The latest southern area-eastern area away from Clerkenwell Road and you may St john Highway are occupied by a late-1870s speculative advancement in the first place adding showers to have swimming and bathing, as well as households and you will stores (Ills 558, 579). The fresh ‘Central Bath’ place is actually short-existed, hence a portion of the strengthening try then modified due to the fact a keen electroplating really works.
The new property, encountered from inside the white-brick having stone and you will moulded-brick dressings, was basically designed by Robert Walker, area surveyor for St Martin-in-the-Industries, and established because of the J. J. Bennett & Co. inside 1877–8. (fn. 30) The primary designer appears to have been Alfred Bompas, gentleman, away from Barnsbury, whom applied for the website to the Metropolitan Panel off Performs in the 1876, took the new rent of your own completed property inside 1878, and you can made an effort to purchase the freehold during the 1879. (fn. 31) Although not, a printed account of this new property says-because if the challenge was in fact offered to concern-the functions was in fact achieved ‘under the non-public direction’ of Bennett & Co., ‘who are definitely the originators and you may owners of brand new baths’. (fn. 32) Bompas wasn’t, according to their referees, capable fund the fresh starting on his own membership, along with his connection with Bennetts is not known. (fn. 33)
The development contained half a dozen houses, four which have shops, as well as the swimming-pond and you may baths at the rear of, with its entrances in the No. 104 St-john Street. Regarding the entry (and this retains its class lights, regardless of if not the initial pretty metal cresting), a broad corridor triggered this new diving-pool. Included in a glass rooftop, which measured on 90ft of the 30ft, that have a 7ft deep-end. The new pool are white-tiled along with an attractive dolphin’s direct water fountain similarly. Varied across the poolside were dressing-packets and you may ‘other conveniences’, and you wellhello may a lot more than were art galleries on the a few accounts for every having fourteen personal shower enclosures for males and girls correspondingly. A great demountable floor desired the brand new pool for use having group meetings during the cold winter, swimming-also inside-being plainly nevertheless a regular recreation. (fn. 34)
The fresh new showers closed in 1896, and you may out of up coming through to the 70s was in fact filled by Elizabeth. C. Furby & Sons, electroplaters and you may enamellers regarding bike parts, the old slipper showers giving solution to plating shower enclosures. (fn. 35) Furby’s properties was indeed stated destroyed from the fire during the 1919. (fn. 36) Absolutely nothing of one’s completely new pool and you may baths survives today.
Zero. twenty-seven
This quick factory and workshop (Ill. 550) is actually erected inside the 1879 to have William and Francis Hudden, tin-dish professionals and knowledge merchants out-of St John’s Way, whoever corporation continued so you’re able to trade indeed there till the late 1950s. The latest architects were Samuel Parr and you may Alfred Pope Strong out of Finsbury Square, the fresh builder John Grover of new Northern Highway. (fn. 37)
No. 30
The initial strengthening, a bike facility away from c. 1888, is filled of 1906 because of the shopfitters Elizabeth. Pollard & Co. It had been reconstructed to own Pollards into the 1919–20 because their ‘City’ showrooms; the present granite and you can timber shopfront is later on and was most likely additional by the company regarding the 1930s. (fn. 38)
Pennybank Spaces
Which part cut-off, comprising Nos 29–33 Clerkenwell Roadway and you can 33–35 St John’s Rectangular, is actually erected within the 1879–80 by the National Penny Lender Co. Ltd and you will given shop and artisans’ homes, as well as a branch to the lender (Ill. 559). It absolutely was crafted by the brand new architects Charles Henman and you may William Harrison, and you can dependent by Aitchison & Walker from St John’s Wood. The foundation brick is actually placed in-may 1879 of the HRH Little princess Religious off SchleswigHolstein (who obtained a beneficial commemorative trowel, inlaid with silver pennies and also the profile off good workman having a financial guide, showing ‘the electricity of your own penny’). (fn. 39)