Yesterday we were fortunate enough to have been given legal entry to this gorgeous building: the Le Carbone Factory in Old Portslade Village. Rolling up to a site mid-afternoon in the middle of town was quite a bit different to the usual experience of it being dark, wet, cold, and, not to mention, illegal. Though it dampened the effect for my Polish partner in crime, I am personally all for any easy opportunity. The interior was an odd amalgamation of factory floors and warehouses, 90s era offices, and distinctly industrial machinery and structures, including a 100 foot water well and a several stories high chimney. Below, I’ve included some history of the site.
History of the Le Carbone Factory:
“The factory has been run by a French company Le Carbone since 1947 & specialises in products made from carbon, particularly for high-tech processes. It is 6 storeys high with a tall chimney dated 1881 & walls 18ins. thick. Until 1931 the building was in use as a brewery run by Smithers Brewers who owned many of the local public houses. A 100ft well, an oast house, coopers shops, cask-washing shed, stables converted into other uses and cottages of the employees can still be seen. From 1931-38 it remained empty until Shepherds Industry took over, an experimental firm with a wide range of products inc. shirts, flooring and insecticides. During the war the building was commandeered by the Canadian army who left in 1940 to be replaced by C.U.A. engineering, until the arrival of Le Carbone.” (Source: BBC.co.uk)
Le Carbone Factory, 1950s (Source: Eileen Heryet via)
Images and text used with permission.