Monument record 3738/9/1 - White & Co Shoe Factory

The shoe factory of White & Co is set back on the west side of Station Road. The present building dates from the 1950s, is L-shaped on plan and consists of two storeys faced in brown brick with concrete details, beneath a flat roof. This building is a remnant of a much larger works which extended along Station Road which has been replaced by modern housing. Building recording survey was undertaken in 2005. Now demolished.

{3} The three buildings surviving on the site were the remnants of a much larger boot and shoe complex belonging to White & Co. probably dating from the 1950s or early 1960s. The precise date for the construction of the Station Road factory is not known. The 1901 OS survey shows a long, narrow building set at right-angles to the road, in the area now occupied by No.94 Station Road. At this time the site of the later factory building(s) is still shown as undeveloped, though there are two buildings at the north end of the site and another two towards the south end.
By 2000 the company had become J.White & Co (Earls Barton) Ltd, also trading as The Northants (Direct Supply) Boot Co Ltd. The ‘Tredair’ and ‘Gripfast’ ranges of boots were among the lines manufactured at this site. The factory closed in 2004.
The larger building occupying the centre of the site, was the main factory (Building 1), comprising two linked structures. To the north-east was a two-storey, flat-roofed brick building, housing both offices and production areas. At its south-west end was a modern steel-framed unit with a pitched roof, housing additional production facilities.
South-east of the main structure was a single storey building of brick and concrete block construction (Building 2).To the north-west of the main building was a corrugated iron-clad building (Building 3), which is shown as belonging to the site but not accessible for survey. The gate between these two structures appeared not to have been used for some considerable time. Between Buildings 1 and 2 was a narrow yard, with a gate at its north-east end. To the south-east of Buildings 1 and 2 was a large concrete yard area, with access via a gate at the east corner of Building 2.
Detailed description of building(s), plans, elevations and photographs p.12-28.

<1> Palmer M; Neaverson P., 1992, Industrial Landscapes of the East Midlands, p.90 (unchecked) (Book). SNN3691.

<2> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Earls Barton Site 1 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<3> Zeepvat B., 2005, Historic Building Recording: Former White & Co Shoe Factory, Station Road, Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, p.6 (checked) (Report). SNN105326.

<4> Historic England, Undated, White & Co (Earls Barton) Ltd, Station Road, Earls Barton, BF103828 (Archive). SNN114620.

Record last edited

Feb 5 2025 7:36PM