23, FREDERICK STREET

Details

BIRMINGHAM

997/0/10283 FREDERICK STREET 29-APR-04 23

II Manufactory and attached railings. c.1895. By Mansell and Mansell, architects for Messrs Adie and Lovekin, jewellers. Red brick with terracotta detailing, gable chimneys and a Welsh slate roof covering.
PLAN: L-shaped range to Frederick Street and Regent Street frontages, enclosing parallel ranges of single storeyed workshops behind the Frederick Street frontage.
EXTERIOR: Frederick Street elevation: Near-symmetrical 8 bay range of 2 storeys above a basement rising from a shallow chamfered plinth, with entrance bays to either end defined by shallow pilasters terminating at segmental finials flanking enriched diminutive pediments, each with a shield bearing the entwined letters 'A.L.' Wide ground floor doorways within moulded surrounds, with deep lintels set below shallow hoods with engaged ball finial enrichment, supported by scrolled consoles. Between the doorways, 6 tall multi-pane windows, one retaining original cross frame form, the others modified to 8 over 16 pane transomed frames. Above the rubbed brick window heads is a broad terracotta storey band, now carrying signage. First floor windows with rubbed brick heads and 6 over 2 pane sashes rising from a plain cill band. Dentilled cornice carried around both street elevations. Basement windows with concrete lintels and multi-pane metal frames. Frontage enclosed by cast-iron railings fixed to low brick wall with saddleback copings and 2 pairs of railed gates to entrances that to the left end stepped.
Regent Street elevation of 13 bays with wide pediment to centre, bays 6 and 9 with flanking pilasters. Windows openings detailed as on Frederick Street elevation, but with narrow openings to bays 5 and 10 flanking the centre bays and with ground floor lights to bays 11 and 13, at a lower level. They flank a doorway with pilasters, fluted brackets and a scrolled pediment. 8- panel door below rectangular overlight. Goods entrance to bay 4 with plain surround and flat lintel above panelled double doors with multi-pane rectangular overlight. Basement windows with flat lintels almost at footway level.
HISTORY. The architects' drawings for the building, dated June 1894 show extensive basements beneath both frontage ranges, and extending beneath the railed enclosure to Frederick Street, and in the angle formed by the ranges. In these basements were engine and boiler rooms, muffles and stores areas. The ground floor was almost completely taken up by workshops, with offices, showroom and board room on the upper floor.
Forms a group with No. 22 Frederick Street (q.v.) No.48 Frederick Street (q.v.) and No.47 Frederick Street (q.v.)

A substantial and well-detailed manufactory of c.1895, prominently sited at the centre of a specialist industrial quarter of Birmingham now recognised as being of international significance.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

494062

Legacy System:

LBS

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