Building record 7198/14 - Standard Works, Carey Street

Shoe factory built c1899 for F Wright & Co, manufacturers of the 'Ideal' brand, who operated it until the 1970s. A large single-storey boot and shoe factory on the west side of Carey Street. This brick built works has the reverse pitches of its north-lit roofs covered in slate. Ordnance Survey maps and other documentary sources show that it was built circa 1900. A historic research report done in 2024 presents a historical account of the former footwear manufactory building

{1} Standard Works Boot and Shoe, Carey Street Comprised of single storey north light sheds (approx 14-15) and a single storey office frontage with architectural embellishment. The building is still in industrial usage as a wire manufacturers. Film 7, photo 17,18

{2} A large northwards extension, comprising nine north-lit ranges, probably represents expansion reported in 1913.

{5} The report presents a historical account of the former footwear manufactory building. The building operated from 1900 until early 1982, and was entirely removed by the late 2022/mid 2023. The surviving lower portion of the NE elevation on Carey Street is a red brick in English Bond, with a chamfered plinth wall of Staffordshire blue bricks. Very little of historic significance survived of the factory interior. The NW boundary wall is limewashed English bond brickwork with a series of blind panels with segmental arches. Notably, the concrete workshop floor was 1.6m lower than the Carey Street pavement level. Evidence of a short section of suspended floor suggests that pedestrian access to the shopfloor was via a staircase, while a ramp/hoist may have been used for goods. Remains of the factory’s fire pump sprinkler system were still fixed to the inside of the E wall. The system was manufactured by Mather and Platt, Manchester, who introduced their quartzoid bulb sprinkler system in 1934

<1> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Industrial Period, (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN4.

<2> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Kettering site 44 (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<3> Bellamy B, 1993-4, Boot and Shoe factories in Kettering, P 13 & 14 (Photographs). SNN111256.

<4> Historic England, Standard Works, Carey Street, Kettering, BF103565 (Archive). SNN114932.

<5> Martin Wilson, 2024, Historic Building Research: A part of the former Standard Works Carey Street, Kettering Northamptonshire (Report). SNN116663.

Record last edited

Nov 27 2024 2:15PM