Building record 1160/332/1 - Nos 33 to 39 Talbot Road (odd)

(Former Norvic Factory?, Oakeshott & Finnemore) This is a large multi-phase, brick built boot and shoe factory situated on the south side of Talbot Street. The first building was erected circa 1890, a rear range added circa 1910 and further extensions added circa 1920 and circa 1930.

{1} The Norvic Factory sits opposite the Normal Boot and Shoe Factory and is comprised of a multi-storey front block, backed with single-storey sheds. Electricity was generated here using a gas engine.

{2} This boot and shoe factory on the south side of Talbot Road probably originated shortly before 1890 (though discrepancies in the directory entries for the 1890s are problematic). The earliest phase corresponds to the five western bays of the present frontage. It consists of three storeys over a basement and was either originally, or had acquired by 1899, a T-shape on plan, with a four-bay rear range. The north front is relatively elaborate, with limestone employed for door surrounds and sill bands and moulded hoods to the segmental-headed windows, brick aprons, and an eaves cornice of moulded and stepped brick courses. The entrances, one in each end bay, have elongated fluted consoles supporting modest entablatures. The windows, which diminish in height with each storey, and are narrower on the second floor, have substantial three- and two-light timber mullion-and-transom frames incorporating opening top-lights. The second-floor loading doorway occupies the second bay from the west. The building four-bay rear range, also of three storeys, is narrower than the front range and lacks many of the details, though the fenestration is similar.
Between 1905 and 1912 the rear range was extended to the south by a wider range of six bays, its gable end being on Market Street. It has a slightly higher eaves level than the earlier work and, owing to the southwards fall in the land, has level access to the basement level from Market Street. The large segmental-headed windows are of a similar form and form a symmetrical pattern, with slightly narrower windows occupying the end bays, but they do not diminish in width with height. At the southern end of the west elevation are iron stairs to both the first and second floors (on the Goad plans they are shown as ‘stone stairs’). The southern gable has a first-floor loading doorway and a number of small windows, including a bull’s-eye on each floor, probably associated with ventilation. There is also a curious stepping back of the top western quarter of the south elevation which remains to be explained. During the same period a set of north-lit sheds were constructed to the east of the new block, and there were minor additions to the earlier rear range.
The third phase is a four-bay extension to the east of the Talbot Road range, built between 1912 and 1928. It is distinguished by the surviving east gable of the first phase, and by a variation in brick colour. In other respects its features replicate those of the earlier phase. However, the two western ground-floor windows are blank; this is an original feature which maintains the bay rhythm, while allowing a small entrance in one bay and a small window in the other. A brick string course in the blind panel follows the line of the transoms in the other windows. It was clearly intended that there would be further building to the east as the end of the third floor has been left toothed for the next build, and the gable here is partly tile-hung with diamond-set tiles. Behind this range further north-lit sheds were constructed to fill in the gap between the addition and the existing north-lit sheds extending northwards from Market Street.
The final phase is a two-storey building built between 1928 and 1937, situated to the east of the previous addition. Although a three-storey addition had originally been intended, the addition was of just two storeys; the brick north front (on a blue brick base) probably conceals a steel or ferro-concrete frame (the 1937 Goad plan indicates concrete floors). The north front is divided into two wide bays, and has large windows with concrete sills. The ground floor east window is smaller allowing for a large works entrance at the east end. Abutting the earlier phase, set back from the street front, is a lift shaft with a flat roof. Two further buildings were constructed at this time which adjoined the north-lit sheds to the rear, but they are now gone.

<1> Palmer M; Neaverson P., 1992, Industrial Landscapes of the East Midlands, p.197 (checked) (Book). SNN3691.

<2> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2000, Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Survey, Site No.104 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN105075.

<3> Semmelmann K., 2006, Historic Building Recording: 33-37 Talbot Road, Northampton, (unchecked) (Report). SNN105593.

<4> Historic England, Undated, 33-39 Talbot Road, Northampton, BF103622 (Archive). SNN113832.

Record last edited

Aug 19 2022 10:20AM