Building record 3272/0/25 - Boot & Shoe Factory (Possible W. Botterill & Son), London Road

Large factory built in the early 20th century. Now demolished.

{1} The corner of London Road and Little Close is occupied by an L-plan two-storeyed range, consisting of five bays fronting Little Close, with a two-bay gable and a further range of one-and-a-half bays returning northwards along London Road. The large windows have tile sills, ferroconcrete lintels and modern frames, but the gabled slate roof suggests origins no later than the early 20th century. This range was subsequently extended eastwards along Little Close by a further five bays in a matching style, but employing a slightly different brick. The London Road frontage has two further elements, both having a brick screen wall rising to a parapet. Adjoining the L-plan range is a single-storeyed section, and beyond this, forming a separate phase, a two-storeyed section. The 1975 OS map shows a roughly square overall plan, with extensive ranges (probably single-storeyed) to the rear of the two street frontages.
A number of shoe and heel manufacturers occupied premises on London Road in the late19th and early-20th centuries, but it is unclear to which this site belonged originally. It may have been the ‘new and more commodious factory, situate on the London Road, fitted up with electric light made from their suction gas plant’ which Taylor & Drage moved to from Easton Lane in October 1915. Alternatively it may have been used from the outset by the firm of W. Botterill & Son, whom oral testimony identifies with the site later in the 20th century, and who in 1916 specialised in ‘medium Gents’ goods’ as well as producing boots for the Russian army.

<1> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Site 9 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<2> Historic England, Undated, Bozeat Business Centre, London Road, Bozeat, BF103598 (Archive). SNN115667.

Record last edited

Feb 17 2025 7:16PM