# Guest and Chrimes, Rotherham November 2017/July 2014



## HughieD (Nov 19, 2017)

*1. The History*

Guest and Chrimes is a substantial former brassworks in the centre of Rotherham, South Yorkshire. The Grade II listed buildings of the former iron and brass foundry sit on the edge of the town centre, between Rotherham United’s £20m New York Stadium and the council's new offices on Main Street.

The company itself was established by the Chrimes Brothers in1843. Brothers Peter and Edward were credited with the invention and production of the high-pressure loose valve screw-down tap. The firm rapidly expanded into sluice valves, fire hydrants and water meters and John Guest joined the firm in 1847. Following a very large order from Spain, the company moved to the present site in 1857. By 1871 Richard Chrimes employed 400 hands. Here’s some historic footage of the workforce leaving after a day’s work one day in 1901:

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-workers-leaving-guest-and-chrimes-brassworks-rotherham-1901-1901-online

In 1914 the Foundry and General Brass Work’s specialities were listed as high-pressure loose valve cocks, improved sluice valves, Siemens and Adamson's Water Meter, reservoir valves and fittings, fire-extinguishing apparatus and wet and dry Gas meters. In 1917 it became a private company.


Guest and Chrimes 2 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The foundry closed in 1999 and has remained empty since. Little interest has been shown in the buildings since 2004, when plans for a Tesco development on the site were refused following an appeal. Consultants, Gleeds, estimated that it would take an investment of £8.8m just to bring the current property up to a marketable condition. In 2013 Rotherham United drew up a planning application for the full demolition of the foundry, citing a lack of interest in developing the previous scheme and rising costs of remedial work.

*2. The Explore*

Happened to be in the Rotherham area on a very sunny Sunday in November with my camera and time to kill so looked this place up. Managed to get a decent set of externals but didn’t have the time or the gear to do a full internal explore. Hence wasn’t going to do a report of this. But big-up and thanks to Tarkovsky who had a set of internals from a previous visit and has kindly agreed for me to combine them with my externals to make a decent review.

*3. The Pictures*

My externals:

The beautiful front façade:

img3755 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3776 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3759 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3773bw by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3775 by HughieDW, on Flickr 

Façade detail:


img3756 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Front right:


img3757 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Front left:


img3758 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Left hand side:


img3791 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Round the back:


img3761 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3762 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The famous tower:


img3760 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3765 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3787 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And round the other side, furthest from the footy ground:


img3767 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3770 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img3792 by HughieDW, on Flickr

An open door, but a storey up!


img3772 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And back round the front again:


img3785 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And a fab set of interiors courtesy of Tarkovsky (many thanks for letting me use these in the report) from his earlier visit to the place in July 2014:


Untitled by D Tarkovsky, on Flickr


Untitled by D Tarkovsky, on Flickr


Untitled by D Tarkovsky, on Flickr


Untitled by D Tarkovsky, on Flickr


Untitled by D Tarkovsky, on Flickr


Untitled by D Tarkovsky, on Flickr


Untitled by D Tarkovsky, on Flickr


Untitled by D Tarkovsky, on Flickr


Untitled by D Tarkovsky, on Flickr


Untitled by D Tarkovsky, on Flickr


Untitled by D Tarkovsky, on Flickr


Untitled by D Tarkovsky, on Flickr


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## tarkovsky (Nov 20, 2017)

Good work! Happy that my pics are getting an airing too as I was too lazy to do reports at the time. Can’t believe it’s three years since I’ve been. From what ive seen since it’s still in pretty much the same state but with a bit of extra graff here and there.

Have you seen there’s recent plans for renovation? Check out the first pic here.rotherham business news: News: Club gives update on Guest & Chrimes


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## krela (Nov 20, 2017)

Interesting place, thanks both!


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## Mikeymutt (Nov 20, 2017)

Lovely report and nice mix of pics from the two of you.love the tower ghost signs


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## Sam Haltin (Nov 20, 2017)

That's a nice set of photographs. I can assume that in the film the exit door that the workers are leaving from is the same door in Hughie's opening shot. I also like the tower shot as the name is still prominent. The building is still in good condition and graffiti free.


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## smiler (Nov 20, 2017)

Nice combination of pics, Thanks


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## Dirus_Strictus (Nov 20, 2017)

Hugh Jorgan;348783 The building is still in good condition and graffiti free.[/QUOTE said:


> Sadly the now £8.8 plus million remedial work bill and the vast number of tie bars and spreader plates put in just prior to WW1 are an indication that all is not well with this place. Buildings like this were built to carry out a certain function at the cheapest price possible and conversion in this day and age is never going to be easy/cheap. The fact that the structure might be still standing 150 odd years later, would certainly have never cross the architect's mind. The place was very run down and in poor condition when I used to regularly pass the building in the early '60's, on the way to visit an establishment (Brinla(?) Bow-Woods) that sold specialised timbers to make laminated re-curved bows. Always a source of amusement that in area that produced vast amounts of armament for two World Wars, was now the location of a large concern supplying wood etc for making bows and arrows!


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## HughieD (Nov 20, 2017)

tarkovsky said:


> Good work! Happy that my pics are getting an airing too as I was too lazy to do reports at the time. Can’t believe it’s three years since I’ve been. From what ive seen since it’s still in pretty much the same state but with a bit of extra graff here and there.
> 
> Have you seen there’s recent plans for renovation? Check out the first pic here.rotherham business news: News: Club gives update on Guest & Chrimes




I'd not mate. Interesting stuff. Hope it can be saved. Perhaps worth another visit...


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## prettyvacant71 (Nov 26, 2017)

Wonderful big old building, some great shots from you both, thanks!


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