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The Harris and Pearson Building
 | The Restoration Project
Work on the former Harris and Pearson Office building in Brettell Lane, Brierley Hill was completed in 2005. This is a grade 2 listed building that had been unoccupied for 11 years. It has a wonderful front elevation constructed of refractory and polychromatic brickwork with terra cotta detailing, dated 1888, and is a local landmark in the area. For further information visit our new harris and pearson web-site by clicking on the link below.
The roof was mainly removed in 1996 when demolition work was started. Luckily the Council managed to get the building spot listed just in time. Following listing an approach was made from Dudley MBC to the West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust to suggest that the building could benefit from the Trust’s involvement. Contact was established between the Trust and Dyson in December 1996. In July 2001, Dyson agreed in principle, to transfer the ownership of the building to the Trust, together with a small parcel of adjoining land. The buildings transfer to the Trust was confirmed on 13th January 2003.
Since then the Trust has been successful in bidding for a grant from the HLF. The trust has appointed Birmingham-based William Sapcote & Sons Ltd to carry out the restoration work. Work started on site on April 19th and was completed in January. The building was formally opened on 11th February.
The History of the site and firebricks
The Earliest Firebrick Factories
In 1739 the Old Side Works was opened in Amblecote by the Earl of Stamford and Warrington. This works appears to be the first recorded example of a large purpose-built firebrick factory in the area.
Fire clay was sourced from layers contained within coal seams. It was mined from local pits, being brought to the surface in slab form and ‘weathered’. The development of the Black Country industries could not have occurred had it not been possible to contain the metals within a high temperature environment. All furnaces and hearths were lined with firebricks to retain the heat, and the local clay was particularly suitable for a variety of uFollowing the extraction and weathering of the clay it was transported to the brickworks from the mines by canal boat. Once on site the clay went through the processes of crushing and sieving within the mill house. After a period of tempering in vats where the clay underwent mixing with water it became ready for working into bricks within the processing shed or ‘stove’. The ‘stove’ would have contained the moulding tables for shaping of the bricks and had a warm floor for drying out the bricks prior to the firing process which took place in one of the 32 Bee hive kilns that once existed on the site.
The making of glass-house pots varied in manufacture from that of fire bricks and gas retorts, in that they were gradually, inch by inch built up by hand and they were not burned but dried. This process usually took 6 months. Harris & Pearson were one of the few firms that possessed a mine, which yielded clay of sufficient high quality to be suitable for making these pots. They even sold clay either in lump state or ground to other manufacturers.
The Development of Harris and Pearson
In 1852, Peter Harris and George Pearson acquired the lease of the site, then 6 acres, and further increased the area to 9 acres in 1872. Between 1852 and 1874, the amount of fireclay extracted from the Staffordshire coalfields increased fivefold, and by 1874 there were 20 different firms involved; an indication of the expansion of the industry.
A typical 19th century Black Country firebrick-works required local mineral reserves, including clay pits to provide the ceramic raw material and coal mines to provide fuel. Other resources available here at Brierley Hill included iron, lime and sand, all essential ingredients. The site was also bounded by the Stourbridge Canal to the west, Brettell Lane to the south, Bull Street to the north, and the Great Western Railway to the east. The Black Country Tramway network ran along Brettell Lane. Transport links were therefore present all around the site. Active coalmines were present to the east, west and north. Brierley Ironworks to the north and Brettell Lane Lime Kilns to the south-west. In fact the site and its location were ideal for a successful business, proved by the fact that it still continues today, producing high temperature ceramics for the furnace industry operated by Dyson Industries Ltd. of Sheffield.
Peter Harris died in 1874 followed by George Pearson in 1899; the firm continued to be run by their respective sons. During the depression period of the 1920/30’s the company acquired several, similar, small businesses and consequently became incorporated in 1931 to become Harris & Pearson Ltd.
In 1968 Dyson Group Plc. purchased the company, although it continued to trade independently until about 1980. Pitchford & Holland, another member of the Group, last used the Offices until 1990.
The Office Building.
A splendid and permanent advertisement of the quality of their products was built in 1888 to be their new Offices. Every brick was made at the works from the local clay.
The variety of architectural ceramics used in the façade is remarkable including both glazed and unglazed materials and a variety of colours. The glazed fireclay cills are particularly unusual. The white glazed lettering is a striking feature of the façade and a rare example of Victorian architectural graphics still in situ.
Glazed brick walls exist in the entrance hall, landing and lobby in a variety of colours. The toilet also has glazed brick walls, but the outstanding internal feature are the mosaic tiles to landing, lobby and the small office on the first floor.
How the building became listed
The building was identified as of special architectural and historic merit by Dudley Metropolitan Borough in March 1995 who duly wrote to the Department of National Heritage (now the Department for Culture, Media & Sport) to consider placing the building on the statutory list but no progress was made. The building was also placed on the draft of the “Local List”.
Although approaches were made for the Local Authority to accept the building from Dyson, no progress towards a solution was forthcoming.
On the 15th April 1996 a concerned member of the public reported that scaffolding had appeared on the Harris & Pearson offices. On investigation it emerged that Dyson Industries Ltd. intended to demolish the building. No planning permission was required. Considerable discussions took place to explore the possibility of keeping the building in beneficial use. Dyson felt unable to do this and continued the demolition that had commenced on the 15th.
English Heritage were unable to visit the site until the 17th. or 18th. at the earliest by which time the building could have been damaged beyond repair. The Council therefore took the unusual step of issuing a “Building Preservation Notice” to take immediate effect, and valid for a period of 6 months, during which time the Secretary of State acting on the advice of English Heritage would decide whether to add the building to the statutory list. Demolition ceased on the 17th April 1996, only part of the roof having been removed. The listing was confirmed as Grade II on the 2nd September 1996.
Existing Office Layout.
The building consists of two storeys and faces almost due south.
The ground floor’s main entrance is through the central arch containing the weighbridge, on the left. This gives access to an entrance hall and the flight of steps to the upper level. A doorway left of the stairs allows entrance to the weighbridge office, in which the Avery’s mechanism still is in situ, alongside the weighbridge outside. This office is the largest, 5m x 5.5m with two front facing windows. To the rear off the entrance hall is a washroom and toilet. A boiler room complex sits beyond this point with access gained only from the outside. The archway above the weighbridge is extended to cover the entrance area and also the door opposite giving access to the east side offices, two in number. The front office is approximately 5m x 2.8m, again with two front facing windows, whilst the other is smaller, 3.8m x 2.5m. There is a small washroom that was added later to the rear, projected from the main building. An outside lean-to has been demolished by vandals.
The one staircase approaches all of the first floor. A trapezium shaped room leads off from the landing to the left which is about 3.5m x 3m, with a corner fireplace, and a single window facing north. The right door leads into an office, 5m x 2.8m, with a single window facing west, whilst the other door to the right leads down a short corridor to the front office, 5m x 2.6m, with its’ two front facing windows. The other side of the corridor has a partition with a small ‘pay-day’ opening inserted. Passing through the partition door gives access to three more offices. Two on the front elevation, 3m x 5.5m, & 3m x 5.5m, the latter having 4 windows (two south/ two north) and a large fireplace. From the first unit there is a smaller office on the north side, 3.3m x 3.2m approx. with a single window-facing north. The last two offices are above the covered weighbridge entrance.
There were 9 separate offices within the building with a total square area of 281 square metres (3022 sq.ft.).
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19-20 High Street, Kinver
The West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust’s First Project: 19-20 High Street, Kinver
Occupying a prominent position in Kinver High Street, 19-20 was the West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust's first project. It took three years to complete. This is the story of the restoration of this important building.
Kinver High Street is a Conservation Area, containing many attractive historic buildings. Every building is unique - this is what makes Kinver so special. In the Staffordshire volume of ‘The Buildings of England’ series, the late Nikolaus Pevsner states that in Kinver High Street the best houses are Nos. 17-20. Therefore, to have lost an important building like Nos. 19-20 High Street would have been a tragedy.
When the Trust took the building over, it was in a dangerous condition, and no one was able to take up the arrears of maintenance because it would have cost too much to put it right. As a Registered Charity, the Trust was eligible for grants and loans that made restoration viable. However, this would not have been possible without the help of many individuals and organisations, who gave their time and effort in raising enough money to see the project completed. In particular, the people of Kinver have been very supportive, and deserve special thanks. Nos. 19-20 High Street has now been transformed into a comfortable four-bedroom home, and is now occupied by new owners. We hope that they will enjoy living in this lovely building.
It took almost two years from the date of acquisition for all of the necessary plans to be prepared and local authority approvals to be obtained so that the restoration could be started. In 1995 the Trust sought tenders from five specialist contractors experienced in the restoration of timber-framed buildings. From these specialists, Sandy & Co Ltd of Stafford were chosen. Building work started on 15th April 1996 and was completed on 15th November 1996. It was a difficult job, as every item of equipment, and every batch of materials, had to be carried through the building. Site huts and a compound were established in the back garden. Sandy & Co’s first job was to demolish an insensitive modern two-storey extension. They then went on to repair the old tiled roof, reinstate lost and damaged oak timber framing, insert a new staircase, and construct a new sensitively-designed extension to the house, kitchen, and bathroom. The finishing touches were recorded by the BBC for their Midlands Today news programme. Daub, mixed to an original recipe, including clay dug from the back garden, and cow manure, was carefully applied to the infill panels of the timber frame. It was a smelly job, but an important part of the authentic restoration of 19-20 High Street.
On Saturday 23rd November 1996 Sir Patrick Cormack MP unveiled a plaque to commemorate the successful completion of restoration work to 19-20 High Street Kinver – the first project undertaken by the West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust.
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