Building record 3884/0/207 - Former boot and shoe factory, Arthur Street

Formerly Hawkins & Co shoe factory. A former shoe factory that is located on Arthur Street. This three storey shoe factory on the east side of Arthur Street was built between 1896 and 1899. The factory was built with an L plan consisting of a street range at the end of which a narrower rear range projected to enclose a small rear yard. The street range has a four bay elevation to Arthur Street with a loading bay at the south end. Between 1916 and 1924 the street range was extended northwards by two bays, with a return range extending parallel with the original rear range. In the late 1920s the yard enclosed in the original L was largely infilled by a three storey block. In 1999 the factory was in use as a garage.

{1} Boot and shoe factory, Arthur Street
Boot and shoe factory shown on map of 1926 still in existence at the bottom of Arthur Street. The ground floor is being used by 'Allens Motorsellers' and has been converted into garage accommodation. The top two storeys are vacant and to let, although some changes have been made eg the insertion of new windows.(Film 18 photo 13).

{2} This 3-storey former boot and shoe factory was built between 1896 and 1899 and was occupied, probably from the outset, by the firm of William Hawkins. Early directories give the building's address as Northampton Road because what appears to have been the owner's house lies to the south facing this road. Leather-trades use of the factory seems to have ceased around the time of WWII and the building has been used as a tyre depot and motor garage since the 1960s. The factory was extended after 1899, again between 1916 and 1924 and again in the late 1920s or 1930s.

{3} Large archive of material relating to the firm has been deposited at NRO. Report includes detailed analysis of building, plans, elevations and photographs.

<1> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Wellingborough (Industrial), (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN100290.

<2> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Site 39 (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<3> Roberts, D., 2017, An Archaeological Programme of Building Recording at:- 2-4 Arthur Street, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, 2017 (Report). SNN111094.

<4> Historic England, Undated, 2-4 Arthur Street and 54 Northampton Street, Wellingborough, BF103772 (Archive). SNN113950.

Record last edited

Aug 26 2022 3:33PM