real time web analytics
Report - - Kirklees College/Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, West Workshire, November 2021 | Other Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Kirklees College/Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, West Workshire, November 2021

Hide this ad by donating or subscribing !

HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
1.The History
Kirklees College originally started life as Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Huddersfield’s first hospital. Designed by Joseph Kay (famous for designing Pelham Crescent with the Church of St Mary-in-the-Castle in the centre, in Hasting, Sussex) and opened in 1831, later additions included the south wing in 1861, the north wing in 1874 and finally the Carlisle Wing in 1898, financed by a gift from English businessman and Conservative Party politician Sir Hildred Carlisle. Special features available at the infirmary in 1929 included Turkish, Russian, and medicated baths and a new electro-medical department. The foundation stone for a further extension was laid by the Duke of York in 1932 and opened by Lord Moynihan in 1934.

Old O/S map detail of the hospital:

51722692453_fdc8d67481_b.jpg


Front view of Huddersfield Royal Infirmary:



One of the hospital’s wards during World War II:



In 1965 the infirmary moved nearby to new facilities at Lindley which were formally opened by Prime Minister Harold Wilson in January 1967. In the late 60’s the former Ramsden Technical College purchased the site for £105,000 with teaching beginning in September 1968. Additional blocks were added in the early 70’s, including the main block in 1971. By 1978, in excess of 8,000 students were studying at the college which at this point was known as ‘Huddersfield Technical College’ and now consisted of 10 inter-linked blocks over the 6.1-acre site, including the original Grade II-listed Hospital buildings, with their imposing sandstone columns and the statue of Edward the VII that looks over the car park.

In 2008, Huddersfield Technical College merged with Dewsbury College to become Kirklees College. Kirklees College would relocate to a new purpose-built £70 million site in 2013 known as the ‘Waterfront Campus’ which was built to house a staggering 20,000 students. Their former site was purchased by Oldham-based construction company Wiggett’s for an undisclosed sum. Initial plans for the site were for it to be developed to create a mixed-use site featuring residential, retail and leisure uses but these plans stalled amid planning issues surrounding the re-use of the architecturally-important former infirmary.

In the meantime, the site found an interim use as a filming location. BBC drama “Remember Me” starring Michael Palin, Mark Addy and Julia Sawahla was partly filmed at the former college in the first half of 2014, with one of the buildings being transformed into a hospital, care-home, and police station. Later that year, “Black Work”, a three-part British detective fiction thriller, starring Sheridan Smith as police officer Jo Gillespie, was also partly filmed in the hospital in the Autumn of 2014. Finally, the former hospital building was also used for the 2017 psychological thriller “In Extremis”, starring David O’Hara (Braveheart, The Departed, Luther), Isabelle Allen (Les Miserables), Neil Pearson (Drop the Dead Donkey) and 1980s new-wave singer Toyah Wilcox.

In February 2021 it was reported that the site would be largely demolished and be replaced with a large apartment-block, along with a supermarket and offices. The 19th century Grade II-listed Huddersfield Infirmary will be retained, along with its wings. In total 229 apartments will be created. However, as of November 2021, work on the site is yet to start and it remains decaying and a bit of an eyesore.

2. The Explore
Had seen the odd report come up on here circa 2019 but what with COVID and all that never got over here. Anyhow, my non-forum mate went here a month or so back and told me it was well worth a look, so we arranged to meet up there. We arrived early on a beautiful November morning and already the traffic was really busy. Entry looked difficult but we were luck that a relatively easy way in was currently available, albeit a bit exposed. But myself and my two exploring buddies were soon in an trying to find our way around the site.

Three things immediately hit you. Firstly, the site is absolutely massive. Secondary, the place is completely trashed and finally part of the site is pretty new and the other part really old. To be honest, you could spend hours in here, especially give it take time to find your way around the labyrinthine corridors. Although, we probably only spend just over two hours there, we did see a good chunk of this place. The scale of trashing is incredible. And equally, quite depressing. Hopefully the older ex-hospital part will get saved as it really does have some character.

3. The Pictures

What a façade to be greeted by:

51703537064_c50d103924_b.jpg


Not forgetting the imposing statue of King Edward VII:

51697466512_22625284f8_b.jpg


Round to the former main entrance:

51699145035_4581717329_b.jpg


51703083358_dceb80cc2f_b.jpg


And down the side:

51703688665_a9762a9904_b.jpg


And we’re in:

51697479047_6b14fefb47_b.jpg


The first block is completely trashed:

51703688480_8da03ab23f_b.jpg


51702798111_2e5445a28b_b.jpg


51697478387_db2cb1a2b5_b.jpg


51698546968_ca4da56efe_b.jpg


More classroom carnage:

51702800236_ab8929310b_b.jpg


51699152645_ac784ec0d0_b.jpg


Loads of stairs:

51698542778_0600d3bf1a_b.jpg


51697474782_45fd8de26d_b.jpg


51702800131_fb89036e49_b.jpg


51698264751_e7042d8b93_b.jpg


Looking across to the older parts:

51698940979_fddb7429cf_b.jpg


On to the next block:

51698944954_fc1b6e0bf8_b.jpg


The corridors start to get a little repetitive:

51702800026_9cb01cb1d0_b.jpg


Good pass rate:

51699155560_ed21ca768c_b.jpg


Old Lab classroom:

51702003047_fc0c8a6026_b.jpg


On to the burnt-out bit:

51703687790_475ed3522a_b.jpg


51702003167_8aaa390deb_b.jpg


51697477487_69fda675fb_b.jpg


More trashed corridors:

51702799481_8188a9af48_b.jpg


On to the library:

51702002652_3d9c06b9cb_b.jpg


51703082073_6ea065e939_b.jpg
 
Last edited:

HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
CONTINUED:

The state of it is unbelievable:

51703475234_16c861d6ab_b.jpg


51702799001_325c367510_b.jpg


Site of total destruction from the fire damage:

51703081913_c14bf52252_b.jpg


51698942459_bdfbc1334d_b.jpg


The noticeboard survives:

51699152875_228e7cc79c_b.jpg


Onward we go to the next block:

51702798411_5f88d7e5c9_b.jpg


The kitchens:

51703474544_1b289b72bc_b.jpg


Rooney in the news back then just like he is now:

51698939534_df30578ea7_b.jpg


Cafeteria area:

51703081023_65a12c76bc_b.jpg


Beware the shag wasp!

51703686035_e57242c12a_b.jpg


51702068392_673f489129_b.jpg


The locker room:

51703145378_0c917f4263_b.jpg


This looks like the caretaker’s room:

51703540849_433d228c92_b.jpg


On to the older HRI part of the site:

51702065162_31a7bac797_b.jpg


51698537153_91a9964984_b.jpg


And we’re in. First up, a very photogenic corridor:

51703148258_3e37257788_b.jpg


And some very well-decayed lecture rooms:

51703148078_bccd7c8c04_b.jpg


51703752870_893b62169d_b.jpg


Loving the facilities:

51702067687_1c585ef923_b.jpg


Up the first staircase:

51703751850_d583c4fb90_b.jpg


51703751785_c17a07f87c_b.jpg


Staircase detail:

51698540273_bae8a97d86_b.jpg


And on to scenes of complete decay:

51699148260_8030d3a223_b.jpg


These look like food kitchens:

51699146720_498006cd21_b.jpg


51697469212_65805ef5ab_b.jpg


51697468807_a11cde656f_b.jpg


And up another staircase:

51703539524_f096812f60_b.jpg


And more corridors:

51703145308_0347cbd7e0_b.jpg
 

HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
CONTINUED 2:

Leading to more decay:

51702065397_9df3dd2a24_b.jpg


51703750190_5d44555d9d_b.jpg


This bit looks like a former hospital ward:

51703477104_5da6bc3b12_b.jpg


Looks like this area was for teaching food preparation:

51702065792_36529cb2c1_b.jpg


51703146153_84f4bd97b8_b.jpg


51703147123_bdfa06e9cb_b.jpg


51702066692_11942db5d9_b.jpg


This old lecture theatre was well gone:

51703539494_9294903cfb_b.jpg


Loving these old fitted cupboards:

51702066757_3ed77f2f36_b.jpg


51703539209_0359c2aef6_b.jpg


Looking across to another of the old former hospital wings:

51699145950_bf97e4c6fb_b.jpg


What’s behind the green door?

51703749845_bb369a0b0e_b.jpg


And back out again:

51698933509_69a5477896_b.jpg
 

Mikeymutt🐶

28DL Regular User
Regular User
You covered it really well as always. It's,one of the most trashed buildings I have seen I think. The older part does look a lot better and really nicely decayed.
 

dave

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Your not wrong about it being well trashed it was bad when i went many years ago and i cant believe its still standing. The basement areas were quite good if i remember and there was a room in the old section that had tons of books on just about any subject you could think of i suppose they were all ruined after the fires etc. Good effort anyway and thanks for the update.
 

Bazza74

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
The older part definitely is the interesting part, worth the visit for that bit, good job.
 

The Lone Ranger

Safety is paramount!
Staff member
Moderator
This place still is probably one of the worst places I have ever explored, and that was quite a few years ago so hard to imagine what's it's like now. Photos don't make it look too much worse tbh. I don't think playing cat and mouse with someone else who was in there at the time helped, was still pretty rife with metal thieves and homeless folk.
 

Who has read this thread (Total: 201) View details

Top