Building record 7198/135/2 - Workers houses

{1} The houses were built around 1857 as part of a property development which also included Nos. 8–26 Havelock Street and the corresponding odd numbers, the whole being then known as Upper Havelock Street. Nos. 4 and 6 have sunk-panelled segmental window heads, and the stone doorcases (with a shared central pier) have raised keystones and a shallow stepped canopy. The roof, which presumably was once covered with slates, is now covered with concrete tiles.
The Upper Havelock Street development appears to have been built in phases with a slight reduction in status between each phase. Nos. 4 and 6 were built together. They share a doorcase, a continuous band at first-floor height and a back yard. Nos. 8-14 are similar but built slightly later (No. 6 is closed against No. 8). They appear to be smaller in size and do not have doorcases. This could be an indication of lower status (workers rather than small masters) as each of these houses has a workshop in the communal back yard. The workshops each have an entrance in the back wall opening onto an unnamed alley or back lane extending behind the street. This alley also serves the factory at the rear of Nos. 4 and 6, which the 1885 OS map shows occupying a yard shared by 4 and 6 Havelock Street. The combination of factory, houses and workshops may perhaps constitute the physical evidence for a system of basket work or putting-out controlled by small masters resident at 4 and 6 Havelock Street.

<1> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Kettering site 17 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

Record last edited

May 26 2011 12:42PM