Building record 7198/173/1 - No. 59 Lower Street (Chesham House)

Later C18 stucco fronted house with Welsh slated roof. 3 storeys, stone cornice moulding, stone coped side elevation gables.

{1} Later C18 stucco fronted house with Welsh slated roof. 3 storeys, stone cornice moulding, stone coped side elevation gables. 3 sash windows with glazing bars and keystones, modern ground floor bay window. 4 panelled door in surround with engaged columns, entablatures with swags and urns to frieze, open pediment above rectangular traceried fanlight. Home of John Cooper Gotch, founder of Kettering shoe industry (died 1852).

{4} Chesham House almost certainly dates in part to the late eighteenth century and may have been built for, or by, the Gotch family who are known to have lived there from the early 1790s. Apart from a short break in ownership between c.1857 and 1871 the Gotch family owned the house from the late eighteenth century until 1932 when it was sold to become a hotel. The house and adjoining section (now part of the same building) have been substantially altered and retain very few fixtures or fittings which date to the period of Gotch ownership. The only elements which remain are the carved panels in the front hall, the pelmet and window shutters, although these date from the ineteenth century. Rooms have been sub-divided or enlarged and all fireplaces removed and blocked. No doors, with the possible exception of the front door, are pre-modern and many of the windows appear to be replacements. All of the staircases appear to be recent replacements though they do appear to occupy historic locations. Nothing meaningful can be said about the function of the different parts of the property although it is probable that the three bay, northern part was the Gotch family house and the adjoining section the offices. However, nothing internal remains with which to substantiate this theory.

{6} Chesham House, Lower Street. Building on Lower Street. Now in use by Northamptonshire County Council Social Services. There is a plaque on the side which indicates that the building was erected in 1762, was lived in by Thomas Gotch 1748-1806 and was the headquarters of his shoe manufacturing business for 79 years.

Thomas and John Gotch began boot and shoe industry in Kettering in 1770's by sub contracting for boot and shoe maker in Northampton. Involved in all elements of the process including having own tanning and curing yards. Prepared their own leather, gave to skilled clickers to cut and then distributed to individual houses to sew, returned to manufactury for 'closing' and back to individual houses for final touches and then returned to warehouse for finishing and packing. System remained in use until 1850's. Up until 1857 the Gotch firm was the only footwear firm in town. It was with the coming of the railway line in 1857 that the industry really took off - further impetous given to the trade with the need for army boots in the Franco-Prussian war. Kettering specialised in mens, youths and boys boots with particular emphasis on boots for firemen, plicemen, shooting, golf, fishing and football etc. The industry in Kettering was characterised by a large number of small firms due to the number of enterprises which emerged in the 1860's.During 1880's took over from Wellingborough as the second largest footwear town in the county. Wages were lower in Ketttering than in other areas - due to pool of cheap labour. Majority of workers were outside factories and were therefore disorganised - first union not established until 1885. 1876 - 24 manufacturers, 1888 - 44 manufacturers, 1890 - 45 manufacturers. Film 14, photo 16.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 1/16 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), H15 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN100754.

<3> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p.7 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN46018.

<4> Prentice, J., 2008, An Archaeological Desk-based and Building Assessment of Chesham House, Kettering, May 2008, (checked) (Report). SNN106829.

<5> Horne B. (Editor), 2009, South Midlands Archaeology (39), p.27 (checked) (Journal). SNN106544.

<6> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Industrial Period, (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN4.

<7> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, P. 362 (Book). SNN111989.

Record last edited

Mar 28 2023 3:50PM