Building record 1933/24/1 - Rockleigh Works: Loake Shoemaker Rockleigh Shoe Co Ltd.

This shoe factory dates from 1893-6 and consists of a two-storey office front with single-storey north-lit sheds to the rear. It was also used for the manufacture of gaiters and leggings.

{1} Former shoe factory undergoing stripping. Core of works made up of two storey unit with gabled front facing onto Thrapston Rd, single storey making rooms (with North lights) facing onto Rock Road behind. South side of the factory of two storey height containing store and sorting room with stairs at far end possibly leading out of former "taking in" door into an entrance area off Rock Rd. This area sits under flat roof structure linking former making rooms with last store contained within, it seemed, part of the two Victorian terrace houses which have been incorporated, apparently, into the site. Bay of one terrace demolished to make way for smoking room.
Shoe room located off the rear of one of the Victorian terrace - conveyors leading from making room and then up into the stores. End use likely to be office and domestic accomodation. Photos.

{2} The Rockleigh Works was built as a boot and shoe factory in the mid-1890s. It occupies a corner site on the south-east side of Thrapston Road and the south-west side of Rock Road. A house, ‘Rockleigh’, stands a little to the south-west on the corner of Thrapston and Irthlingborough Roads, and appears to have been the owner’s house. To the north-east there was formerly a terrace fronting Thrapston Road. The 1899 and 1924 OS maps show a continuous range of what were probably shoemakers’ workshops to the rear of these, and it seems likely that they were built for, or in response to, the Rockleigh Works.
© ENGLISH HERITAGE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE BOOT & SHOE INDUSTRY RAPID SURVEY RECORD 1
The Works has a two-storey front to Thrapston Road and three north-lit ranges to the rear. The two-storey range appears to have provided office and warehouse capacity rather than manufacturing space. It has a six-bay front, employing a more even-textured orange brick than is used elsewhere. The central two bays, which incorporate a central entrance, break forward under a shaped gable, giving a frontispiece which is dignified by limestone dressings, including scrolled ends to the gable. The first-floor windows of the frontispiece are recessed beneath a semi-elliptical arch of gauged brick with limestone keys. Elsewhere decoration is confined to a flush blue brick band. The gables have stepped verges in the better brick, and vestigial returns in the manner of an open pediment. In the north-east gable, overlooking Rock Road, there is an original taking-in doorway and, on the ground floor, a large entrance. The windows throughout this range have chamfered blue brick sills and iron frames beneath segmental heads.
Similar windows occur on the south-west elevation of the north-lit range, but the north-east wall is blind, except for a large doorway at the north-west end. The south-west range has been raised to two-storey height, judging by closers in this wall, while the other two remain as built. All three have been extended a short distance to the south-east since 1924.

{3} Two storey brick building with curved gable. Under refurbishment. Used by the Rockleigh Shoe Co, later part of Loakes Shoes, until the late 1990s

Description from record 1933/24:
{1} Rockleigh Works (Boot, Gaiter and Leggings) shown on Ordnance Survey maps of 1900 and 1926. The buildng is still in existence with a couple of additional buildings also used as workshops. The buildings is currently still being used as a boot and shoe works by 'Loake Shoemaker Est 1880 Rockleigh Shoe Co Ltd', however local knowledge informs that the factory is due to be closed down .Film 1, photo 7-11 (1)

{2} History:
1884 Not shown (OS 1: 2500, XXXII.16)
1893 Not listed (LT)
1896 Hillger & Co, boot & shoe mfrs, Thrapston Rd (LT)
1899 Factory and ‘Rockleigh’ shown but not named (OS 1:2500)
1906 George Knight, boot upper, legging & gaiter mfrs; resident at ‘Rockleigh’ (Kelly’s)
1916 G Knight, legging, gaiter & athletic boot & shoe mfr (SLN)
1922 George Knight, boot & shoe, legging, cricket & lawn tennis shoe mfr (LT)
1923 ‘Rockleigh Works (Boot, Gaiter & Legging)’ & ‘Rockleigh House’ (OS 1:2500)
1929 Not listed – also 1937 (LT)
1967 Rockleigh Shoe Co (ISE – mis-located on map)
2000 Disused

Historic England, Undated, Former Rockleigh Works, Thrapston Road, Finedon, BF103639 (Archive). SNN115855.

<1> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Industrial Period, (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN4.

<1> Ellison, M., 2000, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN101173.

<2> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Finedon site 5 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<2> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Finedon site 5 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<3> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2001, NIAG Industrial Gazetteer, (checked) (Draft). SNN101121.

Record last edited

Jan 11 2024 9:27AM