Building record 1160/385/2 - 10 Duke Street

By 1899, Church & Co had built this five-storey factory to the west of their original factory (12 Duke Street). Powered by a gas engine. Clicking was undertaken on the second floor, sewing on the fourth and finishing on the top floor.

{1} Notable features include: A flue system running the full height of the building not previously observed; its possible use is uncertain, could have been a heating system or a method of transferring motive power to the separate floors of the building; Remains of a winching mechanism on the second floor; lift systems also present;
10 Duke Street is a large structure and of good quality construction although only of relatively restrained architectural embellishment. Basement window spring particularly good. The height and regularity of the fenestration gave rise to the notion that 10 Duke Street may have specialised in one area of shoe making, perhaps clicking, and was able to produce components at a very high capacity. One or two desks remained positioned under windows reinforcing the suspiscion that large scale clicking took place on the site. Recent evidence of small companies using the building, the resulting sub divisions and other possible clearances of the building obscured futher defining evidence.

<1> Ellison M., 2000, SMR Report Form, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN101332.

<2> Ellison M., 1999, 10 Duke Street, Northampton, (unchecked) (Slides). SNN101334.

<3> Ellison M., 1999, 10 Duke Street, Northampton, (unchecked) (Photographic prints (COL)). SNN101333.

<4> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

Record last edited

Jun 29 2021 11:51AM