Former Brandauer Works

Details

997/0/10404 NEW JOHN STREET WEST
10-JUN-02 401-414
Former Brandauer Works

II

Manufactory. c.1850, with extensions of c.1870, 1887 and 1898, the latter by John Henry Hawkes, architect, of Birmingham. Late C20 alterations. Empty at the time of inspection ( February 2002 ).Red brick with ashlar stone and moulded and polychrome brick dressings and decoration, gable and side wall chimneys and slate and C20 sheet roof coverings.
PLAN: Evolved double courtyard plan, comprised of SOUTH RANGE to New John Street frontage, WEST RANGE extending north from west end of South Range, MIDDLE RANGE extending eastwards from centre of West Range, and POWER HOUSE AND CHIMNEY to centre of North courtyard.
EXTERIORS: South Range frontage of 2 phases. Earlier phase to left, 3 storeys, 20 bays rising from a shallow blue brick plinth. Wide, semi-circular arched vehicle entrance with double doors to right-hand end and window openings with blue, white and moulded brick decoration to arched heads. Wide, complex storey bands to upper floors. Ground floor openings above blue brick bands and glazing bar sash windows below segmental brick arches. Tall first floor windows with linked semi-circular arched heads and multi-pane metal window frames with pivoting centre lights. Upper floor windows with shallow -arched heads and C20 wooden frames. Decorative eaves band with cut brick decoration. Pedimented doorway to left-hand end with double 3-panel doors and overlight with decorative glazing bars. Door to right of vehicle opening with 4-panel door. 1896 extension of South range, 12 bays, 3 storeys over basement with semi-circular arched openings to ground floor below linked hood moulds, moulded brick surrounds and barred sash windows. Moulded brick band below first floor windows, with 6 over 6 pane sashes below shallow-arched heads. Smaller second floor windows similarly detailed. 6 triple windows to upper floor with linked semi-circular heads and glazing bar sash frames. Long louvred ventilator to ridge. Courtyard elevations are functionally detailed with metal-framed windows in arch- headed openings with blue brick surrounds Full-height chimneys or flues project from rear walls at regular intervals. At junction of South and West ranges, a circular stair tower with moulded brick eaves, multi pane metal window frames and shallow arch-headed double doorway. Multi-phase West range with stepped roof line defines west boundary of site. 12 bays, arranged 8:4 to junction with Middle Range, 3 storeys, the ground floor formerly enclosed within double pile extension. Later part to north of middle range, 3 storeys above basement 15 bays arranged 3:3:3:4:2, with linked contemporary stair tower with roof water tank attached at east end.
2-phase Centre range, 3 storeys, 17 bays arranged 7:10, the 7-bay part earlier and with smaller window openings. East gable with chimney stack, 2 windows to upper floor and blocked semi-circular arch-headed window to ground floor Behind the east end of Middle Range, 2 storeyed Power House with sheeted roof, hipped at west end, and with attached tapered square stack at south-east corner. Shallow arch-headed windows with mult-pane metal frames, inserted ground floor doorway below girder lintel to south elevation.
Interiors: Conventional timber-floored construction, with shallow pitched roof structure carried on tie beam trusses with raking struts. Open plan workshop interiors formerly with work benching against closely-spaced windows. Some workshop areas retain integral re-heating hearths. Wall junctions between different phases characterised by wide semi-circular arches which enhance open plan arrangement. Full-height cast iron spiral stair stair within stair tower, central arcade of cast iron columns carrying longitudinal ceiling beam to ground floor of earliest part of South Range, together with corner hearth and cupboard to ground floor office within same range. East end compartment to ground floor of Middle Range of brick jack- arch fire proof construction.
HISTORY: The Pigott Smith map surveyed 1850-55 shows the site with an L-shaped range with a circular stair tower, a short west range and a north range with 3 extending almost to the eastern site boundary. The north end of West Range was built by James Moffat, builder, c.1887.
The drawings for the 1898 extension by Hawkes show a first floor 'slitting room', a second floor warehouse and a 'looking over room' to the upper floor.
A large-scale Birmingham manufactory which developed rapidly between c.1850 and 1896, little- altered and reflecting the distinctive industrial architecture of one of the most dynamic and significant industrial communities of the period in England.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

489559

Legacy System:

LBS

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