Firestone tyre factory

Firestone Tyre Factory

1963 view of the factory
Location within Greater London
General information
Town or city Brentford
Country United Kingdom
Coordinates 51°29′5.9″N 0°19′18.7″W / 51.484972°N 0.321861°W / 51.484972; -0.321861
Destroyed August 1980
Design and construction
Architecture firm Wallis, Gilbert and Partners

The Firestone Tyre Factory on the Great West Road in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow was an example of Art Deco architecture. It was designed by Wallis, Gilbert and Partners for the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company.[1] Built on a 26-acre site, it opened in October 1928.[2][3] It was the first factory to open on the Great West Road.[4]

The company announced in November 1979 that it would close the factory.[5][6]

After its purchase by Trafalgar House PLC, the building was demolished during the August 1980 bank holiday weekend, reportedly in anticipation of its becoming listed.[7][8] The Twentieth Century Society call the structure their "first serious case" and say that its destruction[9]

[...] focussed public attention on the necessity for greater protection for 20th century buildings and led directly to the listing of 150 examples of inter-war architecture (including Battersea Power Station) by the government.

The gates, piers and railings fencing the site received a Grade II listing in 2001.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Central Gates, Gate Piers and Railings to the Former Firestone Factory - Hounslow - Greater London - England". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2013-10-17. Central gates, gate piers and railngs to the former Firestone Factory. 1928 by Wallis, Gilbert and Partners.
  2. ↑ "25 years on - the end of Firestone (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)". Richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk. 2005-09-01. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  3. ↑ Wireless to THE NEW YORK TIMES. (1928-10-17). "FIRESTONE, IN AKRON, ADDRESSES LONDONERS - Tire Manufacturer Uses Radio for Speech at Opening of New Factory. - Article - NYTimes.com". Select.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  4. ↑ A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington (1962), Heston and Isleworth: Economic and social history, pages 114-119. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  5. ↑ "Firestone Plans Cuts in Europe". The New York Times. 1979-11-15. The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company Ltd, said today that it would discontinue operations at its Brentford, Middlesex, plant within the next three [...]
  6. ↑ "Los Angeles Times: Archives - Firestone to Cut European Output". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. 1979-11-15. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  7. ↑ Fiona MacCarthy (2004-11-20). "Grand designs | Art and design". The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  8. ↑ "'Erotic gherkin' company has 'form'". The Daily Telegraph. London. 2000-08-25. Trafalgar House used to own the Firestone Building on Western Avenue. Two days before the building was to be listed, it flattened that, too.
  9. ↑ "About us — The Twentieth Century Society". C20society.org.uk. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
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Coordinates: 51°29′5.9″N 0°19′18.7″W / 51.484972°N 0.321861°W / 51.484972; -0.321861

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