Monument record 1160/470 - W.J. Bassett-Lowke Factory, St Andrews Street

Factory buildings not identified.

{1} Model making by Bassett-Lowke Ltd in order to test design and capabilities of projects. They helped thus in the development of 3 types of bridging including the Bailey Bridge; the Mulberry Harbours plus assessors built into wings of fighter aircraft to assess marksmanship etc;

{2} 1914-18: Wintringham Ltd, a satellite company of Bassett-Lowke Ltd, "makes master guages for checking standardisation of armament parts. Company also making waterline models and training aids". Sets of wooden ship models used for training and recognition by the admiralty and, "with the approach of war, demand increased not only from the admiralty and coastguards, but also from members of the public".
1940-45: "Entire capacity concentrated on model making. Waterline models for the Air Ministry as well as the Admiralty. Also models of Ingles and Bailey Bridges, landing and assault craft and the Mulberry Harbour, all used in training. After the bombing of Coventry in November 1940, work started on a model for the new city."
Work was based in St Andrews Street and at sites in Kingswell Street (1160/0/683). Ships Models Ltd became a wholly owned subsidiary of Bassett-Lowke in 1938 and in 1941 joined the rest of the company in St Andrews Street, Northampton. All ares of the different Bassett-Lowke companies were involved in production once WW2 commenced- "in conditions of great secrecy- making models of Bailey Bridges and anti-aircraft gun training equipment".
Production of models continued between the wars; waterline model production ceased in c1950.

{3} In WW1 the company "engaged principally in the production of master guages for munitions manufacturing and models for war services such as training media, recognition or planning procedures. Starting in 1912 waterline models of warships of all the worlds Navies were supplied to the British Admiralty for recognition training. In 1939 the quantities ordered were substantially increased and supplemented by contracts with the Air Ministry.."
Soon after the outbreak of WW2, Churchill (then Lord of the Admiralty) instructed a special secret workshop to be established to build a model of the 'White Rabbit' a high speed anti-tank trench digger (15ft D x 25ft wide) - built in Bath.
Models included those used for planning D Day including Mulberry Harbour at 1 to 48th scale. Models also provided for training army engineers in bridge building. Included the Bailey Bridge developed during WW1. Later also the Inglis Bridge.

<1> 1978, Northamptonshire At War 1939-45, A Selection Of Photographs, p.71 (unchecked) (Book). SNN100251.

<2> Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, 1999, W J Bassett-Lowke, A Model World, (unchecked) (Booklet). SNN104695.

<3> Bassett-Lowke, J., 1999, Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke, A Memoir of his life and achievements 1877-1953, p.152-58 (unchecked) (Book). SNN104696.

<4> Cadman G., 2014, 20th Century Military Archaeology in Northamptonshire: Logs 1, 2 & 3, (checked) (Report). SNN104868.

Record last edited

Apr 29 2004 12:34PM