Building record 7198/101 - Orient House (E.Mull & Co?)
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Summary
A four-storey building which is either a shoe factory or a shoe machinery engineering works located on the west side of Upper Field Street. The building has two phases: the original phase has a concrete frame, brick walls and a slate covered roof. The later phase is built almost entirely from concrete. Documentary and other evidence, suggests that the original building was constructed in the 1920s and the extension in the 1930s.
Map
Type and Period (6)
- SHOE FACTORY (Early 20th Century to Late 20th Century - 1913 AD to 1967 AD?)
- ENGINEERING WORKS (Built 1920s, Early 20th Century - 1920 AD to 1929 AD)
- HOSIERY FACTORY (Late 20th Century - 1967 AD? to 1999 AD?)
- SHOE FACTORY (Built 1920s, Early 20th Century - 1920 AD to 1929 AD)
- SHOE FACTORY (Extended c1930, Early 20th Century - 1930 AD (circa) to 1930 AD (circa))
- ENGINEERING WORKS (Extended c1930, Early 20th Century - 1930 AD (circa) to 1930 AD (circa))
Full Description
{1} Orient House was built between 1913/4 and completed in the early part of 1915. The works department of the Kettering Industiral Co-operative society constructed the building to a design produced by a local architect Richard J. Williams. By 1926 the building had expanded along Field Street and down Cobden Street.
The initial construction of Oorient House had a flat roof constructed of concrete with a covering of asphalt. By 1926 a hipped roof was constructed over this. By 1930 the hipped roof had been replaced with a mansard roof. The interior design of the space in the mansard roof allowed for a dining area to be located there. It is suggested that the introduction of the mansard roof was a means to make the roof area a more functional resource. Survey and description of mansard roof structure.
{2} History:
1899 Not depicted on OS 1:2500, XXV.10
1924 Large U-plan works depicted on OS 1:2500, XXV.10
1940 ? Kettering Industrial Co-operative Soc. Ltd (Kelly’s)
1967 Fielden Ltd, ? Hosiery mfr (ISE)
1972 K & R Packaging (shoe boxes) (STD)
2000 Seddon Packaging & Print Ltd
This large works on the west side of Field Street (formerly Upper Field Street), with a north return along Cobden Street, has not been identified with any early leather-trades occupiers. The 1899 OS 1:2500 map shows buildings grouped around a central yard, reached by an entrance from Field Street. This complex seems to have been swept away circa 1910 (or perhaps just before the First World War), when a large U-plan building of three storeys, basement and attics was constructed. A four-storeyed southwards extension was built in the late-1920s or 1930s.
The c1920 building appears to be of steel-framed construction, faced in a red-brown brick with concrete details and a blue brick base. There are nine bays to the north elevation and eight to the east, meeting at a canted corner bay. The sills and the lintels (which incorporate a drip moulding) are of concrete. The window frames are of steel, those in the lower storeys having inward-opening hopper-lights at the base. Pilasters rise from the base to capitals supporting a neo-classical entablature embellished with floral drops. The upper two storeys of the corner bay is entirely faced in concrete; the tall, narrow windows have aprons, that on the second floor flanked by wreaths. The bay is topped by an open triangular pediment interrupted by an elongated key. Above the entablature is an attic storey with regularly spaced dormer windows projecting from a hipped slate-covered roof. The goods entrance is placed at the west end of the Cobden Street elevation alongside a pedestrian entrance, probably for employees. The principal entrance is at the south end of the Field Street elevation where a severe concrete door surround is set off by aprons beneath the first- and second-floor windows above.
The framed four-by-three-bay extension on Field Street matches the storey heights of the original building but is more generously fenestrated. The neo-classical decoration has been abandoned for a cleaner look with concrete piers rising to a deep, plain frieze, and brickwork reduced to slender panels beneath the window sills. The Art-Deco mouldings at the top of each pier suggest that construction took place in the 1930s. The upper storeys of the three-bay south elevation are lit by conventional windows but on the Field Street elevation dormer windows mimic those in the earlier range. The otherwise flat roof is steeply pitched on this elevation to accommodate the dormers. Patching and modern window frames in two bays of the south elevation result from the demolition of an adjoining building.
{5} Large three and a bit storey factory on opposite corner of Upper Field Street and Cobden Street. Now in use by Seddo Print Ltd. A later building (1930's, 1940's) is located on the opposite side of the road and replaces terraces which have been demolished. Film 14, photo 14.
{6} Four storey building of the former Kettering Clothing Manufacturing Co-operative Society (Kaycee) clothing factory built in 1895. The office block in Dryden Street has a Venetian style porch. Adjacent and on the opposite side of Field Street are early 20th century 4-storey buildings in brick and concrete, now used by packaging companies.
{7} It is possible that this building was the Boot and Shoe Manufactury owned by Edward Spence and listed in Kelly's Trade Directory of 1894 -or E Mull and Co Boot and Shoe Machinery Manufactury, Field Street.
<1> Looker J., 2005, Orient House, Field Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN105070.
<2> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Kettering site 4 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.
<3> Orient House, Field Street, (checked) (Photographic prints (COL)). SNN107071.
<4> Looker J., 2004, SMR report form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN106818.
<5> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Industrial Period, (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN4.
<6> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2001, A Guide To The Industrial Heritage Of Northamptonshire, p.42 (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN104759.
<7> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Industrial Period, (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN4.
<8> Historic England, UPPER FIELD STREET, KETTERING, BF103707 (Archive). SNN114945.
Sources/Archives (8)
- <1> SNN105070 Report: Looker J.. 2005. Orient House, Field Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire.
- <2> SNN105075 Catalogue: ENGLISH HERITAGE. 2000. Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey. English Heritage. Kettering site 4 (checked).
- <3> SNN107071 Photographic prints (COL): Orient House, Field Street. (checked).
- <4> SNN106818 SMR Report Form: Looker J.. 2004. SMR report form. December 2004. (checked).
- <5> SNN4 Digital archive: Ballinger J.. 1999. Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Industrial Period. Mapinfo\Archive\ExtensiveSurvey\Rushden. Northants County Council. (unchecked).
- <6> SNN104759 Gazetteer: Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group. 2001. A Guide To The Industrial Heritage Of Northamptonshire. John Stanley Publishers. p.42 (checked).
- <7> SNN4 Digital archive: Ballinger J.. 1999. Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Industrial Period. Mapinfo\Archive\ExtensiveSurvey\Rushden. Northants County Council. (unchecked).
- <8> SNN114945 Archive: Historic England. UPPER FIELD STREET, KETTERING. BF103707.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (2)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Location
Grid reference | Centred SP 4865e 2791e (54m by 56m) Central |
---|---|
Civil Parish | KETTERING, North Northamptonshire (formerly Kettering District) |
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Other Statuses/References
- NRHE HOB UID: 1310482
Record last edited
Dec 5 2023 2:23PM