Thursday 1 March 2012

Old Drinking fountain Alum Chine, Westbourne, Bournemouth, UK built by Andrew Handyside in the 1880s

Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge in Derby also made lots of fountains. These fountains were made right here in Derby at the former Britannia Ironworks on Duke Street.

The Britannia Foundry's work was well known throughout the Victorian Era for its fine quality, so these fountains can be found all over the globe but where exactly they are located is difficult to find out. But thankfully because of my extensive research here, people are beginning to contact me with details of Handyside work. I am then able to add it to my Handyside world map and this blog, where I can go into great details about every item I find including historical information, Photographs from Flickr, Videos from Youtube, Exact map locations, Google Streetviews etc.

Here is one that I found last year but was waiting for someone to take some better photographs of it for me, thankfully Alwyn Ladell from Bournemouth has now taken some great shots of it which I can now share.
This Disused Drinking Fountain by Andrew Handyside is located on the beach at Alum Chine, Westbourne, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

This particular design of drinking fountain is listed as Design Number 24 on Page 42 of the 1879 publication "An Illustrated book of Designs for Fountains and Vases, costing from £1 to £1200 manufactured by Andrew Handyside".
The price for this fountain is listed in April 1880 as between £18 0s 0d and £20 5s 0d depending what finish was applied (no finish, bronze/marble paint etc).
According to the drawing its 6 foot 7 inches from the base to the bottom of the lamp support and includes a animal drinking trough in the base. Looking at the photographs of this fountain it does still have those on place unlike the Curling Drinking fountain in Eastbourne.

Its a real shame that this Victorian drinking fountain has been allowed to get into this sorry state.
This is probably around 140 years old and has been left to rot. I'm very surprised that this has been allowed to happen, perhaps the council don't realise what they have here! Is it even listed? 
Perhaps if you live in this area you should let someone who cares know about this neglected fountain.

This fountain is missing the water spout, the two cup holders and the lamp on the top. It DOES however still retain the Handyside plaque which the Eastbourne fountain does not.

Photographs of this old drinking fountain.

Front view of the drinking fountain showing the two intertwined dolphins on the top, Looks like the lamppost has rotted away.
Disused Drinking Fountain by Andrew Handyside, Alum Chine, Westbourne, Bournemouth, Dorset

Angled view of the fountain, at this angle you can see one of the animal drinking troughs in the base.
Disused Drinking Fountain by Andrew Handyside, Alum Chine, Westbourne, Bournemouth, Dorset

The "A. Handyside & Co Ld" plaque located at the top of the fountain just below the dolphins.
Disused Drinking Fountain by Andrew Handyside, Alum Chine, Westbourne, Bournemouth, Dorset

The Handyside logo located on the ??????? of the fountain.
Disused Drinking Fountain by Andrew Handyside, Alum Chine, Westbourne, Bournemouth, Dorset

Photograph of the fountain from 2009 by Martin R :
bournemouth & boscombe sea front

A Postcard from 1926 showing the fountain, probably in working at this time :
Alum Chine estuary, Westbourne, Bournemouth - eastern cliffs and steps

I found another photograph of this fountain on Geograph.

This exact same model of drinking fountain in great condition can be found in Eastbourne, see my blog post on this other fountain here - Eastbourne fountain.


Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the exact location of this fountain on my world map.
My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.

Can you help find more Andrew Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other Fountains around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy

Wednesday 29 February 2012

Steel Building and Windows of former Rolls-Royce Motor Works on Nightingale Road, Derby built by Handyside in 1907. (now Demolished)

NOTE : This no longer exists! The entire factory site apart from the facade was demolished and cleared in 2011.
The Derby firm Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge in Derby also manufactured steel structures for buildings around the world. Here in my dedicated blog to this company I am detailing every item I can find manufactured by them.
The steel fabricated building and Windows of former Rolls-Royce Motor Works on Nightingale Road, Derby built by Andrew Handyside in 1907.

This steel fabrication project was one of the last commissions by Andrew Handyside before the untimely collapse of the company.
In 1907 Royce himself wrote to Derby Solicitor C.R.B. Eddowes...

"Mr Royce and Mr johnson are of the opinion that if the work of erecting the buildings is entrusted to such a firm as Messrs Handyside of Derby it would be quite unnecessary to employ an architect to prepare drawings or to supervise the erection of the buildings as Messrs Handyside are engaged and have for some years been engaged in erecting buildings of a similar nature and are thoroughly competent and trustworthy firm"
(Nixon 1969, page 171)

As a side note - The Derby Solicitors used by RR back then are still going today www.ewlaw.co.uk !

This particular project was delevered to this site from Britannia Iron Works using horse and cart! well it was a local delivery !

Below are some photographs of the Rolls-Royce Motor Works on Nightingale Road, Derby, Derbyshire, UK. The original factory which opened (officially) on 9th July 1908 consisted of what became known as Number 1 shop. In those days RR only made cars. Aero engines were to come later.

Andrew Handyside fabricated the steel structure and also the windows for the RR Motorworks here on Nightingale Road.

Photograph showing the facade of the RR building on Nightingale Road.
RR Frontage01 HDR

These Photographs courtesy of Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust.
A view inside the building showing the structure of the building by Handyside.
Inside Rolls-Royce Motor Works Derby 1910

Another view inside the building showing the structure of the building by Handyside.
Inside Rolls-Royce Motor Works Derby 1910


The aerial view photo doesn’t show the commercial block which stood between the workshop & Nightingale Road. The commercial block was built in 1912 so the photos are of an era between 1908 when the factory opened and 1912 when the commercial block was built.

Rolls-Royce Motor Works Derby 1910

As you can see in the view from above the site was massive (click on "Sat"):

View Larger Map


Google Streetview:
The Google streetview car has captured this location well and you can see the facade of the building. See it HERE.

Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the exact location of this bridge on the world map.
My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.

Can you help find more Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any items around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy

Saturday 25 February 2012

Chapelfield Road and Union Street viaducts for Manchester Piccadilly railway line built by Andrew Handyside around 1840.

The Derby firm Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge in Derby also made many hundreds of other bridges of many different sizes around the world. Here in my dedicated blog to this company I am detailing every item I can find manufactured by them.
In Manchester there are many viaducts that cross roads leading into Manchester Piccadilly Railway Station. Some of these viaducts have the plaque "A. HANDYSIDE & Co Ld Derby & London".
Thanks to Google Streetview its possible to wander around these viaducts to inspect them for Handyside plaques.
I have managed to find two that still have the plaques. These are over Chapelfield Road and Union Street. I dare say some of the other viaducts into this station may well have been made by Handyside but the badges have fallen off.

Manchester Piccadilly (Manchester London Road until 1960) is the principal railway station in Manchester,
The station opened on 8 May 1842 as Store Street station and as Bank Top station, The station was then renamed London Road station in 1847, London Road station. It was then renamed yet again to Manchester Piccadilly when it reopened after reconstruction on 12 September 1960.

Handyside plaque on the viaduct carrying the railway lines into Manchester over Chapelfield Road.


Chapelfield Road Under the viaduct leading to Piccadilly Station



Google Streetview:
The Google streetview car has captured this location well and you can clearly see the Andrew Handyside plaque on the ironwork. See it HERE.
Also the plaque on Union Street viaduct too HERE.

Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the exact location of this bridge on the world map.
My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.

Can you help find more Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other bridges around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location,photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy

Wednesday 25 January 2012

Fountain in Pearson Conservatory, St. Georges Park, South Africa, Made By Andrew Handyside about 1882.

Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge also made lots of decorative fountains. These fountains were made right here in Derby at the Duke Street Foundry "Britannia Iron Works". Andrew Handyside exported many decorative fountains around the world during the Victorian era.  The Britannia Foundry's work was well known for its fine quality so these fountains can be found all over the globe but where exactly they are located is difficult to find out.

Here is one I found last year but decided now was a good time to post about it due to the fact that I've just seen it in the background of a TV Advert !!!
This Handyside fountain is located inside the Pearson Conservatory, St. Georges Park, South Africa. It was made in Derby around 1882.

This particular design of fountain is listed as Design Number 15 on Page 30 of the 1879 publication "An Illustrated book of Designs for Fountains and Vases, costing from £1 to £1200 manufactured by Andrew Handyside".  Its the same design as the one at Prince Alfred College, Adelaide, Australia. and the one at Sarmiento School Fountain in San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina, South America.

Photograph of the Handyside fountain :


The TV Advert for Truvia sweetener that features this fountain.


The advert was filmed in St. Georges Park, South Africa, the advert is set in a greenhouse originally brought from Scotland in 1882. Filled with hundreds of locally grown Stevia plants, the scene brought beauty and nature together in perfect syngery. In the advert Ebony Buckle, a classically trained singer takes centre stage as she sings ‘Truvia® Scrumptious’ to the tune of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s iconic ‘Truly Scrumptious’.

Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the exact location of this fountain on the world map.
My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.

Can you help find more Andrew Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other Fountains around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy

Friday 6 January 2012

Former New Brighton Tower, Wallasey, Merseyside, UK Built by Andrew Handyside in 1896 (now Demolished).

NOTE : This no longer exists! It was completely demolished in 1919.

Update : October 2022, Darren of the YouTube channel AdventureMe has made a really interesting and details video about this wonderful structure, highly recommend you watch it :

You may have seen this on Episode 7 of the BBC2 TV Series "Britain's First Photo Album - Liverpool to Blackpool" shown on Tuesday 20th March 2012.

Did you know that Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge in Derby also made the Structural steelwork and cast-ironwork for many buildings around the world and they were made right here in Derby at the Britannia Ironworks.

The New Brighton Tower was inspired by the Eiffel Tower (Paris, 1889) and built as the centre of a popular amusement park and pleasure garden. Located near Liverpool in Wallasey, Merseyside.

At the time, this was the highest structure in England !

It was begun in 1896, finished about 1900 at a cost of £120,000. The architects were Maxwell and Turk of Manchester

According to my 1904 guide published by Andrew Handyside the tower was 574 Foot high (From the ground to the top of the Cooper Ball on the flag-staff) and the base was 143 foot wide.

The weight of Steel used in the Tower is 1,760 Tons
The weight of Steel in the buildings surrounding the tower is 650 Tons.
Handyside designed it with an octagonal cross-sectional design unlike the simple square plan used on Blackpool Tower (518 feet, built 1894).

In the building which surrounded the base of the tower was a ballroom and other popular assembly spaces.

The tower had four lifts to take sightseers to the top of the structure at a cost of 6d.
From there you could see for miles around including the Isle of Man, part of the Lake District and the Welsh Mountains. The Tower attracted a half a million people in its opening year.
During the first world war the steel structure was neglected and became rusty through lack of maintenance and the cost of renovating was more than the owner could afford.

The top portion of the structure commenced to be dismantled on 7th May 1919 and was completed by June 1921 (see the photographs below)
The brick portion comprising of the Ballroom and Theatre remained, together with the turrets. During the Second World War the basement was used as a communal air-raid shelter.
The remaining parts of the surrounding buildings were destroyed by fire in 1969, the entire area was redeveloped as River View Park. Nothing remains of this site.


Photographs of this Victorian Tower built by Andrew Handyside.

new brighton tower - tallest building in england in 1897
Photograph by Noctorum.

Photograph by Andrew Handyside at the time of construction of the lower section of the tower from 1897 :





1912 Souvenir Guide for the New Brighton Tower and Amusement Park.
New Brighton Tower Guide page 1
Photograph by Noctorum.

New Brighton Tower Guide Cover.
New Brighton Tower Guide
Photograph by Noctorum.

Photograph showing the tower during its demolition 1919-1921.
New Brighton Tower Wallasey, dismantled between 1919-1921-03
Photograph by Les Ward.

A video "Wallasey - New Brighton Tower's Rise & Fall"
From 1897 to 1969, when the Tower met its final demise. This short pictoral history video captures what has gone and in many ways been forgotten.

Video by Parapiranha.

Learn more about New Brighton Tower here :
http://www.liberator31.co.uk/wallasey/towergrounds/index.html


My Reference :
Page 38 of Steel & Iron Structures Made and erected by Andrew Handyside & Co Ltd of Derby and London. Published 1904.

Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the original exact location of this tower on my world map.
My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.

Can you help find more Andrew Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other items around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy

Sunday 1 January 2012

Drinking fountain in St Pancras Old Church Gardens built by Andrew Handyside in 1877.

Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge also made lots of decorative fountains. These fountains were made right here in Derby at the Duke Street Foundry "Britannia Iron Works".

Andrew Handyside exported many decorative fountains around the world during the Victorian era.
The Britannia Foundry's work was well known for its fine quality so these fountains can be found all over the globe but where exactly they are located is difficult to find out.
Thankfully because of my research here people are beginning to contact me with details of Handyside work, I am then able to add it to my world map. It really helps my research being able to use Flickr to see these items for myself and share these finds with the world.

This drinking fountain is located in the gardens of St Pancras Old Church, London.
Dated 1877 on plaque. Manufactured by Andrew Handyside and Co of Derby for William Thornton, a
senior Church Warden who presented it to the church.

This particular design of fountain is listed as Design Number 48 on Page 40 of the 1879 publication "An Illustrated book of Designs for Fountains and Vases, costing from £1 to £1200 manufactured by Andrew Handyside".

There is another of these fountains and in much better condition in Australia.
See my post : Belcher Drinking Fountain in Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Photographs of this fountain.

View of the fountain in the Church gardens.
Handyside drinking fountain at St Pancras Old Church, London

View of the top of the fountain.
Handyside drinking fountain at St Pancras Old Church, London

The makers badge on the base of the fountain.
Handyside drinking fountain at St Pancras Old Church, London

Showing the location of the fountain within the church gardens


Handyside drinking fountain at St Pancras Old Church, London


Google Streetview of this fountain.

Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the exact location of this fountain on the world map.
My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.

Can you help find more Andrew Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other Fountains around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.

Thanks
Andy