It was the first time John Tonks, who worked at the Printworks for 26 years, along with his son Michael and colleagues Dennis Smith and Norman Raddings had been back to what is one of the most recognised industrial landmarks in Leeds, since it closed in 2004.
Today the site has been converted by Leeds City College to house a kitchen, bakery, butchery and hair and beauty teaching facilities, and a refectory and student support centre. The grade-II listed print halls have been restored to maintain their original character, and will in future be refurbished for use.
The group was invited to visit the site after Tonks approached the site’s developer Rushbond with pictures he’d taken of the works as a keen photographer.
Rushbond’s Real Estate Director Mark Finch said: “We were delighted to hear from John who has a fantastic collection of images of the Printworks that tell a fascinating story of the building’s history.”
The Alf Cooke Printworks building was built in 1895 with the business starting life as a one-man operation in 1866. It grew to become a pillar of Leeds' industrial base as the city developed as a centre for the printing industry.
At its height Alf Cooke was described as the ‘largest, cleanest, healthiest and most completely fitted printing works in the world.’ Rushbond purchased the site following the closure of MY Cartons in 2004 and sold it to Leeds City College.
Jason Challender, director of physical resources at Leeds City College said: “It was great to meet John, Michael, Dennis and Norman and see the photographs of what was obviously a very happy and productive time at the Printworks. We have been very careful to incorporate the history of the place into the Campus… and we have been able to gain an insight into even more of the building’s past from John’s photographs.”
The college has around 35 print apprentices studying for City & Guilds and NVQs, who now, as of around a year and a half ago, study the practical elements of their qualification on work placements.
