Building record 1624/5/1 - Atlanta Works, Victoria Street (Former Progressive Works)

This site is a three storey, four bay boot and shoe factory on Victoria Road. It was built c.1890, extended in the early 20th century and again by 1964. Known as the Progressive Works in the early 20th century.

{1} The main part of the building is a three storey, four bay structure with large windows and a single storey extension to the side. The building is still in use by Frank Thomas Boots Atlanta Works. Film 1, photo 12, 14.

{3} The present site comprises a variety of buildings, all of which are constructed in red brick, though varying tremendously in quality, both of the individual bricks and the way in which they were laid. There appears to have been 5 phases in the development of the buildings. The 1900 ed. OS map shows the road frontage part of the factory sitting alone in the centre of a smaller plot to the current one. The rectangular shape of the main factory building is clear but there is a small addition on the north west corner which was presumably removed when the phase 2 building was added. By 1926 the map shows that the area has undergone significant development. The factory has assumed its current size and even the two sections identified on site as indications of demolished phases are present. The western boundary of the site remains unlatered but the eastern side was at that ime only as far as the eastern end of the phase 1 building.; to the immediate east were three terraced houses. The factory is names as Progressive Works (Leather Dressing) (a process also known as currying). Currying factories were outdated by the turn of the century when new drying techniques were introduced.
The factory is recorded as belonging to JK Perkins and Sons ltd in 1922, and was still occupied by them in 1939. In 1969 it is listed in the Leather Trades directory under Stimpson Perkins Ltd (progressive Works) who were leather manufacturers. The last occupants of the site were Frank Thomas Ltd, who were still on site in 2000. It is not known when the factory decame known as Atlanta Works.

{6} The original works consisted of a range of four bays and three storeys, gabled northeast - southwest, with its southeast elevation fronting on to Victoria Street, of brick and Welsh slate roofs. This phase is still clearly visible and its fenestration has been very little altered, apart from the blocking of the ground-floor windows. The first and second-floor windows retain their original form, with segmental arched heads, blue brick sills and iron window frames. The goods entrance is an original feature, but a small door to the northeast has been inserted. The building has very little in the way of decoration apart from blue brick banding at sill and window-head height and dentilled eaves. Between 1899 and 182 the building was extended to the northwest by the addition of what now constitutes a parallel three-storey gabled range and a two-storey north-lit range. There is evidence to suggest that this phase has been significantly altered. In the 1930s a gabled range of three storeys and seven bays (with two windows per bay) was added at right angles to the southwest gable. This range presents a gable to Victoria Road, which incorporates an oculus, but is otherwise very plain. The windows in this range are steel framed with concrete lintels and sills. The northeast elevation has a scar where a chimneystack has been removed. By 1963-4, on map evidence, an early 20th century house abutting the northeast elevation of the original works had been subsumed. A stack on the rear range of the house has been extended so that it rises beyond a gable belonging to the second phase of the works. This seems to imply that the first extension of the works post-dates the house. The major alterations to the secondary phase appear to have been to the roof. A window in the 1930s phase has been partially obscured by the addition of a north-lit roof of an earlier extension. The later alterations to this building require closer investigation if they are to be fully understood.


{3} The 1900 ed. OS map shows the road frontage part of the factory sitting alone in the centre of a smaller plot to the current one. The rectangular shape of the main factory building is clear but there is a small addition on the north west corner which was presumably removed when the phase 2 building was added. By 1926 the map shows that the area has undergone significant development. The factory has assumed its current size and even the two sections identified on site as indications of demolished phases are present. The western boundary of the site remains unlatered but the eastern side was at that ime only as far as the eastern end of the phase 1 building.; to the immediate east were three terraced houses. The factory is names as Progressive Works (Leather Dressing) (a process also known as currying). Currying factories were outdated by the turn of the century when new drying techniques were introduced.
The factory is recorded as belonging to JK Perkins and Sons ltd in 1922, and was still occupied by them in 1939. In 1969 it is listed in the Leather Trades directory under Stimpson Perkins Ltd (progressive Works) who were leather manufacturers. The last occupants of the site were Frank Thomas Ltd, who were still on site in 2000. It is not known when the factory decame known as Atlanta Works.

History:
1884 Not shown on 05 1:2500, XL.1
1899 Shown on OS 1:2500, XL.1
1922 Perkins J.K. & Sons Ltd., Victoria Street. (KLT)
1924 Shown on OS 1:2500, XL. 1, substantially extended and annotated ‘Progressive Works’
1929 Perkins J.K. & Son Ltd., Victoria Street (KLT)
1937 Perkins J.K. & Son Ltd., Progressive Works, Victoria Street (KLT)
1963-4 Shown on 05 1:2500, SP 9470 & SP 9570 with further additions.
1967 ?Geilich Leathers (ISE)
2000 Frank Thomas Boots

Historic England, Undated, Atlanta Works, Victoria Street, Irthlingborough, BF103681 (Archive). SNN114084.

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

<2> HET Buildings Conservation Team, 1993-2006, Buildings Planning Files, I073/2/11 (part checked) (HET Planning File (Buildings)). SNN105512.

<3> Prentice, J., 2008, Archaeological desk-based assessment and building recording at the former Atlanta Works, Irthlingborough, March 2008, (checked) (Report). SNN106717.

<4> Horne B. (Editor), 2009, South Midlands Archaeology (39), p.27 (checked) (Journal). SNN106544.

<5> Chapman, P. (Ed.), 2010, Archaeology in Northamptonshire, 2008, p.182 (checked) (Article). SNN107502.

<6> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Irthlingborough Site 2 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<7> Palmer M; Neaverson P., 1992, Industrial Landscapes of the East Midlands, p.90 (checked) (Book). SNN3691.

Record last edited

Feb 5 2025 7:19PM