# Hays Colours/Albion Colours - Halifax - May 2015 (pic heavy)



## degenerate (May 30, 2015)

Visited with Merkal Jackson and a non member (who would go by the name Magicman)

Hays Colours was a dye and pigment manufacturer and distributor based in Halifax. In 2001 it was bought by Albion Colours who in turn were bought out by Brenntag Colours in 2006. They've since moved premises and left this building dormant with some remnants of its past remaining.

On the visit we found it was made up of three buildings, all three are pretty trashed and stripped of all wiring, here is the first: 


IMG_1804 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC00682 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC00675 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC00687 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC00800 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC00781 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC00832 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC00884 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC00733 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC00890 by degenerate, on Flickr



The second building:


DSC00999 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC01006 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC01025 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC01056 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC01074 by degenerate, on Flickr



The third and final building:


DSC00927 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC00935 by degenerate, on Flickr

Upstairs the steel floor was rusty, sagging and full of holes which appeared to drop into the tanks below, a little nervewracking to say the least.


DSC00958 by degenerate, on Flickr


DSC00984 by degenerate, on Flickr


Sorry if there are too many pictures or they came out the wrong size, this is my first post constructive criticism would be great, cheers.


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## krela (May 30, 2015)

No criticism, great fist report! Interesting site with some intriguing contents. Thanks!


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## smiler (May 30, 2015)

Interesting site, Good report and pics, what's to criticize, I enjoyed it, Thanks


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## HughieD (May 30, 2015)

Interesting and colourful first post!


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## flyboys90 (May 31, 2015)

Great report and photos.


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## degenerate (May 31, 2015)

thanks krela, smiler, HughieD and flyboys90 its much appreciated


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## UrbanX (Jun 1, 2015)

Fantastic set of images. Really lovely level of decay. 
Thanks for sharing


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## Dirus_Strictus (Jun 1, 2015)

Great report. The excellent images illustrate the function of the three buildings very well. Nice to see that the third still has one of the old filter frames in situ (first photo in third building section). It is amusing to see that once again, the 'light fingered lot' have gained a few pence by stripping out the cables and pipework from the laboratory - but have failed to realise the greater monetary value of the Teak bench tops they left behind.


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## degenerate (Jun 1, 2015)

Dirus_Strictus said:


> Great report. The excellent images illustrate the function of the three buildings very well. Nice to see that the third still has one of the old filter frames in situ (first photo in third building section). It is amusing to see that once again, the 'light fingered lot' have gained a few pence by stripping out the cables and pipework from the laboratory - but have failed to realise the greater monetary value of the Teak bench tops they left behind.



Thankyou, they do anything for some quick cash


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## julie13 (Aug 7, 2015)

Dear degenerate - this is fantastic! My first job after leaving Huddersfield University in 1992/93 was a Textile Colour Matcher at Hays Colours Ltd, Pellon Lane, Halifax. the photo of the lab work benches brought back some lovely memories - you photographed my old work station! i've been feeling very nostalgic recently and even took a trip to Huddersfield last week for the first time in 20 years. next week i'm planning a trip to Halifax and was gonna wander up Pellon Lane to see if Hays was still open. sadly not but i loved the photos so THANK YOU.
julie13 xx


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## julie13 (Aug 7, 2015)

p.s. are you a Punk?


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## degenerate (Aug 10, 2015)

julie13 said:


> Dear degenerate - this is fantastic! My first job after leaving Huddersfield University in 1992/93 was a Textile Colour Matcher at Hays Colours Ltd, Pellon Lane, Halifax. the photo of the lab work benches brought back some lovely memories - you photographed my old work station! i've been feeling very nostalgic recently and even took a trip to Huddersfield last week for the first time in 20 years. next week i'm planning a trip to Halifax and was gonna wander up Pellon Lane to see if Hays was still open. sadly not but i loved the photos so THANK YOU.
> julie13 xx



Thanks for the comments, I think the building has been empty for nearly 10 years or thereabouts and yes I am a punk of sorts! If you're interested I filmed a small amount of video which you can watch here if you would like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTZSNSsG9xQ


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## julie13 (Aug 11, 2015)

Dear degenerate - i've watched it about a dozen times - it's great so thanx for that. it's made me feel quite sad actually :-(
i was the only girl in the Laboratory and my 3 male colleagues were all called Graham! good times. we used to sneak out onto the fire exit and have a crafty smoke. the room with the shelves was our Samples room and the other small room by it's side was the 'greige' room - or where we ate our lunch and played cards each dinner time. the main lab with the benches also had desks in and 2 rota-washers and a light-box. wow i wonder if any of my experiment notebooks are still in there somewhere.
thanx for taking me back in time! and for making me sad lol. it's a nice connection to have. i wonder how many other film-makers / photographers have had replies from folk who actually worked in the now derelict sites. would be interesting wouldn't it?
i look forward to your next project 
julie13


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## julie13 (Aug 11, 2015)

another p.s. - i did have a trip to Halifax last week and The Piece Hall was shut - is that now all derelict too?


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## degenerate (Aug 12, 2015)

julie13 said:


> Dear degenerate - i've watched it about a dozen times - it's great so thanx for that. it's made me feel quite sad actually :-(
> i was the only girl in the Laboratory and my 3 male colleagues were all called Graham! good times. we used to sneak out onto the fire exit and have a crafty smoke. the room with the shelves was our Samples room and the other small room by it's side was the 'greige' room - or where we ate our lunch and played cards each dinner time. the main lab with the benches also had desks in and 2 rota-washers and a light-box. wow i wonder if any of my experiment notebooks are still in there somewhere.
> thanx for taking me back in time! and for making me sad lol. it's a nice connection to have. i wonder how many other film-makers / photographers have had replies from folk who actually worked in the now derelict sites. would be interesting wouldn't it?
> i look forward to your next project
> julie13



I'm glad you liked the video. While this is the first time someone who has worked in a place I've explored has got in touch with me I know it's happened to a few others and it's always nice to hear about the places especially when it's hard to come by any history. Your experiment notebooks could very well still be there as there was a filing cabinet full of all sorts of documents including invoices, notebooks and samples.

Out of curiosity when you worked there were the other two buildings next to it used by Hays? I found some documents from the 80's and a dye batch controller in them but that was it and I was unsure if they were dumped there by vandals and whatnot. Also just curious as to why you asked if I was a punk  The Piece Hall is currently closed for some grand renovation that's taking forever and a day to do!


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## julie13 (Aug 13, 2015)

hello degenerate
the video was great and i've showed some of my friends "look, this is where i worked 25 years ago!". the buildings were used by Hays and another thing.... if you look directly across the road (so on your left-hand side as you walk up Pellon Lane from Halifax) there was another site there too including the offices and a different lab.
aw i want to see if any of my stuff is still in there!
was the metal fire escape outside the greige room still there or had that been 'taken'?
to be honest i'm not sure why i thought you were old school punk - i sort of figured you were same age as i am but now after seeing video i've guessed you're a lot younger (plus the signiture but suppose that's more thrash metal isn't it?).
i shall return to Halifax when The Piece Hall has re-opened then lol.
i currently live near Rochdale and the largest amount of derelict buildings there (sadly) are public houses. now that would be a great theme, no?
and what is it that you like about decay? are you celebrating it (in an artistic way) or are you empathising with the passing of time and it's loss - like jobs, manufacturing etc.?
enjoy your weekend degenerate.
julie13


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## julie13 (Aug 13, 2015)

yet another p.s. if you were a Punk you'd know what my Avatar is all about!


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## degenerate (Aug 15, 2015)

julie13 said:


> hello degenerate
> the video was great and i've showed some of my friends "look, this is where i worked 25 years ago!". the buildings were used by Hays and another thing.... if you look directly across the road (so on your left-hand side as you walk up Pellon Lane from Halifax) there was another site there too including the offices and a different lab.
> aw i want to see if any of my stuff is still in there!
> was the metal fire escape outside the greige room still there or had that been 'taken'?
> ...



The fire escape is still there, I've uploaded some more pictures on my flickr account here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/albums/72157653259989098 

For me it's all about documenting buildings that have history that could very well soon be lost, whether that be down to redevelopment, arson etc. My signature is a quote from a film - I can't remember which one but it's something that's stuck with me, to be honest I can't quite see what your avatar is through a phone screen!


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## julie13 (Aug 16, 2015)

i feel documenting buildings before their history is lost forever is a very good reason. what is your next project? Avatar - well you'll never know will you lol
julie13


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## degenerate (Aug 18, 2015)

julie13 said:


> i feel documenting buildings before their history is lost forever is a very good reason. what is your next project? Avatar - well you'll never know will you lol
> julie13



I'll be doing anything I can find! Mainly more industrial building though.


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