Visited with @host who managed to sweet talk the right people into allowing a permission visit, glad we did it this way for a change as it is covered in camera's and pir's.
I have put it in NP purely out of respect for them who let us have a wander as I think they would be pissed if it went too public. Host did all the groundwork on this, but he's allergic to doing reports these days so here is some images of the place.
Ogden's Tobacco Company was founded by Thomas Ogden in 1860 when he opened a small retail shop in Park Lane, Liverpool. Within a short time he had established several branches throughout the city and in six years his own factory in St James' Street.
In 1870 additional premises were acquired in Cornwallis Street and by 1890 Ogden's had six factories in Liverpool. The present factory at Boundary Lane was built in 1899 and all operations were concentrated at this site when it opened in 1901.
I have put it in NP purely out of respect for them who let us have a wander as I think they would be pissed if it went too public. Host did all the groundwork on this, but he's allergic to doing reports these days so here is some images of the place.
Ogden's Tobacco Company was founded by Thomas Ogden in 1860 when he opened a small retail shop in Park Lane, Liverpool. Within a short time he had established several branches throughout the city and in six years his own factory in St James' Street.
In 1870 additional premises were acquired in Cornwallis Street and by 1890 Ogden's had six factories in Liverpool. The present factory at Boundary Lane was built in 1899 and all operations were concentrated at this site when it opened in 1901.
The former Ogden’s office building on Boundary Lane dates from between 1899-1901 and is believed to have been designed by the company architect Henry Hartley. It includes a clock tower with spire that acts as a landmark within the local community.
At one point it had over 2,500 employers but had less than 200 when Imperial Tobacco ceased operations at the factory which closed March 2007 when production was moved to other UK plants.
At one point it had over 2,500 employers but had less than 200 when Imperial Tobacco ceased operations at the factory which closed March 2007 when production was moved to other UK plants.
Undoubtedly the icing on this particular cake is the pair of 430 horsepower inverted vertical compound steam engines built 1923 by Browett, lindley of Patricroft. These were stopped by 1974 but remained on standby in to the 1990s.
Associated controls and boiler house were pretty sweet too.
Onwards we have the listed office block and clock tower.......
Moving to the manufacturing floors, still with the smell of pipe tobacco in places....
St Bruno pipe tobacco was first marketed by Thomas Ogden in 1896.
In 1996 its centenary year it had a market share of 23 per cent and sales of 235 tonnes a year.
Cont............
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