As I have said in other reports from this area of the black country, Walsall was famous the world over for its leather. The Queen's handbags are still made in Walsall, and even James Bond can be seen wearing a Walsall leather glove as he enjoys a round of golf in goldfinger with "Oddjob" as his caddy!
The Ringroad saw off many of the old leatherworks, but of the handfull remaining "BOAK" is the crown jewel. It was built in 1903, with its landmark water tower being added in 1917, featuring the word "BOAK" in huge glazed brick letters.
I diddnt have high hopes really as the leather works ceased in the late 1980' and the works was taken over by "Phalm" jeans. My main goal was the tower...
After Raddog and I danced with some barbes for a while we made our way into the battered building and headed up. On our speedy ascent I could already see the fabric of the building was lovely, but the rooms were completley empty. We made it onto the roof, but a third of the way up the towers ladder the small portion of my brain with some sense told me to go back down. The weathered ladder is in an awful state, with some rungs being reduced by rust to less than 10mm thick
Its been bugging me ever since and I feel I'm going to have to stop being a jessie and go and finish the job
Few pics of the works from inside. A happier end than most for my report, the building is due to become flats. which it is perfect for.
The Ringroad saw off many of the old leatherworks, but of the handfull remaining "BOAK" is the crown jewel. It was built in 1903, with its landmark water tower being added in 1917, featuring the word "BOAK" in huge glazed brick letters.
I diddnt have high hopes really as the leather works ceased in the late 1980' and the works was taken over by "Phalm" jeans. My main goal was the tower...
After Raddog and I danced with some barbes for a while we made our way into the battered building and headed up. On our speedy ascent I could already see the fabric of the building was lovely, but the rooms were completley empty. We made it onto the roof, but a third of the way up the towers ladder the small portion of my brain with some sense told me to go back down. The weathered ladder is in an awful state, with some rungs being reduced by rust to less than 10mm thick
Its been bugging me ever since and I feel I'm going to have to stop being a jessie and go and finish the job
Few pics of the works from inside. A happier end than most for my report, the building is due to become flats. which it is perfect for.
