Highbury Works: The story of a once looming Leeds landmark
It’s the once looming now demolished landmark which will be remembered by generations of residents in a Leeds suburb.
The imposing brick chimney featuring red painted reinforcing steel straps of Highbury Works stood tall for decades in Meanwood.
The former Meanwood Tannery site, off Green Road, had been used as a mill since medieval times, having originally been a corn mill for the monks of Kirkstall Abbey, who were granted the land in 1230.
From around 1785 it was the site of Wood Mills, a paper mill owned by the Martin family, until the land was purchased by Samuel Smith - father of the Tadcaster brewer of the same name - in 1857 and the tannery built. His initials were carved on the datestone above the doorway.
It was unoccupied for a time in the early 20th century until being taken over by William Gibson & Sons, fellmongers, who moved from premises on the other side of Green Road, around 1914.
Renamed Highbury Works, it was also occupied by Meanwood Fellmongers Ltd.; they were taken over by Robert Jowett & Sons Ltd., who purchased the property outright in 1920.
In 1967 it became the premises of Robert Barker & Son (Fellmongers) Ltd., who operated it until the site closed in 1993.
The chimney was demolished in 1998. The Grade II listed buildings were preserved and incorporated into a residential development of conversion and new build.