Building record 953/16/1 - Long Buckby Community Centre, Station Road

Formerly the Co-operative Workers Society and prior to that Fall's Factory. This works on the east side of Station Road has some of the characteristics of a leather factory, but no such concerns have so far been identified in Long Buckby, and the buildng has also been identified in documentary sources as a pinafore factory. As first built in the late 1890s it consisted of a two storeyed six by two range parallel to the street. It has large windows on the both floors, segmental headed on the ground floor and with timber lintles on the first floor. On the west front the ground floor has been rendered and some openings blocked.

{1} Pinafore factory, Station Road. The pinafore factory employed many girls in the village. It was converted into a boot factory and sandal factory (Fall's Factory, which was no longer in operation in 1953). Eyre's factory began in small building, being Sanders factory (it made only handsewn shoes) . It later moved to Fall's Factory. This in turn was later taken over by Co-operative Society for use as a hall - now Long Buckby Community Centre?. Mrs Frost's Scrapbook of 1953 indicates that 'The Co-operative Workers Society acquired Mr Fall's factory in Station Road to use as a hall'. It is possible that Fall's factory re-utilised the building on Station Road which was originally the Pinafore Factory.

{3} This works has some of the characteristics of a leather factory, but no such concerns have so far been identified in Long Buckby, and the building has also been identified as a pinafore factory. Alternatively it may have originated as a shoe factory, although a 1906 reference to a shoe manufacturer and farmer in Station Road would seem to imply too small a concern to account for the building.
History:
1884 Not shown (OS 1:2500, 36.8)
1899 Front range and rear outbuilding shown (OS 1:2500)
1906 ?Joseph Howe, boot and shoe mfr and farmer, Station Road (Kelly's)
1937 ?Frank Eyre, boot and shoe mfr, Station Road
1972 'Hall' (Os 1:2500, SP62/63 67)
2000 Long Buckby Community Centre, Snooker and social club
As first built in the late 1890s the building consisted of a two-storeyed six-by-two bay range parallel to the street. It had large windows on both floors, segmental-headed on the ground floor and with timber lintels on the first floor. On the west front the ground floor has been rendered and some openings (as elsewhere) have been blocked. The yard entrance at the north end is original, and it is possible that the present entrance in the third bay from the south is as well. The 1899 OS map also shows a narrow range built at the rear of the plot parallel to the main range. In the early 20th century an eight-bay rear range was added in the same style; a straight joint marks the junction. Here too the windows have been considerably altered, especitally on the ground floor where the heads have been replaced. A short range was also added projecting northwards from the rear range. This has sash windows in the north elevation and may have formed offices.

<1> BALLINGER J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Long Buckby (Industrial), (part checked) (Digital archive). SNN100506.

<2> Foard G.; Ballinger J., 2000, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Long Buckby, (unchecked) (Report). SNN101574.

<3> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Long Buckby site 9 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<4> Historic England, Undated, Long Buckby Community Centre and Long Buckby Snooker & Social Club, 41-41A Station Road, Long Buckby, BF103871 (Archive). SNN115728.

Record last edited

Feb 5 2025 7:18PM