Report - Robert Fletchers Paper Mill, Oldham - Feb-Mar 19

[albino-jay]

SXJ sending emails to us all

 

[scrappy]

Well done, 3 times ive tried this place and 3 times caught. one day maybe hahaha

 

[AndyM]

Wow, didn't realise this place was still there! The offices weren't accessible back in the day, nice to see them now, but decay is proper setting in now.

 

[merryprankster]

nice pics and a great report dude

 

[UrbandonedTeam]

nice pics and a great report dude

Thanks matey

 

[paganmanwales]

After 3 attempts and two years, we finally cracked a site we had wanted to see for such a long time. This place is an absolute belter for industrial explores in England with the decay and 'time capsule' state it is in.

Robert Fletchers Paper Mill

History, thanks for @AndyK:
The history of Robert Fletcher & sons paper mill dates back to the industrial revolution. The company was once owned by Ralph Crompton and Nephews, producers and bleachers of paper. Their first mill was located in Stoneclough, Manchester. The death of the Crompton brothers left the mill ownerless and the succession was offered to Robert Fletcher, the mill’s manager at the time. Fletcher had risen through the ranks, to first become the manager of the bleaching department and later the whole mill. Following Fletcher’s death on 17th May 1865, his sons John and James took over. They in turn passed down the mill to their sons, also named John and James. In 1897 the mill was incorporated as a limited company. In 1921 a second mill opened, located at Greenfield, near Oldham. The mill specialised in the production of cigarette paper and at its height employed 1000 people to run seven paper machines. These machines produced only a fraction of the paper the later, much larger machines could produce. Upon closure the mill had three machines – two very similar lines from 19XX and a huge modern 1996 addition. By 1986 the company was making a loss and was purchased by the Melton Medes Conglomerate who turned the company around and started to make a profit once again. However by 2001 the company was once again failing and the decision was made to close the Stoneclough Mill. Some people were transferred to the Greenfield mill, but the company could not sustain the increasing loses and was forced into receivership. The mill was closed down overnight. The mill at Stoneclough has been demolished. To this day the mill at Greenfield still remains how it was the day it closed. Streams of paper remain inside the machines, connected to the rolls of finished product at the end of the production lines – a time capsule from a bygone era.

In my eyes, this is one of, if not the best industrial urban exploration in England currently. Our main enjoyment in sites is decay and it is wondrous in some parts of the structure. The fact that the site went through an overnight closure only adds to the wonder as it really feels as if you are heading back in time with virtually everything left inside the property. Even though this one has been done since what, 2008(?), we still have been desperate to do it and are very content that we finally managed it.

Remains of wood pulp, the raw material for paper

Exporting room

The 'pulp mashers,' would break the pulp down and bleach it

The newer paper rolling machine, and some other bits

Spare rollers

The older rolling machines, in one of the more scintillating rooms we have ever been in

Canteen

Medical room

Machinery to put the paper into rolls

Higher ranked worker offices and board room

Sorry for the abundance of photos - it's hard to pick from a place so photogenic.

Here you can find our documentary styled video on this site. We cover the paper mill's past, present and future through cinematics and narration:

Thanks for reading

I worked at Robert Fletcher in 1979 as a fitters mate. Sad to see it in such a sorry state.

 

[Pammyj]

Great report, this place looks awesome to photograph, not surprised you struggled to pick which shots to put up.

 

[Carey]

After 3 attempts and two years, we finally cracked a site we had wanted to see for such a long time. This place is an absolute belter for industrial explores in England with the decay and 'time capsule' state it is in.

Robert Fletchers Paper Mill

History, thanks for @AndyK:
The history of Robert Fletcher & sons paper mill dates back to the industrial revolution. The company was once owned by Ralph Crompton and Nephews, producers and bleachers of paper. Their first mill was located in Stoneclough, Manchester. The death of the Crompton brothers left the mill ownerless and the succession was offered to Robert Fletcher, the mill’s manager at the time. Fletcher had risen through the ranks, to first become the manager of the bleaching department and later the whole mill. Following Fletcher’s death on 17th May 1865, his sons John and James took over. They in turn passed down the mill to their sons, also named John and James. In 1897 the mill was incorporated as a limited company. In 1921 a second mill opened, located at Greenfield, near Oldham. The mill specialised in the production of cigarette paper and at its height employed 1000 people to run seven paper machines. These machines produced only a fraction of the paper the later, much larger machines could produce. Upon closure the mill had three machines – two very similar lines from 19XX and a huge modern 1996 addition. By 1986 the company was making a loss and was purchased by the Melton Medes Conglomerate who turned the company around and started to make a profit once again. However by 2001 the company was once again failing and the decision was made to close the Stoneclough Mill. Some people were transferred to the Greenfield mill, but the company could not sustain the increasing loses and was forced into receivership. The mill was closed down overnight. The mill at Stoneclough has been demolished. To this day the mill at Greenfield still remains how it was the day it closed. Streams of paper remain inside the machines, connected to the rolls of finished product at the end of the production lines – a time capsule from a bygone era.

In my eyes, this is one of, if not the best industrial urban exploration in England currently. Our main enjoyment in sites is decay and it is wondrous in some parts of the structure. The fact that the site went through an overnight closure only adds to the wonder as it really feels as if you are heading back in time with virtually everything left inside the property. Even though this one has been done since what, 2008(?), we still have been desperate to do it and are very content that we finally managed it.

Remains of wood pulp, the raw material for paper

Exporting room

The 'pulp mashers,' would break the pulp down and bleach it

The newer paper rolling machine, and some other bits

Spare rollers

The older rolling machines, in one of the more scintillating rooms we have ever been in

Canteen

Medical room

Machinery to put the paper into rolls

Higher ranked worker offices and board room

Sorry for the abundance of photos - it's hard to pick from a place so photogenic.

Here you can find our documentary styled video on this site. We cover the paper mill's past, present and future through cinematics and narration:

Thanks for reading

I came across this superb video with great interest and some sadness having searched for details of the factory on-line. Before this weekend (25th Aug. 2020) I had never heard of the factory, but this weekend I bought a slim book in a Bristol bookshop in presentation faux-leather boards carefully protected by a presentation box in similar material and an archer embossed and gilded on box and book. In it a letter. The book is entitled '150th Anniversary History of Robert Fletcher & Son', written in 1973 by C G Hampson BSc Tech, CGIA, FRIC (Chief Chemist and the firm's historian). As advertised the book contains a potted history of the company, a few pictures of some machines in working order and pictures of managers. The letter dated 4th February 1974 is from Kenneth Ross, Chairman and Managing Director at the time, addressed to J.A. Gordon who was on the Board of Directors and talks about some of the thinking and decisions made in having this book produced.

The last line of Kenneth Ross's Introduction in the book reads:

'Robert Fletcher & Son Limited can look beyond 1973 with supreme confidence.'

whilst the last main paragraph of the letter states:

'More important than the history is the future. As you know we had a small celebration party to announce the decision to build a new paper machine at Greenfield and, of course, we used the occasion of our 150th anniversary in June last year to release the news. What we do now is to ensure that we make the most of our heritage.'

The feelings of hope and confidence expressed in these extracts contrast so markedly with the sad closure and state of the factory that I thought it worth bringing them to the attention of the forum.

 

[Nickindroy]

Any wellies left?

 

[paganmanwales]

Amazing to see it again. I used to work therein the late 70s with a contractor outfit called East Street Engineers