Building record 7198/55 - Kettering Corset Manufacturing Society: Rutland Works: Queen Eleanor Ltd.

Corset Works on Rutland Street. The Rutland Works is located on a corner plot on the west side of Rutland Street and the north side of Lancaster Road. The earliest phase of the building was built around 1899 and is at the north end of the site with its ten bay elevation facing Rutland Street. Shortly afterwards it was extended to the north by an almost identical six bay range. In the 1930s further extensions were made to the factory and a flat roofed two-storey block was added in the late 1950s.

Kettering Corset Manufacturing Society, Rutland Street.
Begun in 1890s - later became known as Queen Elanor. (1)

Rutland Works, Stay and Corset, Rutland Street
Rutland Works on Rutland Street. Still in use as a warehouse or factory for Queen Elanor Ltd. Three Storey building with a 1932 extension. (1)

{2} WW2; "..Kettering's footwear industry played an important part in the war effort, producing around 75 million pairs of boots for the armed forces, including three million pairs for the Russians." Other production included "manufacture of 100,000 'silk yellows' by the Corset Society factory, to be worn on the back of their uniforms by allied troops 'for identification purposes' had the country been invaded in 1940, to tens of thousands of more conventional military uniforms.."

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

<2> Greenall R.L., 2003, A History of Kettering, P. 205-206 (Book). SNN103938.

<3> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, KETT23 (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<4> Historic England, Queen Eleanor Limited, formerly Rutland Works (Kettering Corset Co-operative Society), Rutland Street, Kettering, BF110916 (Archive). SNN115295.

Record last edited

Jul 14 2023 3:36PM