Since the mid-19th century, Sheffield has been known as the Steel city as steel was the dominant industry which brought the city international renown. However, businesses in other industries also flourished during that time and make up the heritage of Sheffield as we know it now.
In 1883, Woollens & Co was founded by Edwin James Woollen, a signwriter and Frederick Ibbotson, a lithographic printer. The Woollens sign was a well-known sight in Sheffield for a long time with the company having traded for 125 years, many of those from its Love Street base.
It closed its doors for the final time in 2005 when the company moved to a new site then shortly afterward ceased trading altogether.
The huge Woollens for Signs signage was the first neon sign ever installed in Sheffield and to many residents and visitors it will forever be remembered for lighting up the Sheffield skyline.
Due to the massive regeneration programme currently taking place within the city, the site has now been demolished to make way for a new development. Whilst the iconic sign, measuring 21 metres in length, will find a new home at Kelham Island Museum, other parts of the site were salvaged and made their way to the Reclaimed Brick Company yard where they await a new home.
Once the demolition was complete, the bricks were cleaned by the Reclaimed Brick Company team using our extensive process and then stacked onto pallets for onward delivery to our yard.
The most interesting piece of heritage that we found and brought back to the yard is this steel pulley wheel. It was originally used to power the main steam engine which in turn provided power to the whole factory.
As well as the wheel, other items that were salvaged from the site were common bricks, handmade bricks, timber, mill stones and stone cobbles. You can find all of these items for sale on our website.
If you have a site containing items that can be reclaimed for a new use which you would like us to clear, then contact us and one of our team will be happy to discuss your requirements.
Reclaimed Brick Company are once again preserving British Heritage to build the future.
