67-69, WARSTONE LANE

BIRMINGHAM

997/0/10258 WARSTONE LANE 29-APR-04 67-69

GV II Manufactory. c. 1880 with late C20 alterations. Red brick with painted stone dressings and blue brick detailing . Gable and ridge chimneys with a slate roof covering. PLAN: Rectangular street frontage range, with central passage entrance to rear workshops. EXTERIOR: Near-symmetrical 7 bay frontage range of 3 storeys on a shallow blue brick plinth, with 3 doorways, 2 to outer bays and centre doorway to passage. Outer doorways with moulded surrounds and shallow segmental arched heads, double doors and arch-headed overlights. Plainer and narrower centre doorway with deep barred overlight.. To the left, a wide segmental arch above a display window with a transomed 4-light C20 frame. To the right, a pair of tall, arch-headed windows with undivided sash frames. The arched heads to door and window openings are linked within an undulating lintel band, with continuous drip mould above. First floor moulded storey band, with painted cill band above, and an arcade of 7 semi-circular arch-headed openings with undivided sash frames. Imposts, cills and arched heads are all painted. Upper floor windows have painted flat lintels set within bands of blue brick, and margin-glazed sashes set upon a painted cill band. HISTORY: The complex first appears on the 1889 Ordnance survey map and at that date is made up 2 separate parts, The Warstone Buildings to the east and The Lion Electro-plating Works to the west. The Warstone Buildings accommodated 12 separate occupants in 1886, the rear yard being shown with a central dividing wall , suggesting that the complex was specifically designed for shared occupancy. The 1886 trade directory identifies the Lion Works as the premises of Frederick Whitehouse, manufacturer of cutlery and electro-plated goods. Forms a group with Nos. 62-64 Warstone Lane (q.v.) A late C19 manufactory designed for shared occupancy, its plan form and architectural detailing characteristic of the specialist industrial premises developed in a distinctive manufacturing quarter of Birmingham, now recognised as being of international significance.