Terracotta – Modern Mooch

Bounded on three sides by Williams Road, Williams Street and Sunny Brow Lane.

Here’s the Victoria Works, formerly home to machine tool makers Kendall & Gent of Gorton Manchester.

Kendall and Gent were machine tool makers, originally of Victoria Works, Springfield, Salford.

Founded by William Kendall and George Gent in 1847.

Latterly of Victoria Works, Belle Vue/Gorton from the 1890’s, acquired by Staveley Industries in 1966.

Graces Guide

This was a world of heavy and light engineering, which reached in a broad swathe across Greater Manchester, from Stockport to Cheetham Hill and beyond.

This is the Gorton Works – illustrations taken from Graces Guide.

This was a world of terraced houses and corner shops, side by side with the local works.

Photographs: Tommy Brooks – Local Image Collection

This is that corner of Williams Street and Sunny Brow Road today.

Victoria Works Sunny Brow Road.

Victoria Works Williams Street

Victoria Works Williams Road

Manchester’s engineering industry has subsequently been seriously diminished.

The building became a base for toilet paper manufacturing and distribution.

But the metal beat goes on in both Wolverhampton and Florida.

Originally formed in 1847, Kendall and Gent enjoyed many years as one of the biggest machine tool manufacturers in the UK, producing many large machines which are still in production today. Many of the tangential threading machines are still used in pipe, bolt and stud threading.

Kendall and Gent

Also of interest Richard Peacock Gorton industrialist .

On the corner of Ravensbury and Stockholm Street Clayton Manchester there stands a Cooperative Shop of 1908.

We have previously visited another fine example on Northmoor Road.

In 1902 the area is still set to open ground.

This Manchester Local Image Collection photograph of 1912 shows new terraced homes emerging to meet the housing needs of the world’s first industrial city.

Here is the street in 1965 the shop already shut.

The corner shop on Bank Street still trades.

The Stuart Street Power Station does not.

Changing patterns in shoppers habits sealed the fate of many local and corner shops, as larger supermarkets opened, increased mobility and car ownership became more common.

When I first visited the building was undergoing renovation work.

The beautiful terracotta tile work and corona obscured by scaffolding .

I returned last week to find the job almost done – converted to flats, in an area which has seen a great deal of improvement to the general housing stock, paving and street furniture.

A joy to see a fine building almost returned to its former glory, with a much needed social purpose, reviving the city’s western edge.