unviable to repair then it can simply be demolished.
This is a well-worn loophole that many unscrupulous property developers and owners often use. I feel that the only way this spectacular building may be save from neglect and ultimately demolition would be if the North East Lincolnshire Council were to apply for a Compulsory Purchase Order and remove the ownership of this building from the ABP. But with the state of the country’s current financial position I doubt our Industrial Heritage is anywhere near the top of its list.
So onto a little wiki history…
Construction of the building’s started in 1898 and took three years to complete. It was one of the largest ice factories in the world, producing 1,200 tonnes of ice a day, which was crushed and used to preserve the fish stored in the ships at Grimsby port.
Original historic machinery still remain within the Grade 2 Listed building, but with the deterioration of the roof allowing in the harsh elements and the damage from the constant pigeon population sadly the machinery is also at risk. The Great Grimsby Ice Factory Trust applied for a £11 million Heritage Lottery Fund in 2014 but the request was denied.
The buildings and its machinery are an integral part of Grimsby’s fishing heritage. Some of the largest and most important refrigeration machinery in the world exists here and was in use when Grimsby “was the busiest fishing port in the world”
The buildings are considered as the oldest and largest surviving of its type in the world and have been added to the World Monuments Fund’s biannual World Monuments Watch List, a global list of “buildings of historical importance that are at risk of being lost” and the English Heritage’s “Heritage At Risk Register”.
The ice factory thawed in 1990.
The many failed explores’…
I had a feeling that this maybe a little tricky site to access as being located on what is left of Grimsby’s’ live port, but I never expected it would end up taking four failed attempts, driving in total over 1,500 miles and probably spending around £170 in petrol lol…it hurts actually admitting that!
The problem is with me (well just one of them anyway) is that if I see a place I would really like to visit then I try not to give up on it until its either demolished or redeveloped. This can result in some truly frustrating and costly attempts!
The first visit was rained off as Grimsby was having one of its all too frequent monsoons. I wouldn’t have minded a “normal” amount of rain but this was mental, I needed a turbo mode on my window screen wipers which I didn’t have, the roads were flooding and after a couple of hours in the car waiting for it to stop the noise was doing my head in and by now it was day light, so it was no good anyway.
My second attempt was also a fail due to various overnight road closures and diversions, hence getting there far too late and missing that elusive window of opportunity, yet again.
The third attempt I got kicked off the site at about 2am by security, and then bumped into plod. I did notice there was something “dodgy” going on with folks milling about seemly doing nothing in particular, dealings going on via car windows and generally a lot of “activity”…but I was on my “own little mission” and didn’t have time to stop in the red light area
. So I kipped in the car for the rest of the night and the next morning there was yet another monsoon, the fourth fail, I was starting to think this was never going to happen! Finally on the fifth attempt I made it inside…proper big grin that night
. I shone my torch into a small room, through a squeaky door and then suddenly it lit up one of the huge compressors…at last! It was a bit too chilly to stay the night in there, plus there was nowhere I could actually crash out that wasn’t covered in pigeon shit, so back to the car for a few hours kip and to return under darkness hoping for some nice light, which never happened, but I didn’t care by then lolOn with sum pics…
grimsby 1 280 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrThe J and E Hall compressors…sole surviving type of equipment in the world
grimsby 1 248 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 1 224 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrmain triangular compressor room
grimsby 1 164 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrupstairs offices
grimsby 1 178 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 1 114 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 1 107 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 1 085 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 1 052 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 1 287 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrthese unique machines deserve to be saved.
grimsby 1 294 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickryears of pigeon poo isn’t a good look
grimsby 1 313 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 1 317 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 1 339 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 1 360 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrIt was a bit dark in here as some of the windows were boarded up. I did go up the spiral staircase but decided not to go onto the next floor, as it didn’t appear safe.
grimsby 1 371 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 1 397 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 1 411 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrI like to try and add a bog shot…there wasn’t a lonely chair available.
grimsby 2 004 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 2 014 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrThe only brave one, all the other 30+ would fly out of the broken windows and roof as soon as you appeared, revealing your location lol and leaving you picking off feathers and all sorts of muck.
grimsby 2 023 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrI liked the warm tones of the colours, the smooth textures, patterns, the curly forms and the random feathers, sorry I’m talking shit again
grimsby 2 026 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 2 030 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrI don’t know what it is but I like it.
grimsby 2 048 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 2 059 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 2 067 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 2 079 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 2 086 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 2 125 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 2 138 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrOOOUUCH!!! But there weren’t a single dead pigeon anywhere to be seen, which was rather unusual…but that could be due to a lovely red fox that I disturbed inside the compressor hall, which probably frequents the factory for snacks.
grimsby 2 160 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 2 164 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 2 173 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickrgrimsby 2 167 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrThanks for lookin folks, I hope you enjoyed these pics as much as I did takin them…FINALLY
