Lensman Reece brings hidden past into focus
Family fun on trail of falcons
AFREELANCE photographer is sharing the hidden gems he has discovered tucked away in quiet corners of Rochdale and beyond.
Reece Horton, 24, has travelled across Rochdale to take photographs of abandoned and derelict places which hold rich histories and where time stands still.
The former Wardle High School student has stumbled across some lost and forgotten bunkers from World War Two and has visited old police stations, tunnels, parks, churches, pubs and mills across the country.
He said: “I love getting out there and every place is different.
“Every building has a different architecture, is shaped differently and has a history behind it.
“I wasn’t interested in history at school but I like doing my own historical research about the places I visit.
“If you aren’t looking for certain places it is really easy to miss it.”
The photographer, who grew up in Milnrow and moved to Wardle, has visited places which hold memories for him and are now closed.
He went back to the former Birch Hill Hospital where he had several tests and operations as a child for hearing and balancing difficulties to take a photograph.
The former patient says without Birch Hill Hospital he would be completely deaf.
He also visited Soccer Village in Milnrow where he would have birthday parties as a child before the building was demolished.
Reece also took photos of the Brickcroft Social Club, which has been serving the community since 1874, before it closed down last year due to the impact of the pandemic.
He hopes that his photographs will provide people with long lasting memories.
The former Shaw Academy online graphic design student said: “For me exploring is reliving the past when it involves places I’ve been in as a child.
“It brings back good memories and I know I could be the last person to be inside the place before it’s a last memory and only photos remain.”
The explorer has left no stone unturned in Rochdale and has visited several places including Bygone Church, St John the Baptist’s Church in Smallbridge, Fothergill factory and Smithybridge Pub located in Littleborough, Underground Hades Tunnel, Warwick Mill in Middleton and Healey Dell Nature Reserve.
He has also explored places outside of Rochdale such as Salford Crescent Police Station, RAF Driffield in the East Riding of Yorkshire, St Josephs Seminary in Wigan, the underground Edwardian shops in Keighley Royal Arcade and Mossley Manor Care Home in Liverpool.
Members of the community often comment on photographs on his Facebook page called Reece Horton Photography to share their memories and family history of the places he has visited, and The Flying Horse Hotel featured one of his photographs on their Facebook page.
In high school Reece began a Youtube channel called Treatstudios when Call of Duty montages were popular and he was part of the graphics team.
Treatstudios gained more than 50,000 subscribers, over five million views and over two million downloads of the team’s graphics work. The graphic designer deleted the channel in 2018 as he believed Youtube began to be more corporate and his interests moved to photography.
He used his earnings from Youtube to invest in his photography hobby.
The factory worker usually explores different places almost every week with a group of friends, who are also photographers, to take snaps with his Canon 5dsr camera.
Recently he has been visiting places with his best friend Chris who he met through an exploring group online.
Reece created a community Facebook group called Rochdale Memories where people can post snapshots of Rochdale and share their memories with over 1,000 group members.
In August last year Rochdale Town Hall accepted Reece’s request to hold a photography event.
People of all ages and photography skill levels gathered on Packer Street to take photos of ‘The Big Dig’ in action and witness the medieval artefacts being discovered by archaeologists.
The team from DMC Photographic provided hints and tips on how to capture the best shots.
He said: “Photography is not just about going out taking pictures, it’s the connections and meeting new friends you meet along the way. And the many laughs you have on the visits as a group of friends doing what we like to do.
“I take photos as it helps my mental health and I enjoy seeing new stuff I wouldn’t normally see.”
Individuals are not encouraged to enter private and derelict premises under any circumstances for their own safety. ●
PHOTOS by Reece Horton Photography.
FAMILIES are set to have fun in the fresh air during the Easter holidays with a chance to find out all about the peregrine falcons who are the fastest birds on Earth.
Anyone who has ever wondered why Rochdale is home to a family of falcons or why they inspired jet engines can join the falcon trail around Broadfield Park.
There will be a chance to learn something about the protected species while exploring the park, hunting for hidden clues along with a quiz sheet which can be handed in at the end for a small, free prize.
Quiz sheets and maps can be collected from the Crossland Community cabin located just outside the clock tower in the hoardings outside of the town hall, from Touchstones Museum or from inside the park.
Prizes can be obtained from the cabin.
The falcon trail takes place on Monday, April 11, from 2pm to 4pm and again on Wednesday, April 20, from 10am to noon.