Standard Fireworks, Crosland Hill, Huddersfield - June 2023.
Visited solo.
Really good fun, this. Such a large, overgrown site with some extensive bramble and nettle manoeuvres to avoid the large dome cameras on sticks, but totally trouble-free on the two occasions I plotted around the site, no sign of security - although there were areas I thought a little too blatant to spend ages in front of cameras. Following on from pt2013’s report, I decided to myself there was more than enough of interest to go have a poke around. Having been sold to the Chinese in the late 90s, it’s understandable that there wasn’t going to be loads and loads of ‘stuff’ left, nevertheless, something a bit different - there’s certainly some more areas to go at here, I had a quick look at the Admin building, but it didn’t seem worth the effort / blatant camera exposure from peering through some uPVC windows.
History
Standard Fireworks was established in 1891 as was the brainchild of Yorkshire draper James Greenhalgh. The company moved to the Crosland Hill site in Huddersfield in 1910 where it eventually covered over 100 acres. The head offices being at Standard House in Half Moon Street in Huddersfield.
1916
During the First World War, production switched to munitions and became an essential part of the war effort. During the Second World War, production once again switched to munitions and became an essential part of the war effort.
The post-war years brought further expansion and the company was floated on the Stock Market in 1959. By 1988, Standard Fireworks had bought tScottish-based Brock’s Fireworks where all firework production was transferred to Yorkshire.
1947 / 1967
1998 saw the purchase of Standard Fireworks by the Chinese based Black Cat Fireworks. As the largest manufacturer of fireworks in the world, Black Cat switched firework manufacture to China. After this move, the Huddersfield site became the UK headquarters for Black Cat and acted as the Sales, Marketing and Distribution centre for both Black Cat and Standard product ranges.
Pictomographs
continued...
Visited solo.
Really good fun, this. Such a large, overgrown site with some extensive bramble and nettle manoeuvres to avoid the large dome cameras on sticks, but totally trouble-free on the two occasions I plotted around the site, no sign of security - although there were areas I thought a little too blatant to spend ages in front of cameras. Following on from pt2013’s report, I decided to myself there was more than enough of interest to go have a poke around. Having been sold to the Chinese in the late 90s, it’s understandable that there wasn’t going to be loads and loads of ‘stuff’ left, nevertheless, something a bit different - there’s certainly some more areas to go at here, I had a quick look at the Admin building, but it didn’t seem worth the effort / blatant camera exposure from peering through some uPVC windows.
History
Standard Fireworks was established in 1891 as was the brainchild of Yorkshire draper James Greenhalgh. The company moved to the Crosland Hill site in Huddersfield in 1910 where it eventually covered over 100 acres. The head offices being at Standard House in Half Moon Street in Huddersfield.
1916
During the First World War, production switched to munitions and became an essential part of the war effort. During the Second World War, production once again switched to munitions and became an essential part of the war effort.
The post-war years brought further expansion and the company was floated on the Stock Market in 1959. By 1988, Standard Fireworks had bought tScottish-based Brock’s Fireworks where all firework production was transferred to Yorkshire.
1947 / 1967
1998 saw the purchase of Standard Fireworks by the Chinese based Black Cat Fireworks. As the largest manufacturer of fireworks in the world, Black Cat switched firework manufacture to China. After this move, the Huddersfield site became the UK headquarters for Black Cat and acted as the Sales, Marketing and Distribution centre for both Black Cat and Standard product ranges.
Pictomographs
continued...
