1. The History
George Barnsley and sons were England's premier makers of forge filing and cutting tools for leather workers and shoe makers The company was founded in 1836 and was initially based on Wheeldon Street. Records show they moved to Cornhill in 1847 and then on to Cornish Place, on the River Don, just three years later. By this time they had expanded their product range to include steel files and butchers knives. George Barnsley was Master Cutler in 1883. The company grew throughout the 19th century and the Barnsley family were well thought of in the Steel city. Their 1944 listing identified them as manufactures of files and blades, shoe knives and leather workers tools. Four years later they became a Ltd company. George Barnsley died at his home at No. 30 Collegiate Crescent on 30th March 1958 where he lived with wife Mabel and mother-in-law Elizabeth.
Sadly, the factory became outdated and the inefficient production methods meant that the company could no longer keep pace with a competitive import market. With the costs of production growing George Barnsley's closed its doors in 2003. The site has sat derelict and unused ever since. The business is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Mowbray Manufacturing Co Ltd and operates from premises on Mowbray Street, Sheffield, along with its sister company Woodware Repetitions, who make the wooden handles for these and many other tools.
The site went on the market and was sold for redevelopment. After some initial clearing work of the vegetation the site has since been left while development work has progressed around it.
2. The Explore
One of the Sheffield Big Four (along with Megatron, Cannon Brewery and the old courts), I’ve been round this legendary place twice before. There’s so much to see you need at least two visits. I thought it was off the radar then @MotionlessMike great report HERE piqued my interest again ( @mookster and his report from 2015 is also a good reference point as how it was five years ago - see HERE ).
So off me and my non-forum member mate went. Entry to GBs has always been interesting. At weekends, the way in I used on my previuos two weekends isn't available at weekends. In terms of the new route, it's still very much doable if you are in the know and prepared to go round the houses a bit (but note the Post Script below). And go round the houses we did to get in, via three other abandoned space. Once in, we spent the best part of two hours looking around. So, it’s not quite the place it was three years. Gone are the Typhoo Tea box, the many tool handles and the teapot and cosy but the big five draw cards are still here.
So hello again one last time to one of the all-time great abandoned factory spaces in the steel city.
Post script: the day after we explored GBs there was a fire in the old adjoining factory space which we used as apart of our route so that way in is probably history now.
3. The Pictures
And we’re in!
Grinding wheel:
Love this pulleys and wheels room:
Don’t get too close to the edge:
Looks like some kind of smithy:
The long room:
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This place really is legendary:
Back downstairs again:
on Flickr
George Barnsley and sons were England's premier makers of forge filing and cutting tools for leather workers and shoe makers The company was founded in 1836 and was initially based on Wheeldon Street. Records show they moved to Cornhill in 1847 and then on to Cornish Place, on the River Don, just three years later. By this time they had expanded their product range to include steel files and butchers knives. George Barnsley was Master Cutler in 1883. The company grew throughout the 19th century and the Barnsley family were well thought of in the Steel city. Their 1944 listing identified them as manufactures of files and blades, shoe knives and leather workers tools. Four years later they became a Ltd company. George Barnsley died at his home at No. 30 Collegiate Crescent on 30th March 1958 where he lived with wife Mabel and mother-in-law Elizabeth.
Sadly, the factory became outdated and the inefficient production methods meant that the company could no longer keep pace with a competitive import market. With the costs of production growing George Barnsley's closed its doors in 2003. The site has sat derelict and unused ever since. The business is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Mowbray Manufacturing Co Ltd and operates from premises on Mowbray Street, Sheffield, along with its sister company Woodware Repetitions, who make the wooden handles for these and many other tools.
The site went on the market and was sold for redevelopment. After some initial clearing work of the vegetation the site has since been left while development work has progressed around it.
2. The Explore
One of the Sheffield Big Four (along with Megatron, Cannon Brewery and the old courts), I’ve been round this legendary place twice before. There’s so much to see you need at least two visits. I thought it was off the radar then @MotionlessMike great report HERE piqued my interest again ( @mookster and his report from 2015 is also a good reference point as how it was five years ago - see HERE ).
So off me and my non-forum member mate went. Entry to GBs has always been interesting. At weekends, the way in I used on my previuos two weekends isn't available at weekends. In terms of the new route, it's still very much doable if you are in the know and prepared to go round the houses a bit (but note the Post Script below). And go round the houses we did to get in, via three other abandoned space. Once in, we spent the best part of two hours looking around. So, it’s not quite the place it was three years. Gone are the Typhoo Tea box, the many tool handles and the teapot and cosy but the big five draw cards are still here.
So hello again one last time to one of the all-time great abandoned factory spaces in the steel city.
Post script: the day after we explored GBs there was a fire in the old adjoining factory space which we used as apart of our route so that way in is probably history now.
3. The Pictures
And we’re in!
Grinding wheel:
Love this pulleys and wheels room:
Don’t get too close to the edge:
Looks like some kind of smithy:
The long room:
This place really is legendary:
Back downstairs again:
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