Bean Ing Mills was built by industrialist Benjamin Gott and dates back to 1792. It became the world's first factory for woollen manufacture In 1800, as many as 1,000 local people were employed on the site which made blankets for British troops. The building was expanded in 1829 fronting onto Wellington Street in the city centre, but the factory drew criticism for the amount of pollution it created. Changes to the way textiles were produced in the surrounding area, with other towns competing, saw the end of Gott’s empire in about 1870. The complex was demolished in the 1960s and replaced with your Yorkshire Evening Post headquarters complete with clock tower. Enjoy these images, a mix from the YEP archive and others published courtesy of photographic archive Leodis, which is run by Leeds Library & Information Service, charting its rise and fall. READ MORE: Life on Wellington Street down the decades LOVE LEEDS? LOVE NOSTALGIA? Join Leeds Retro on facebook
7. Bean Ing Mills
An ancient loom pictured inside Bean Ing Mills in January 1965. | YPN Photo: YPN
8. Bean Ing Mills
The interior of the dyehouse. It was located near the riverside on the west side of the mills complex. The image shows the old winch dyeing machines. The fabric was joined end to end and drawn into the dye filled vessel by means of a rotating dye winch. | Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net Photo: Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net
9. Bean Ing Mills
The 450 Horse Power Compound Tandem Gladstone Steam Engine showing the immense fly-wheel. It finally stopped work at 4.30pm on Friday, January 4, 1963, when the mill shut down. The Engine House was located in front of the scribbling and fulling mill, on the south side of the quadrangle. | Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net Photo: Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net
10. Bean Ing Mills
The canteen or 'dining room' showing the shallow brick vaulted ceiling canopy. When all the fittings, machines and furniture were sold off in 1963 the dining room sale items were listed as folding canteen tables with inlaid tops, and metal framed forms with backrails, as seen here. There was even an old grand piano and an upright piano. | Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net Photo: Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net
11. Bean Ing Mills
One of the chimney stacks at Bean Ing Mills was demolished in 1965. | YPN Photo: YPN
12. Bean Ing Mills
Bean Ing Mills, site for your Yorkshire Evening Post. The photo was taken looking down Wellington Street in 1967. The entrance to Westgate is on the right. | YPN Photo: YPN