Demolition of a Mill Chimney in Leeds (1901)

An Edwardian Leeds crowd enjoys a spectacle of wanton destruction.

Since the pioneering Lumière brothers filmed 'Demolition of a Wall' in 1895, filmmakers have eagerly recorded demolition events such as this chimney felling in Leeds, simply because they look good on film. Clearly this was an equally popular occasion with the town's populace, who turned out for the gloriously satisfying ka-boom of a local landmark hitting the dirt.