Widow's last visit to mill that symbolised Gannex success

But now the Gannex Mill, which employed hundreds of workers at its zenith and which won worldwide fame through its association with the late entrepreneur Joseph Kagan, is slowly being dismembered.

Cranes and diggers moved in at the Gannex Mill site in Elland last month and began by removing asbestos and timber from the inside of the building before the major task of knocking down the shell of the mill started.

Work is expected to last three months, with stone from the mill being taken down one piece at a time and sold by contractors Pennine Demolition.

Planning permission for the site has not yet been sought, but a consultation meeting between the public and Pennine Housing 2000 is expected to take place in mid-October before the plans are formally submitted.

Should the scheme to build 65 low-cost homes go ahead, it is expected to cost 20m and create 200 jobs.

Yesterday, Lord Kagan's widow, Margaret, 86, visited the mill for one last nostalgic visit to survey the remains of the mill around which their lives revolved for so many decades. She said: "It looks like a cadaver and I am pleased to see it go. It has had its day. I remember going past it in the 1950s and thinking it would be nice to have such a big mill. Our business was flourishing and we made a bit of money but we still didn't have enough to buy it.

"It was up for sale for a long time but eventually we managed to get it and we paid 14,000 for it in 1959 when it was known as Broad Lea.

"There were always stresses, of course, but happy times as well. They were good times and I have some wonderful memories. At our peak we employed around 1,000 people – not just at Elland but Heckmondwike and with outsourcing.''