Rank Outsider
3rd May 2008
Rank Outsider from duncmc via flickr.
The Clarence Flour Mill on the east bank of the River Hull, next to Drypool Bridge. Rumour has it that the building is earmarked for demolition, to make way for a 24 storey residential development. The building has been empty for some time, and is one of the most characterful of the remaining riverside mills in Hull. Many of them have been left derelict and decaying. Many have been destroyed to make way for modern industrial units.
We should be learning from places like Gateshead in Newcastle, where the old Baltic Flour Mill has been sympathetically redeveloped into the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts. Like the Clarence, the Baltic was once a Rank Hovis mill.
The Clarence Flour Mill has particular cultural significance for the city of Kingston-upon-Hull. It was originally owned by Joseph Rank Ltd., a large flour milling business built up by Joseph Rank. His son J. Arthur Rank was born in Hull and went on to inherit the family business and also to found the Rank Organisation, which became a major force in British film making.
The family business became Rank Hovis McDougall responsible for some of the best known consumer brands on the supermarket shelf – Hovis, Bisto, Mr Kipling, Paxo and Sharwoods to name but a few.
The Rank Organisation, founded by J. Arthur Rank in 1937, owned five leading film studios, including Pinewood Studios. As well as employing several major British film directors of the day, it launched the careers of many British actors. The company also founded or owned many of the brands that are household names in the entertainment and multimedia industries – Butlins, Haven, Oasis, Rank Xerox, Wharfedale, Tom Cobleigh Inns, Mecca Bingo, Hard Rock Cafes and Hotels.
And it all started in Hull!
I once heard it mooted that the old Clarence Flour Mill ought to be redeveloped into a national museum for for movies and film, because of its association with J. Arthur Rank. I think that would be an excellent idea. But at the end of the day it comes down to vision and money, neither of which seem to be available in the required quantities.
Oh, and a heads up to James (theholyllama). When I found both my batteries wanting for power he selflessly offered his own so I could get the shot. Thanks mate!
Tags: black and white, building, canon ef s 10 22, clarence flour mill, derelict, digital photography, hull, river hull
3rd May 2008 @ 1:06am
Are you a bit of a Ranker Dunc? Maybe I shouldn’t be so glib seeing as the battery incident was all my fault. I’ll never hear the end of that one believe me.
3rd May 2008 @ 1:11am
[Sigh] Now you can see why I don’t bring her along to flickr meets.
3rd May 2008 @ 6:15am
Your vision is to be admired.
You must have in your mind what a finished shot is going to look like because I’ve walked down there and have never seen anything worth taking.
Striking and beautiful and way ahead talent wise.
3rd May 2008 @ 9:08am
amazing shot
added to faves
3rd May 2008 @ 9:49am
Great b/w pic and of a subject that will hopefully have a long future in the city.
3rd May 2008 @ 9:59am
Great shot. I tried for a similar view but had no detail in the sky if the foreground was at the right exposure. You’ve got that perfectly. Is this HDR, photoshop or some other manner of trickery?
3rd May 2008 @ 10:47am
That’s a beauty Dunc. And I think your Missus should come to the meet and you stay at home
;P
3rd May 2008 @ 11:23am
I’ve thought about a shot from here myself but I can’t imagine it would be better than this. I don’t know if my 16mm lens would be able to capture all this though; could always stitch I suppose
4th May 2008 @ 7:21am
great shot!
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Seen on thousandpics[dot]com
4th May 2008 @ 11:03am
This is a beautiful shot of a place close to my heart. Great processing too. Seeing your photo’s has almost made me wish I still lived up there! I’m glad I ran into your photostream, thank you…
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Seen on your photo stream. (?)
5th May 2008 @ 7:50am
dang
6th May 2008 @ 10:21am
How do you manage to make it look so good!!!!Great shot.
7th May 2008 @ 7:06am
An absolute Cracker!
11th May 2008 @ 12:53pm
Well said! Great shot too.
12th May 2008 @ 11:31am
Great processing in this picture.
Saludos
13th May 2008 @ 4:57am
Nice photo! I’l have to get back to hull for a shootabout before it’s all gone.
26th May 2008 @ 8:47am
Beautiful building, nicely shot, like the reflection
29th May 2008 @ 2:44am
The urban landscape and your post processing make for a powerful image… but, you’re not doing anything about my preconceptions of Hull here.