Report - Argyle Works, Sneyd Green/Cobridge (Stoke on Trent) - August 2012

[squelchy]

I have gone past this building time after time after time, and NEVER seen the building been worked on or taken down. I haven't been able to find it elsewhere, and probably for a good reason. Because what's left, is a shell.

William was never slow to spot a business opportunity, or liability. Partnerships were made and then dissolved as soon as the "opportunity" had past.

It is understood that in the last few years of the 19th century, William leased the North Road Pottery at the Leek New Road end of North Road, Cobridge where his own patterns were developed and began manufacturing earthenware products.

In 1901 the family was resident at 2 Abbey Street, Cobridge (100 yards up Leek New Road from North Road) and William declared his occupation as an Earthenware Manufacturer. The family had a 24 year old domestic servant by the name of Mary Alice Coley. (Abbey Street was renamed Spa Street in 1950).

The Argyle Pottery Works was built on the corner of Leek New Road and Abbey Street opposite his house and remains as industrial units today.

1903 saw the family move out of "the smoke" towards Leek, to "Dunwood Mount", Longsdon which is where Joseph was born.

In 1906, William Jnr. joined his father in the Earthenware Manufacturing business having received extensive schooling.

William Jnr took over the running of the business in 1925, registered his well known Hulme Bottle Kiln Trademark and formed a working relationship with Bourne & Leigh.

At some time during the war years, Leighton Pottery Ltd (formerly Bourne & Leigh) became the owners of the Argyle Works, William Hulme moulds, designs and patterns.

http://williamhulme.co.uk/

This site is known to be active, so when I got there I looked at the outside of the site, and up at the back. The back has a lot more things going on than the front, luckily!

When entering, I managed to clang my head on a low hanging pipe, which used to be toilets. Needless to say, I thought some one would have heard me - but nope! And if they did, I don't think they'd have cared too much.

A big chunk of the site is already gone and is now being used to sell some gardening type things, and some other folks - but I couldn't figure out what or who they were. They had a few vans in there, including a New Look lorry parked in the back part of the existing building.

Just before I left, I was about to take a snap of the New Look lorry from above - but I heard two chaps coming toward it so I scuffled away.

There's very little left, but I thought I may as well as pop it up to save anyone else wasting their time. So, here it goes...
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The front of the building is now blocked up by a lorry tow thing, and the old sign now reads "ARYLWORS".

The side leading around the back, and the "Staff Entrance" door. You can clearly see straight through to where the vans park up.

The foyer of the building. Completely stripped out.

Upstairs, is a completely bare floor.

Still, I suppose those workers need a sit down now and then.

Oddly, there's still soap dispensers & cleaning fluid in a spray bottle.

Couple of vans in the yard.

Back down I go.

Propped up against a wall, next to the door.

This was in an old toilet block at the front of the building.

More loos, and a standard mirror photo.

And so, I took my leave...
​

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I don't mind if it gets pitted, it was more of a warning to others not to waste their time visiting this site. There's really not much to see. Anyway, hope you liked. I didn't bother taking much of the upstairs as it was empty. I do have a few (I think) but as I said, it's not very interesting.