Monument record 1624/10/1 - Former leather dressing works, Victoria Street (Normandy Leathers)

Factory constructed c1890 for W T Hobbs & Co, but taken over by C&W Featherstonehaugh Ltd by 1901. This is a three storey boot and shoe factory or leather dressing works. It is ten by four bays and has a yard entrance in the central elevation. Some of the first floor windows are casements indicating offices. There are occuli in both gables lighting the attic space. Building demolished in 2013.

{1}
History:
1884 Not shown on 05 1:2500, XL.1
1899 Shown on OS 1:2500, XL.1
1922 Featherstonhaugh Limited. (KLT)
1929 Featherstonhaugh Limited. (KLT)
1924 Shown on OS 1:2500,XL.1. Annotated: Leather Dressing Works.
1937 Featherstonhaugh Limited. (KLT)
1963-4 Shown on OS 1:2500, SP 9470 & SP 9570
1967 Featherstonehaugh Ltd. (ISE)
2000 Normandy Leathers
This three-storey leather dressing works is of brick and Welsh slate roofs with ten bays to the northwest-facing street elevation. It has a central goods entrance and a minor entrance at the southwest end, which is a later insertion. All windows have segmental heads and there are bands of blue bricks at sill and head levels. Oculi windows, in both gable ends, light the attic space. In the southwest gable there are no original windows at ground-floor level, although there are four each on the first and second floor. Apart from the oculus, there are no originOrial windows in the northeast elevation; however, it is clear that one original window has been blocked; this window is positioned between the first and second floors suggesting that it lit a stair. The office was at first-floor level towards the southwest end, as is evidenced by three sash windows on the front of the building and two on the rear. There is a large stack towards the southwest end of the front elevation. Towards the opposite end there is a ridge-mounted ventilator. To the east of the building is the remains of a structurally separate range which has been cut- down and re-roofed. This is probably the remains of a separate structure visible on the 1899 OS map. Between 1899 and 1924, on map evidence, the site was significantly expanded to the southeast: part of this phase may survive beneath a corrugated asbestos roof but it appeared to be of little interest. There is a modern single-storey shed to the rear of this.

{2} Three storey building, although the upper storey is smaller than the others are. Very functional appearance to the building with a series of brick sheds to the rear. At least part of the building is still in use by Normandy Leathers Ltd. Film 1, photo 13.


{3} Originally built for W T Hobbs & Co, a leather dressing firm. Built between 1885-1900. Taken over by C&W Featherstonehaugh Ltd by 1901. Further detailed history of firm. Building demolished in 2013.

<1> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Irthlingborough Site 3 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<2> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Industrial Period, (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN4.

<3> Wilson, M., 2015, Historic Building Research: 51 Victoria Street, Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN110243.

<4> Crank, N. (Editor), 2017, South Midlands Archaeology (47), p. 47 (Journal). SNN111362.

<5> Historic England, Undated, Normandy Leathers, Victoria Street, Irthlingborough, BF103703 (Archive). SNN114085.

Record last edited

Feb 5 2025 6:07PM