This building is located in Wolverhampton and apparently at its peak they turned out a 1/3 million boots a year from here. The archway led to a courtyard behind the office buildings. Within the yard there is a base of a chimney located on the factory side.
© David Meaden

I still think it remarkable how much care and attention went into relatively unimportant building.  The proportions,  detailing etc must have added considerably to the costs but I am sure even the most penny pinching factory owner would not have put up with a plain brick facade.

Nice pictures as ever, thanks for posting,

Doug

I agree with Doug. It is such an ornate building for making boots in. I would hate to think what a pair of good quality boots were worth back then, especially if the proceeds went into helping pay off Mr J. Bakers debt !

Cheers, Gary.

[user=878]Gary[/user] wrote:

I agree with Doug. It is such an ornate building for making boots in. I would hate to think what a pair of good quality boots were worth back then, especially if the proceeds went into helping pay off Mr J. Bakers debt !

Cheers, Gary.

I don't know how much truth there is in the story but my step-father, born 1906 in Glasgow, the youngest of 13 children including two sets of twins, told me that when 11 years old, rather than be made to wear his handed down sisters shoes, ran away and joined the Army as a bugler-drummer having told them he was 14 years old as he knew he'd get a pair of boots.
It lasted three weeks, until his mother came to fetch him home from a training camp at Scarborough!
He said it was the first time he'd been on a train, and came home home with the boots…..
Doug

If there ain't no truth to the story, it is still a good one ! :thumbs

Cheers, Gary.