The origins of this colossal glass manufacturer are to be found in St Helens, Lancs in 1826. By the 1860s as one of three major glass suppliers in the UK, the now titled Pilkington Brothers played a part in producing 75% of all the window glass made in this country.
Pre 1920 it was decided that the company should expand, the site in Kirk Sandall near Doncaster was largely chosen due to its proximity to the waterways and railways. The Kirk Sandall site opened in 1922.
The small population surrounding the new factory increased in size with workers and their families helping to build a strong community.
[Photo credit The Star]
The company was a consistent leader of innovation within the glass industry, perhaps most notably between 1953 and 1957 when Alastair PIlkington and Kenneth Bickerstaff invented the Float Glass process, a revolutionary method of high quality flat glass production by floating molten glass over a bath of molten tin, avoiding the costly need to grind and polish plate glass to make it clear. Pilkington allowed the Float Process to be used under licence by numerous manufacturers around the world.
Advert from 1955
[Photo credit Graces Guide]
[Photo credit Doncaster free press]
The Kirk Sandall site closed in 2008.
Above is a brief history, there is much more available on the WWW if you are so inclined to research and read more.
I've known about this place for what feels like forever and previously always written it off as a wreck, reports on here didn't seem to fill me with excitement either and likewise visitors or first hand reports I'd heard were always filled with words like "alright" and "ok" etc.
I was heading out that way with a mate and we decided to take a look. As usual my previously held opinions were wrong and the site was a great place to spend some time. Yes, it's empty and stripped out, you won't be finding any treasure and I definitely am not the first to visit.
However -
As always, different strokes for different folks and all that.
I really enjoyed it, the buildings are VAST, the engineers workshop is fantastic and even though the parties over still full of interesting machinery, one of my favourite parts was the old signage though, that and the old joinery in there. These older factories hold true gems. Everything is so METAL and concrete these days.
Anyway have some pics of things you have all seen many times before.
Workshops
A nice carpet made of plans
The other bit which I found more interesting than the really long warehouse. loads of nice signage and timber work in here.
Thanks for looking
Pre 1920 it was decided that the company should expand, the site in Kirk Sandall near Doncaster was largely chosen due to its proximity to the waterways and railways. The Kirk Sandall site opened in 1922.
The small population surrounding the new factory increased in size with workers and their families helping to build a strong community.
[Photo credit The Star]
The company was a consistent leader of innovation within the glass industry, perhaps most notably between 1953 and 1957 when Alastair PIlkington and Kenneth Bickerstaff invented the Float Glass process, a revolutionary method of high quality flat glass production by floating molten glass over a bath of molten tin, avoiding the costly need to grind and polish plate glass to make it clear. Pilkington allowed the Float Process to be used under licence by numerous manufacturers around the world.
Advert from 1955
[Photo credit Graces Guide]
[Photo credit Doncaster free press]
The Kirk Sandall site closed in 2008.
Above is a brief history, there is much more available on the WWW if you are so inclined to research and read more.
I've known about this place for what feels like forever and previously always written it off as a wreck, reports on here didn't seem to fill me with excitement either and likewise visitors or first hand reports I'd heard were always filled with words like "alright" and "ok" etc.
I was heading out that way with a mate and we decided to take a look. As usual my previously held opinions were wrong and the site was a great place to spend some time. Yes, it's empty and stripped out, you won't be finding any treasure and I definitely am not the first to visit.
However -
As always, different strokes for different folks and all that.
I really enjoyed it, the buildings are VAST, the engineers workshop is fantastic and even though the parties over still full of interesting machinery, one of my favourite parts was the old signage though, that and the old joinery in there. These older factories hold true gems. Everything is so METAL and concrete these days.
Anyway have some pics of things you have all seen many times before.
Workshops
A nice carpet made of plans
The other bit which I found more interesting than the really long warehouse. loads of nice signage and timber work in here.
Thanks for looking
