Coty factory, Great West Road

Coty perfume and cosmetics factory, Great West Road – Wallis, Gilbert & Partners – 1932

Opposite the former Firestone building, this factory was used for the manufacture of Coty soaps, lipsticks, scents and creams until 1979.  It has been under scaffolding for a while and is still getting some work done inside, I look forward to it looking rather scrummy in a few months time, hopefully.

Next door to it is a new Audi centre, which, judging by an old photo I’ve seen, used to be a very lovely towered factory for Brittol Ltd and later for Admiralty Oil – massive shame it’s gone.

The Hoover Building

Hoover factory, Western Ave, Perivale – Wallis, Gilbert & Partners – 1931-38

The best building in world ever – the Art Deco factory fan’s Mecca – no more words necessary. Enjoy…

The Hoover Building

Hoover / Tesco car park

rear entrance

Hoover factory canteen rear

Hoover factory canteen front

main gates

front entrance

dog and deco porn

Hayes Cocoa (now Nestle)

Hayes Cocoa factory, now Nestle (since 1949) – Wallis, Gilbert & Partners & Truscon – 1932(?)

Problem is they won’t let anyone, let alone a mutt like, anywhere on the premises without prior arranged permission with the Nestle HR –  and I’m just not that organised, so here’s the gates. (With this tight security I wonder if they’ve got a load of Oompa Loompas working there?)

I know this next piccie isn’t deco, but it’s pretty cool – it’s the back of the Nestle factory complex that backs onto the Grand Union Canal. You can smell it for miles, and I love it!

EMI factory, Hayes

EMI/HMV factories, Hayes – Wallis, Gilbert & Partners – 1930s

Is this the HMV factory?

These railings were far too high for me to get anywhere near into shot, so very sorry I don’t feature in this photo – but I thought it would be worth you getting to see the building from a different angle.

I don’t know too much about these factory buildings I’m afraid. In fact I don’t know if the building in this bottom photo is even part of the EMI complex, but I liked it anyway so struck a pose. Part of this complex is the HMV factory, I think its the top one (and the one from other side of railway line), but please do let me know if you’ve got any more info.

The site that I think is the HMV factory is about to be developed, and the security guards very kindly let me into the site to get up close and personal to the building. They also kindly kept their blimmin’ huge guard dog away from me, which was good because it was too early in  the morning for a fight.

Simmonds Aerocessories

Simmonds Aerocessories, Great West Road, Brentford – Wallis, Gilbert & Partners – 1937

They used to manufacture parts and patent devices for military aircraft until 1947.  In 1955 the building was taken over as headquarters for Beecham Group Ltd, which now as GlaxoSmithKline has its HQ across the road in new purpose-built complex. The Simmonds Aerocessories factory has recently been developed into executive apartments by Barrett (which explains the blimmin’ banners spoiling my shots below) and has been renamed Wallis House.

At the top of the main entrance tower is a sculpture of an angel / airman by Eric Gill who designed created the famous sculpture of Prospero and Ariel on BBC Broadcasting House and the typeface Gill Sans. Unfortunately, for the best view I’d need to get on top of the M4 flyover, which is right in front of the building, but you can see a good photo of it on the Art of the State website.

The former Packard works steps, Brentford

Packard works (Leonard Williams Ltd), Great West Road, Brentford - 1931 – Wallis, Gilbert and Partners

 

 

 

This site is where they assembled and serviced the Canadian Packard cars. In March 1945 a V2 rocket destroyed the factory and all the remains are the original steps to the showroom. The bomb left 32 dead and 102  seriously injured, which makes the sad loss of the building seem a bit insignificant by comparison. 

It is now site to a remarkably dull Curry’s retail centre – rather ironic, as it is just along the road from the impressive former Curry’s HQ (see previous post).

William Burnett Chemicals – Great West Road

William Burnett Chemicals, Great West Road, Isleworth – 1933 – Wallis, Gilbert and Partners

Pickles at William Burnett Chemicals

 

William Burnett Chemicals

Pyrene building, ‘Golden Mile’

 

Pyrene Building, Great West Road, Brentford – 1929-30 – Wallis, Gilbert and Partners

 

Former fire extinguisher factory, opposite the Firestone Factory.

 

Pyrene factory entrance

 

Pyrene factory

India of Inchinnan

India of Inchinnan, Renfrewshire – 1929 – Thomas Wallis of Wallis, Gilbert and Partners

India of Inchinnan

Built on the site of a former airship construction station, where they built the R34 airship, which made the first ever transatlantic air crossing in both directions in 1919.  The new art deco factory site was opened in 1930 and India Tyre and Rubber company operations continued there until Christmas 1981. Most of the factory site buildings were demolished in 1982 and these categegory A listed offices are all that remain of the original. A very good looking extension was added to the rear in 2004 by Gibb Architects, and now as HQ of Graham Technology it makes me a very happy old mutt to see the site thriving again!

     

Firestone Factory, Great West Road, Brentford

The Firestone tyre factory – Great West Road – London – 1928 - Wallis Gilbert & Partners

Demolished in 1980, I believe on the day before a preservation order was due to come into effect (although this could be a local myth?), all that’s left are the boundary wall and entrances.  THe rest of the site is now home to Sky Broadcasting and a delightful PC World.

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

And here is the main entrance in it former glory. - Heartbreaking!

 

If you want to break your heart a little more, this site has a few extra photos of the factory before and as it was knocked down: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~garycr/2001/firestone_factory/