Rank Outsider

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.

I’ve had a good old rant about this before on Flickr, but 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 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. [Blogged]

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!