THE last man to work at Grimsby's historic Ice Factory was almost brought to tears after going inside the historic building for the first time in more than 20 years.
Mike Sonley, who was chief rigger when the factory closed 23 years ago, made an emotional tour of the derelict building for TV programme Coast, which is being screened on BBC2 tomorrow night at 8pm.
Mike, 73, of Sandringham Road, Cleethorpes, worked at the factory for 22 years and was kept on, along with two other men, after its closure in order to drain the thousands of gallons of water stored inside – a mammoth task which took around five months to complete.
Since leaving his job at the Ice Factory behind for good in December 1990, Mike had gone back inside the building only once – a year later to retrieve some items from the office.
And he was stunned by the state of the derelict building when he stepped inside it with Coast presenter Nick Crane for filming last year.
"I couldn't speak. There was a lump in my throat.
"There were thousands of pigeons, all the copper wiring had been taken out of the compressors and the roof had all fallen in. There must have been six or seven inches of pigeon dirt. It was heartbreaking to see it in that state. I could almost have burst into tears."
GALLERY: Historic Grimsby Ice Factory pictures
Originally from Pickering in North Yorkshire, Mike worked as zookeeper at Flamingo Park (now Flamingo Land).
And when the owner of Flamingo Park opened a zoo in Cleethorpes, Mike was transferred to work at the new attraction.
He later worked in demolition before landing his coveted job with the Grimsby Ice Company in 1968.
He said: "Everyone was issued with their own clothes and the coats had GIC on the collars.
"We used to get them twice a year and sell them on. My wife spotted a man walking down the street wearing one and said 'look, there's someone who works for Grimsby Ice Company.' I said, 'no, he doesn't, he's just bought the coat.'
"It was a brilliant company to work for. I can't fault it one little bit. I had some very happy times there."
Mike said the effect of the Cod Wars had reduced the demand for ice, adding that the final nail in the coffin was the opening of a smaller rival operation on the north wall of the docks.
In an ironic twist of fate, Mike was later to work for the owner of the new factory, when he bought out the Exchange – a company part-owned by the Grimsby Ice Company, to which Mike had been transferred following the Ice Factory's closure.
His duties included delivering the ice to fish merchants, but when most merchants began making their own ice on-site, the new factory's days were numbered. Mike was made redundant when it closed in 1999, and worked for a fish box company for five years before retiring.
Although he believes the Ice Factory is a major part of Grimsby's heritage, he doubts if it can be preserved.
"People say it is a real eyesore when you come into Grimsby. To do that building up you are talking a lot of money.
"Maybe they should knock the building down and keep one of the compressors as a monument."
ON THE WEB: Do you think it should be preserved? Have your say – and see historic pictures of the site at www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk
