EMPIRE STONE WORKS

This collection consists of rolled plans, 1950-1990, from the Drawing Office at Narborough. Among the buildings with which the company was involved are: Battersea Park Pagoda, British Museum, Ford Factory Dagenham, Bank of England, Haberdasher's Hall, Westminster Abbey, Royal Ballet School, Royal Free Hospital and Kingston Power Station.

Helen Wood 28NOV2000

The original references have been kept but there were 2 series. All plans beginning with the prefix L[A], L[B], L[C] relate to London. Some other places in London, particularly those in outer London, appear in a separate series for the whole county using the first letter of the place as a prefix: e.g. B177 relates to Bromley. Not all these numbers have survived.

<p>The Company's records have been deposited at Leicestershire Record Office, Long Street, Wigston Magna, Leicester LE18 2AH (Accession DE4570). The Birmingham plans went to Birmingham City Archives, Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ. Plans of Marks and Spencers' stores were separated out by their consulting engineers WSP Kenchington Ford of Birmingham.</p>

THESE RECORDS ARE OPEN FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION

These plans were rescued from a derelict building, days before it was demolished. Plans relating to London came to the then Greater London Record Office, together with index cards for the whole of the existing plan collection (call no. ACC/3496/Y024).

In November 2000 these files were assessed individually and sorted according to whether they related to existing collections held at the London Metropolitan Archive; had significant architectural plans within its contents; were high quality examples of Empire Stoneworks' designs; preservation. Approximately 20% of the original number of files was retained as a result of this appraisal.

The Empire Stone Works was founded in 1900. It specialised in producing pre-cast concrete for cladding. This could incorporate colour pigment and also produce a hand-finished surface to match natural stone cills, copings and cornices. The factory dominated the Leicestershire village of Narborough, with its own rail sidings, and employed over 300 people. The company ceased trading in 1994, soon after the completion of the MI6 building at Vauxhall Cross.