Saving the Generator

On an impromptu visit to the town centre, I happened to walk along Packe Street and noticed that the Generator building was open. Sticking my head around the door, I was welcomed into the open event, and joined a group who were having a bit of a guided tour of the space. And, goodness me, what a space it is!

The history of the actual building goes back to the 1930s, when it was once part of the predecessor institution to the University and to the Art College, but let’s have a quick look at the background, and the educational story.

So, the Loughborough University we know today grew from the Loughborough Technical Institute, which had been created in 1909 by Herbert Schofield. The Institute was a centre for further education, with science, technical subjects, and arts being on the syllabus, the Institute having absorbed the College of Art and Design that had been established in 1891. The first Technical Institute building was on the corner of Ashby Road and Green Close Lane, which was demolished in the early 1980s and is now a Sainsbury supermarket.

In 1952, Loughborough College was created, and this comprised: Loughborough Training College; Loughborough College of Art; Loughborough College of Further Education, and Loughborough College of Technology. The latter became the College of Advanced Technology in 1957, and was granted its royal charter, becoming the Loughborough University of Technology in 1966. The Loughborough College of Further Education became part of the university in 1977, and the Loughborough College of Art and Design joined in 1998. Loughborough University of Technology became Loughborough University in 1996.

So, back to the Generator building which is along Packe Street and is joined to the building that spans the corner of Frederick Street and Packe Street, the latter now housing a café downstairs. The Generator was built in 1937, the official opening being in January 1937, when the institution was known as the Loughborough College. When the building was constructed, it was built around a wooden hut that actually housed an electricity generator, and it was intended that the new building would continue to provide electricity for the college buildings. The building it was joined to were, the Garage Workshops, and the 4-storey building comprised: Ground level, car repair bays; 1st floor, housed a hosiery laboratory; 2nd floor had a dyeing lab, conditioning house, and drawing office, and the top floor was a handicraft shop. The adjoining lower building which we now call the Generator, was the generating station itself. At some point, the generating station building was converted for use by the School of Art, as a gallery space (at the very least).

Work has been going on at the Generator building for many years, and certainly since 2016. The last time I properly set foot in the building was back in late 2016, when public consultations were underway in an attempt to save the building and secure its future. 

Things have moved on since then, and funds have become available to do at least some work on the building, but more is needed, hence the owners of the building have now started a Crowdfund appeal. This appeal is running until the end of March, and all monies donated will be doubled until 31st March. You can find more information about this here, and if you’re quick, you still have a few days in which to contribute to saving this amazing space.

Here are some photos of my recent visit, which might give you an idea of the size and condition of the building.

 

 

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posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

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