Demolition Collection

Tinsley cooling towers, Sheffield
Tinsley cooling towers being demolished. These towers were built in 1938 as part of the Blackburn Meadows power station and stood over 75 metres tall

London / City Gates
Ten of the City gates before demolition: Bishopshate; Cripplegate; Ludgate; Newgate; Moorgate; Aldgate; Bridgegate; Aldersgate; Whitehallgate; Templebar

Tinsley cooling towers demolition
Tinsley cooling towers being prepared for demolition. These towers were built in 1938 as part of the Blackburn Meadows power station and stood over 75 metres tall

Tinsley cooling towers demolition
Tinsley cooling towers being demolished. These towers were built in 1938 as part of the Blackburn Meadows power station and stood over 75 metres tall

Burnley DES01_01_0492
Looking north down Healey Wood Road, Burnley, Lancashire, showing partially demolished terraces in the foreground and Healey Wood Mill in the distance

An old man watches on as a shack in Kingsdown is demolished. 1936

London Terraced Housing
A row of Victorian terraced houses in an East London street, due for demolition

A small boy rummages among the tangled wrecks of old cars on waste ground in the Hillfields area of Coventry. In the background is the towering block of flats in Queen Street. 4th February 1965

Liverpool Brownlow Hill c. 1930
An aerial view of the Liverpool workhouse at Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, shortly before its demolition in 1931 to make way for Sir Edwyn Lutyens Roman Catholic cathedral

The Temptation of Saint Anthony (Oil on canvas)
7393515 The Temptation of Saint Anthony (Oil on canvas) by Callot, Jacques (1592-1635) (after); 47 x 72 cm; Fondation Glenat, Grenoble, France; © Fonds Glenat

Numancia, 1881 (oil on canvas)
AIS5371933 Numancia, 1881 (oil on canvas) by Vera y Estaca, Alejo (1834-1923); Diputacion Provincial de Soria, Soria, Spain; (add.info)

Demolition and clearance JLP01_065_17
CORYTON OIL REFINERY, THURROCK, ESSEX. The demolition of a chimney stack belonging to a derelict boiler house, during site preparation work for the construction of Coryton Oil Refinery

Cottages are being demolished in Northgate (pictured) and Patten Lane, Guisborough. The old stone-built cottages, with their red pantile roofs and chimney stacks built of small bricks

Demolition of a Factory Chimney - Chorley, Lancashire Date: circa late 1950s

The Old Crab Tree Inn, Fulham, 1898
Photograph showing the Old Crab Tree Inn, Fulham, in London, 1898, which was due for demolition that year

High Street East in Sunderland during demolition work in the 1930s (b / w photo)
6331013 High Street East in Sunderland during demolition work in the 1930s (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums; (add.info)

The remarkable pattern of cellars at the old Customs House, Liverpool, now fast disappearing in demolition work. Liverpool, Merseyside. 7th April 1948

The old Customs House site, Liverpool. Circa 1967

Lance-Corporal Jarvis in Great War Deeds, WW1
Lance-Corporal Charles A Jarvis of the Royal Engineers, winning the Victoria Cross by fixing a firing charge for the demolition of a bridge, under heavy fire

Leeds DES01_01_0534
Looking along St Marys Street towards St Marys Church, Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, with an elderly man standing in the demolished street

Effects of the Atomic Bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki (b/w photo)
8625727 Effects of the Atomic Bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Effects of the Atomic Bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki (b/w photo)
8625721 Effects of the Atomic Bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth (1748-1817), late 18th to early 19th century (oil painting)
7337886 Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth (1748-1817), late 18th to early 19th century (oil painting) by Beechey, William (1753-1839); 127x101.6 cm; National Maritime Museum, London

North-east view of the ruins of the Chapel and Granary of Leadenhall Chapel (Holy Trinity Chapel, Leadenhall Street)
FLO5000412 North-east view of the ruins of the Chapel and Granary of Leadenhall Chapel (Holy Trinity Chapel, Leadenhall Street)

Pirate captain on deck, early 20th century (book illustration)
7339185 Pirate captain on deck, early 20th century (book illustration) by Pyle, Howard (1853-1911); National Maritime Museum, London

Clipper ship 'Blackadder' at sea with foremast and mainmast broken, 1895 (watercolour)
7342206 Clipper ship 'Blackadder' at sea with foremast and mainmast broken, 1895 (watercolour) by Esposito, Gaetano (1858-1911) ; 38.4x54.7 cm; National Maritime Museum, London

Fleet with a ship on fire, 18th century (pen & ink drawing, grey wash)
7341813 Fleet with a ship on fire, 18th century (pen & ink drawing, grey wash) by Cleveley, Robert (1747-1809); 29x35.5 cm; National Maritime Museum, London

Destruction of a Germanic village by the Romans
7278129 Destruction of a Germanic village by the Romans; Private Collection; (add.info.: Destruction of a Germanic village by the Romans, digitally enhanced reproduction of original from 1880)

Image series Conquest of Mexico, Cortez burns the ships in August 1519, Liebig painting
7277891 Image series Conquest of Mexico, Cortez burns the ships in August 1519, Liebig painting; Private Collection; (add.info.: Image series Conquest of Mexico)

Sixteen Views of Plaves in the Persian Gulph Forces Against the Arabian Pirates, 1813 (aquatint, coloured)
7342604 Sixteen Views of Plaves in the Persian Gulph Forces Against the Arabian Pirates, 1813 (aquatint, coloured) by Temple, R

Iron Steamship Nemesis, War Junks in Anson's Bay January 7th 1841, 1843 (aquatint)
7342215 Iron Steamship Nemesis, War Junks in Anson's Bay January 7th 1841, 1843 (aquatint) by Duncan, Edward (1803-82); 41.6x60.2 cm; National Maritime Museum, London

Attack on the pirate squadron of Shap-ng-tsai, by 'Columbine', 'Fury' and 'Phlegethon'
7342176 Attack on the pirate squadron of Shap-ng-tsai, by 'Columbine', 'Fury' and 'Phlegethon', Gulf of Tonkin, 21 October 1849, 1849 (coloured lithograph) by Cree

Jesus breaks downn the gates of hell and set free Adam and Eve. Strasbourg cathedral. (stained glass)
8711203 Jesus breaks downn the gates of hell and set free Adam and Eve. Strasbourg cathedral. (stained glass); (add.info.: Strasbourg Cathedral. Stained glass)

The Moonlight Battle: the Battle off Cape St Vincent, 1780 (oil on canvas)
7337661 The Moonlight Battle: the Battle off Cape St Vincent, 1780 (oil on canvas) by Paton, Richard (1717-91); 101.6x147.3 cm; National Maritime Museum, London

The burning of the 'Soleil Royal' at the Battle of La Hogue, 23 May 1692, late 17th century (oil on canvas)
7337634 The burning of the 'Soleil Royal' at the Battle of La Hogue, 23 May 1692, late 17th century (oil on canvas) by Velde, Willem van de

HMS 'Edinburgh' on anti-torpedo exercise, c.1887 (oil on canvas)
7337796 HMS 'Edinburgh' on anti-torpedo exercise, c.1887 (oil on canvas) by Martino, Eduardo de (1838-1912); 52x91.5 cm; National Maritime Museum, London

Carmania' sinking 'Cap Trafalgar' off Trinidade in the South Atlantic, 14 September 1914, 1923 (paper)
7341572 Carmania' sinking 'Cap Trafalgar' off Trinidade in the South Atlantic, 14 September 1914, 1923 (paper, watercolour) by Dixon

The Crab (Cancer) above an aerial view of Rimini from a series of reliefs depicting the planetary symbols
BEN85105 The Crab (Cancer) above an aerial view of Rimini from a series of reliefs depicting the planetary symbols and signs of the zodiac by Agostino di Duccio (1418-81)

Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus (engraving)
8655502 Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, 70)

Destruction of Sidon by Esarhaddon (litho)
8660866 Destruction of Sidon by Esarhaddon (litho) by Rowlandson, George Derville (1861-1930) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Destruction of Sidon by Esarhaddon)

Downfall of Carthage (engraving)
8635730 Downfall of Carthage (engraving) by German School, (19th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Downfall of Carthage, Third Punic War, 146 BC. Illustration from Rom)

Japanese attempt to block the entrance to Port Arthur, 1904 (litho)
8655621 Japanese attempt to block the entrance to Port Arthur, 1904 (litho) by Lacy, Charles John de (c.1860-1936) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

Sander demolishes the walls of Athens (engraving)
8664106 Sander demolishes the walls of Athens (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sander demolishes the walls of Athens)

The Destruction of the Spanish Fleet outside Santiago Harbour (colour litho)
8661465 The Destruction of the Spanish Fleet outside Santiago Harbour (colour litho) by Lacy, Charles John de (c.1860-1936) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

Effects of the Atomic Bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki (b/w photo)
8625730 Effects of the Atomic Bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Interior of Chichester Cathedral, West Sussex, after the fall of the spire (engraving)
8677155 Interior of Chichester Cathedral, West Sussex, after the fall of the spire (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Interior of Chichester Cathedral)

Sea Adventure: The "Mimi" and the "Toutou" (colour litho)
8668775 Sea Adventure: The "Mimi" and the "Toutou" (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

View of the destroyed city hall of Reims, Marne 1919 (b/w photo)
ELD4942814 View of the destroyed city hall of Reims, Marne 1919 (b/w photo); Private Collection; (add.info.: First World War: view of the destroyed city hall of Reims)

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"Unveiling the Power of Demolition: From London's City Gates to Sheffield's Tinsley Cooling Towers" Witness the awe-inspiring force as it reshapes iconic landmarks across the UK. In London, where history and modernity collide, the echoes of past eras reverberate through the crumbling remnants of City Gates. Meanwhile, in Sheffield, a colossal spectacle awaits as the Tinsley Cooling Towers succumb to their inevitable fate. The anticipation builds as we delve into the heart-stopping moments preceding the Tinsley Cooling Towers' demolition. Once towering symbols of industrial might, these structures now stand on borrowed time. As explosives shatter their foundations, an era comes crashing down with them – a bittersweet farewell to an architectural marvel that once defined Sheffield's skyline. Venturing further back in time, we stumble upon Burnley DES01_01_0492 – a captivating glimpse into forgotten ruins that bear witness to bygone tales. Like brushstrokes on canvas depicting The Temptation of Saint Anthony, these fragments tell stories untold and secrets long buried beneath layers of dust and debris. Liverpool Brownlow Hill c. 1930 transports us to an era when progress demanded sacrifice; buildings razed for urban renewal while preserving memories etched within their walls. Demolition and clearance JLP01_065_17 captures this transformative process in motion – a dance between destruction and rebirth that shapes our cities anew. In 1936 Kingsdown witnessed an old man watching helplessly as his shack met its demise at the hands of progress. This poignant image reminds us that behind every demolished structure lies human stories intertwined with bricks and mortar – lives uprooted but never forgotten. London Terraced Housing stands tall amidst constant change - resilient witnesses to centuries unfolding before their stoic facades. And hidden beneath Liverpool's Customs House lie remarkable cellars embodying architectural wonders waiting patiently for their rediscovery.