Report - R S Lawrance Boot & Shoe - Desborough Mar 19

[Bikin Glynn]

wasnt sure if to post this or not as its a bit of a derp tbh, but dont think its been done since 14 & got a few reasonable pics.

Ok what do we know about this place... absolutely nothing!
I cant find much about this at all. Prev threads suggest a lot more history about owners etc but Im not convinced they are correct as the owner they mentioned had a factory on a different street.

Northants was & still is to a certain extent the shoe capital of the Uk, with dozens of manufactures in close proximity. Desborough (a very small town) itself had 7 different manufacturers in its heyday.
All but one have now gone from here.

The Explore
In keeping with my usual theme i had just an hour to sneak a visit here. I had been checking it out for a while as its only a few miles from me so had a plan of attach ready, access waser a bit trickier than I had anticipated.

As mentioned inside its a big empty victorian mess really but I managed to find a few minute details worth showing.

Loved the old lift control with room names on!

The only evidence I found of former use.

These blue steels were supplied by the company I manage by the looks of it!

 

[tarkovsky]

A few nice details there

 

[Yorrick]

It’s a nice mooch this. Astonishing that it’s still there, 20 odd years after closing.

I cant find much about this at all.

There's not much is there. I got this from the planning officer’s report -

"Benjamin Riley formed a boot and shoe manufacturers in 1868 and subsequently had the factory built next to his house in 1877, this is now the Lawrence’s Factory. The factory was taken over by R S Lawrence in 1967.

The Lawrence’s factory is the earliest boot and shoe factory in Northamptonshire and has the longest existing single range of a Victorian boot and shoe factory in Northamptonshire."

I think the 1967 date is wrong though (it’s shown elsewhere as 1937). Grace’s Guide has this relating to the exhibitor’s guide for the 1947 British Industries Fair held at Olympia -

“R. S. Lawrence of Gilpin Works, 258 Fore Street, Edmonton, London, N18. Telephone: Tottenham 27771-2-3. Cables: "Ecnerwal Phone London". Factories at London and Desborough and Warehouse at Leicester

1947 Listed Exhibitor - British Industries Fair. Manufacturers of Leather Cut Soles for all purposes of Boot, Shoe, Slipper Manufacture and repair, including Outsoles, Throughs, Insoles, Half Soles, Top Pieces. (Earls Court, 1st Floor, Stand No. 411b)”

 

[Bikin Glynn]

It’s a nice mooch this. Astonishing that it’s still there, 20 odd years after closing.



There's not much is there. I got this from the planning officer’s report -

"Benjamin Riley formed a boot and shoe manufacturers in 1868 and subsequently had the factory built next to his house in 1877, this is now the Lawrence’s Factory. The factory was taken over by R S Lawrence in 1967.

The Lawrence’s factory is the earliest boot and shoe factory in Northamptonshire and has the longest existing single range of a Victorian boot and shoe factory in Northamptonshire."

I think the 1967 date is wrong though (it’s shown elsewhere as 1937). Grace’s Guide has this relating to the exhibitor’s guide for the 1947 British Industries Fair held at Olympia -

“R. S. Lawrence of Gilpin Works, 258 Fore Street, Edmonton, London, N18. Telephone: Tottenham 27771-2-3. Cables: "Ecnerwal Phone London". Factories at London and Desborough and Warehouse at Leicester

1947 Listed Exhibitor - British Industries Fair. Manufacturers of Leather Cut Soles for all purposes of Boot, Shoe, Slipper Manufacture and repair, including Outsoles, Throughs, Insoles, Half Soles, Top Pieces. (Earls Court, 1st Floor, Stand No. 411b)”

Thanks I did see the bit about them being a London bases company but was a bit confused cos I read somewhere about Benjamin Riley works being on Station Rd which this is not! Im guessing they had multiple works around there.

 

[BakesFinds]

Quality, been trying to have a look since moving to the area couple of years ago. The Desborough Hertiage centre a couple of minutes away has some of the old machines, tools and pictures, can't remember the shoe firm that use to be there.

 

[dweeb]

"clicking" is interesting on the lift plate, I believe that was the name given to the sole cutters from the noise the tools made against the hard cutting surface.

Great report!

 

[Bikin Glynn]

Quality, been trying to have a look since moving to the area couple of years ago. The Desborough Hertiage centre a couple of minutes away has some of the old machines, tools and pictures, can't remember the shoe firm that use to be there.

Thanks as u can see there’s not much there but certainly worth a look if u have a chance. Part of the top floor is burnt out & the wooden lean to part is falling in on itself so I’m guessing Demi is the only way forward for this

 

[Bikin Glynn]

"clicking" is interesting on the lift plate, I believe that was the name given to the sole cutters from the noise the tools made against the hard cutting surface.

Great report!

Thanks dweeb that’s interesting

 

[dweeb]

Shoe making - Clicking.Shoes are made up of a number of different pieces of leather or other material sewn or otherwise fastened together and shaped on a last to fit the foot.Clicking is the term for cutting the leather into the pieces required for making the shoes.

 

[x_dils]

Where is this and is it still abandoned?

 

[Bikin Glynn]

Where is this and is it still abandoned?

Yes it is still there. The clue to location is in the title

 

[x_dils]

Yes it is still there. The clue to location is in the title

In desborough ?

 

[mookster]

In desborough ?

Is it going to be somewhere else?

 

[snnyw]

Where is this and is it still abandoned?

was in desborough, northamptonshire but unfortunately being demolished to build houses.

 

[Bikin Glynn]

was in desborough, northamptonshire but unfortunately being demolished to build houses.

Yeah though they were finally doing something with it.
There are better things in Northants tbh