Shoes

I love this photo. It makes everything appear so real. So......umm...as if it's the end. Just another number.

From the bits I can see they appear to be white Chuck Taylors - cool find!

I'm suprised they let prisoners have shoes with laces, I thought that was a no-no!

Y'know Stacymarie, I'd never even thought of that! I'm sure here in the UK, and depending on the security level of the facility, inmates wear slip-ons or occasionally sandals...

And I can't imagine they were for the staff - screws in Chucks - doesn't quite work somehow!

Ah I see. What in the UK we'd call 'borstal' or a young offenders institution. I was wandering around the grounds of one in Leeds a few days ago, been derelict about a year (no chance of gettin inside the buildings though, EVERY single access point is sealed tighter than a camel's ass in a sandstorm :( - probably because there are a few stories circulating about some rather high-profile offenders who lived there before it closed.

Rich, where is there around Leeds thats good for this sort of stuff? I've just moved up here, and I've been inspired by this site to go hunting.

Selig, there are loads of sites but I'm not going to post details here under my real name and / or violate Motts' site policy. Also I don't know you from Adam and would rather my boss didn't Google me and come across posts encouraging entry into places that I only know about through my job.

I'm not an urban explorer myself, and plus, I don't think the genuine UE community would thank me for giving out directions to places to those who only intend to destroy or vandalise them - there are a lot of arson attacks on old buildings in Leeds.

No offence, but if you can convince me that you're not a yob or someone that I know in a professional capacity then email me privately and I might give you some pointers. Though even so, I'm sure there are plenty of Leodiensians better qualified to do so than I.

No worries man. I should've thought a bit more before posting I realise. Thanks for the measured response. For the time being, I'm going to satisfy myself by trying to legitimately have a look round some of the "recognised" hidden parts of Leeds (eg the disused cinema in the Merrion centre).

Oooh, disused cinema sounds like a good place to do an explore! Not got any near me in Surrey :-(

They are either demolished or turned into stupid shops!

There is an abandoned insane asylum about 30 mins drive from me though which I must check out one day!

Well, interesting though it is to me, it might not be as exciting as all that. You can hear a report about it (and a few other "hidden" spots in Leeds) here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/l..._leeds_feature.shtml

That's cool Selig, and maybe my response was a tad harsh. I think that a couple of people at work know I visit this site, so if you are still interested then maybe drop me an email privately (rich_edwards79@yahoo.co.uk) though if you've seen my posts on the BBC boards you'll probably know about most of the places I do!

BritChick... I nearly saw inside the Merrion cinema on a guided tour of the old mall recently but had to cancel at the last minute. From the pictures I've seen it looks very much like a 1960s lecture hall. It's intriguing not for it's architectural interest but mainly because it's hidden in a busy shopping centre, covered with an anonymous frontage and very few people seem to know it's still there, looking like the day they closed it (lairy yellow / brown carpets and all!) I may have some photos somewhere if anyone is interested...

Now I'M jealous that you have old asylums in the South-East, quite a few of them too if the other UE sites I've come across are to be believed... not much like that here other than the place mentioned above...

This is the first footwear I've seen in any of these galleries. One of my Yahoo groups is called 'Abandoned Shoes', so you know I've been looking for them (LOL) Looks like they were some form of a sneaker. They also look like they would still be wearable.

I have a couple of pics of abandoned shoes from Byberry. Both patient's and staff's.

There may be a market here. Not just for shoes, but a full line of 'Byberry clothes'. The t shirts would have some of Motts pictures printed on them.

the prisoners here in australia aren't given shoes and the floor is made from broken glass and and what we call Pattersons Curse...which is an extremely itchy-making weed that covers 95% of our country :-(

Those are either Converse AllStars (Chuck Taylor's for our UK friends) or a really good imitation of them! I don't think I have a pair of white AllStars... Any in a size 12? :D
Of course, then there is the question, why are they providing name brand shoes to inmates?

Sketch-
There was a time not too horribly long ago that 'Chucks' didn't cost 40 dollars a pair. I bought my first pair of Royal Blue Chucks for 10 bucks.
Okay, so I was in my first year of High School.
Point was: When they did this, they weren't brand name. My dad tells me stories that his 'chucks' were given to him in highschool as requirements for proper dress attire for Gym Class.

Generic Chucks? I remember Sears, Grants, Woolworths and JC Penney all sold imitation Chucks. Other brands from my youth are U. S. Keds and Bata Bullets. All were styled about the same.

God, I paid over $50 for my last pair, but it was worth it. How often do you get shoes covered in skulls?

All this about shoes. I think you all have a shoe fetish =P

Just one 8 )

yay, more brits!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Greetings, Sianaby!

did you take a pair? actually, have you ever taken anything from any of the places you've been to? like to keep for a memory....?

The state issue shoes in New York state are immitation chuck taylors. They're prisoner made. If this were a juvinile facility in New York thats probably what they are.

You didnt take a box for a suvioner

When did that moment come where the last person walked out of the front door, turned, locked it, threw the key in the bushes and said, there, that's it - my last day of work, old building friend of mine, we will leave you alone and stop scratching at your insides?

whut did i tell u fake converse/chuck taylors... lol.. boxes of them.. i even took a few pairs i wear them every now and then.. they were brand new still with tags

Think when I go home
tonight I'll go downstairs
and explore my basement.

Did you get a pair jp tho

I agree with Stacy. I was surprised to see shoes with laces.

I love Convers!!

awww converseee!!!! i ordered some of these not too long ago! i prefer low tops, though.

Seems to be in good condition..

Now days inmates get flip-flops. Cheaper & safer. We won't discuss how I know this.

Chuck Taylor "repped" for Converse back in the day...He could drop kick (and sink!) a basket from half court at his school presentations