# Ridgway Tools, Sheffield, June 2015



## HughieD

This is one of the bigger sites in Sheffield although it doesn’t get the attention that George Barnsley’s, The Courts or Cannon Brewery gets. Nothing special architecturally for the outside, it’s easy access and well trashed but its sheer size and the fab street art inside make it worth while exploring. There are some good views to be had from the roof but we declined that particular part of the place. Explored with non-member S-Kempy. Here’s the history bit.


Im1945Benn-Ridgeway2 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The history of Sheffield’s former William Ridgway Tools factory (also known as Parkway Works) is a complicated one. It used to manufacture augers, bits, wood-boring and motorising tools. It was originally founded in 1878 and soon became a private company in 1909. The current building was constructed some time in the 1930s. William Ridgway Tools merged with Record Tools in 1972 to form Record Ridgway Tools Ltd. Record were a fellow Sheffield company with a reputation for producing quality clamps, wrenches, vices and cutters. They were set up by Charles J Hampton with the help of his two sons in the early 1900s having fallen out with his brother Joseph in 1898. 

The enlarged company now consisted of 14 UK Companies with 5 overseas companies. A second merger with Marples who Ridgway had earlier purchased an equal 50% in in 1962 along with Record ensued. Marples, a woodwork tools company, resulted in the company changing its name to Record Marples Tools. Record Marples was itself taken over by the Swedish hardware manufacturer AB Bahco in 1982. A management three years later in 1985 returned the company to British ownership. However, the company struggled financially and went into administration in 1998. It was then acquired by US-based Irwin Tools in 1998 but was closed down soon after as the American owners moved production to China.

OK...here are the pictures!

Ridgway tools here we go:


img9870 by HughieDW, on Flickr

On the way in:


img9810 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img9811 by HughieDW, on Flickr

…with nature knocking at the door:


img9869 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Some lovely Coloquix work here:


img9815 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Then on to the first large downstairs place:


img9816 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img9825 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img9827 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Not too sure of the artist’s name here:


img9818 by HughieDW, on Flickr

…or this one:


img9835 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Think this one is by Color(?):


img9820 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Apart from the graff, the side-buildings are trashed and empty:


img9832 by HughieDW, on Flickr

…except for the old spade:


img9834 by HughieDW, on Flickr

But our friend Coloquix has been very busy:


img9821 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Someone forgot to fill up the hand wash:


img9823 by HughieDW, on Flickr

…and the basin, well…don’t ask:


img9838 by HughieDW, on Flickr

A second trashed and bare downstairs room:


img9837 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Let’s go up-stairs:


img9841 by HughieDW, on Flickr

It’s quite airy:


img9842 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And again quite trashed:


img9849 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And there’s yet more graff:


img9854 by HughieDW, on Flickr

But there’s plenty of spare locker space:


img9833 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img9839 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img9846 by HughieDW, on Flickr

What’s the time? It’s happy o’clock:


img9847 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Back downstairs…and this is the biggie – a wonderful bit of art by Phlegm:


img9860 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img9863 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Obligatory dead pigeon shot:


img9864 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img9868 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Didn’t make the roof:


img9872 by HughieDW, on Flickr

That’s all folks:


img9871 by HughieDW, on Flickr


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## krela

My kind of place, thanks for posting


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## Hitcher

Some of the graffiti in here is awesome....


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## DirtyJigsaw

Liking this a lot, one of your best. I see some graff artists who have been in cannon have been in here too. Nice set


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## KM Punk

Looks a good place. Plenty of graff. Cheers for sharing


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## Rubex

Amazing pictures! That graffiti is brilliant!


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## HughieD

DirtyJigsaw said:


> Liking this a lot, one of your best. I see some graff artists who have been in cannon have been in here too. Nice set


High praise indeed! Many thanks DJ....and the rest of you too.


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## smiler

I enjoyed the captions to the pics, Many Thanks.


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## The Wombat

This is excellent work Hughie
must get up here and see this sometime
lovely photos


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## HughieD

The Wombat said:


> This is excellent work Hughie
> must get up here and see this sometime
> lovely photos


Gimmie a shout mate and we can go round together. Fancy a revisit.


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## Mikeymutt

Nice one hughie,nearly looked here when we were up there,but time was running out.


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## mookster

Intended to have a nose in here last year but as we rocked up we realised there was a hell of a lot of crashing and banging coming from inside, we hung around outside and sure enough some pikeys were going in and out of the place so sacked it off. One for next time.


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## UrbanX

Spectacular report! Actually like a lot of that graf. 
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful set of photos!


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## flyboys90

Great report and the graff is well worth some praise!


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## HughieD

Cheers folks. Just like an "Urban Art Gallery"....


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## Will Knot

Some great graff in there....nice


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## Old No.13

Done the old place proud there, fella! But there are great views from the roof. When the loading bay doors used to be slightly open the local prozzies used to squeeze in with their punters!!!!!!


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## Sam Haltin

Excellent photography here, nicely captured.


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## HughieD

Hugh Jorgan said:


> Excellent photography here, nicely captured.



Cheers mate. Plenty to go at in this place....


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## HughieD

Old No.13 said:


> Done the old place proud there, fella! But there are great views from the roof. When the loading bay doors used to be slightly open the local prozzies used to squeeze in with their punters!!!!!!



Ha ha...cheers mate. Actually there were a pair of knickers hanging up just near our entry point. Think they must have belonged to one of those very ladies you mention.


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## Scaramanger

Some good pics there... we happened to visit and the amount of sproggies and shringes laying round on the floor is a bit of a hazard.. Tread carefully if you intend to visit


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## byker59

I can remember working in there !


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## cunningplan

Great set there, wish I knew about this the other week when we was up there, I'm partial to a bit of phlegm


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## HughieD

cunningplan said:


> Great set there, wish I knew about this the other week when we was up there, I'm partial to a bit of phlegm



Thank you cunningplan. Return visit in order!


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## degenerate

Looks good that Hughie, love the phlegm piece


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## HughieD

degenerate said:


> Looks good that Hughie, love the phlegm piece



Yeah....seen a lot of Phlegm around Sheffield and this is one of his best pieces.


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## Malenis

Love it!! My kind of explore


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