Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB01/17/004

Address :
Star Factory 79 Foyle Road Co. Londonderry BT 48 6XB

Townland:
Londonderry and Suburbs

---

Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
07/10/1981 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
House

Former Use
Factory

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

---

OS Map No:
36-07

IG Ref:
C4309 1590

---

Owner Category

Exterior Description And Setting

A four-storey with attic sandstone former ladies' undergarment factory erected 1899 for Charles Bayer & Co and now converted into apartments with the addition of a large modern return at rear. Located at the junction of Moat St and Foyle Road, the building is aligned NE-SW with its principal façade facing SE on to Foyle Road, overlooking the Foyle River. The original roof had a full-length eaves dormer but has been reconfigured as penthouse apartments (thus forming a fifth floor) with sheeted roof and frontage (material uncertain). The front elevation of the penthouses is set back from the façade and contains large windows. Its rear elevations are rendered (concrete block) walls with modern square-headed window inserts. All but the rear (NW) elevations of the former factory are of rock-faced sandstone blocks laid to regular courses and with toothed ashlar quoins. At GF, The lower halves of these walls are also slightly advanced and coped with chamfered ashlar sandstone. This coping also forms the cills to the windows at this level. All the windows have been replaced with uPVC casements but retain their original sandstone cills. The SE elevation is ten openings wide and of symmetrical composition. The openings are paired and delineated with full-height sandstone pilasters with semicircular caps projecting above the eaves. The GF windows have semicircular heads but those above are segmental; all have keystones and are trimmed with ashlar sandstone. There are circular pattress plates through the pilasters on all the upper floors. The middle section of this elevation has a full-width three-centred former GF entrance, now replaced with a window. The jambs and head of this opening are of ashlar sandstone, with an entablature over. The latter has a moulded cornice and frieze inscribed 'Star Factory' in capital letters. Rising above the eaves at this section of the façade is a single-stage clock tower. The clock itself is trimmed with moulded sandstone and the quoins to the square panel into which it is set has scrolled end stops. A plain entablature supports a low balustrade with square corner piers. This entire assembly is of ashlar sandstone except for the spandrels around the clock
setting, which are rock-faced sandstone blocks. The NE gable is four openings wide, each delineated by a full-height pilaster identical to those at front (all with pattress plates to the upper floors). However, at GF a three-centred arched opening spans across the width of two window bays, with a keystone centred on the pilaster above; it contains a window with central stone mullion. The right-hand GF opening may have been a doorway originally, but is now a window. All the openings are detailed as those to front. The gable apex contains two diocletian windows with small rectangular opening (originally a vent) over. The left-hand slope of the gable's verge is built out in rock-faced sandstone and originally formed the end wall of the attic dormer. The SW gable is identical to the NE one save that there are four window openings to the GF. The left-hand opening to this floor may well have been a door as well. The right-hand end of the gable verge has been squared off to form the end wall of the rooftop dormer. The rear (NW) elevation has been substantially altered. All original returns have been removed and a large modern six-storey return now abuts at centre. The exposed sections of walling on each side of the new return are now finished with banded smooth cement render and contain modern square- and segmental-headed windows, all with concrete cills. The rear return was added in 2007 when the building was refurbished. Although six storeys high, it rises to the same height as the parapet to the front block. The GF is open along both sides to facilitate vehicular entry into the car park which occupies this entire level. The floors above have segmental- and square-headed windows to the upper floors on the NE and SW elevations. The NW gable is blank. Penthouses have been built over the eaves, with artificial slate mansard roofs, deep sheeted aprons (from which plastic down pipes descend) and two diocletian windows to each side. A narrow modern link block connects the return to the main building, with GF doorways giving access to both sections. There is a lift motor room over the main section just in front of the link block. A modern metal railing runs from this room along the back of one of the penthouses to form a roof balcony. A paved footpath and narrow strip of grass bound the NE and SE sides of the building. There is also a fenced-off electricity substation along its NE side. The open areas to SW and NW are tarmaced and used for car parking. There is a small two-storey modern housing development at the SW end of the main car park. The back of the premises is separated from St Nazareth House Primary School by a rendered concrete block wall and galvanised security fence. Materials Roof: Metal sheeting. RWG: Internal (not seen). Walling: Sandstone/rendered (NW). Windows: Replacement uPVC Setting. The original boundary wall survives along parts of the NE and SE sides of the premises. It is of rock-faced sandstone block construction (with chamfered ashlar sandstone copings) with intermediate ashlar sandstone pillars (with advanced bases and oversailing caps), between which runs replacement metal railings. There were originally vehicular and pedestrian entrances along both sides, now blocked by new railings. Original gate pillars have been repositioned at SW to form a new vehicular/ pedestrian entrance into premises. Beyond this entrance, the perimeter wall has been rebuilt in random rubble, with railing over. There are terraces of houses on each side of the factory on this side of Foyle Road and also along the NE side of Moat St. At front, beyond the road, is a landscaped public park overlooking the River Foyle.

Architects

Daniel Conroy

Historical Information

The Star Factory was designed by local architect Daniel Conroy for Charles Bayer & Co, undergarment manufacturers. This firm was a ladies' undergarment manufacturer and was first established in Bath in the late 1800s by Charles Bayer, a German immigrant. The firm was advertising for an experienced foreman in late 1898 and operations presumably began the following year. However, the enterprise does not appear in the valuation revision books until 1902, when it is described as 'Factory & Yard' owned by Charles Bayer & Co; it was rated at £375 for valuation purposes. The building is first depicted on the 1904 OS map and is captioned "Star Factory (underclothing". Two small returns are also shown at the rear: one at the SW end and the other off-centre on this elevation. The 1932, 1949 and 1953 maps all show the same footprint. Messrs Bayer went into voluntary liquidation in 1934. Subsequent operators of the factory included William Burns & Co Ltd (in 1950). An early 2000s photography on the UAHS website shows a derelict and roofless gutted shell with top opening windows and a stairwell at the rear. The building was refurbished as apartments by the North-West Development Office of the Department of Social Development in 2007. References - Primary Sources: 1. Belfast Newsletter, 16 Dec 1898. 2. PRONI VAL/12/B/33/3A. Valuation revision books 1898-1910, p.256. 3. PRONI OS/10/5/14/10/1. First edition OS 25-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 14-10 (1904). 4. PRONI VAL/12/B/33/3C. Valuation revision books 1911-1929, p.256. 5. PRONI OS/10/5/14/10/2. Second edition OS 25-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 14-10 (1932). 6. PRONI D1326/29/43. Legal papers relating to liquidation of Charles Bayer & Co, 1934. 7. London Gazette, 7 May 1937, p.3026. Notice re meeting of creditors of Beyer & Co in London. 8. PRONI OS/10/5/14/10/3. Third edition OS 25-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 14-10 (1949). 9. Belfast and Ulster Street Directory, 1950, p.1556. 10. PRONI OS/10/5/14/10/4. Fourth edition OS 25-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 14-10 (1953). References - Secondary Sources: 1. D. Calley, City of Derry - An Historical Gazetteer of the Buildings of Londonderry, p.203 (Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2013). 2. W.S. Ferguson, A.J. Rowan & J.J. Tracey, Historic Buildings in the City of Derry, pp 46-47 (Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1970). 3. A. Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster, p.69 (Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1979). References - Online Sources: 1. Commercial Overprint Society of Great Britain web blog, . 2. Property In Mind website, . 3. Ulster Architectural Heritage Society website, .

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation H-. Alterations detracting from building J. Setting

Historic Interest

T. Historic Importance V. Authorship X. Local Interest S. Authenticity R. Age

Evaluation

Substantial four-storey with attic factory built at the turn of the 20th century to designs by Daniel Conroy for Charles Bayer & Co, undergarment manufacturers, now converted to apartments. A prominent industrial building along the Foyle river, its utilitarian form is enhanced and enlivened by the quality of stonework, clock tower and regular fenestration of tall arched openings. Unlike most of the other garment factories in Londonderry, it is of stone construction rather than brick. Of historic and social importance given its contribution to the city's economy as a place of employment for many generations. Although somewhat compromised by the large extension to the rear, the replacement roof and windows and the loss of fabric inside, sufficient character has survived to the remaining facade to warrant special architectural interest. It presents as a bold and confident structure when viewed along the river's edge from both the Branywell and Craigavon Bridge directions and the stone pillars and walling that align the Foyle Road and Moat Street boundaries further enrich the quality of its setting.

General Comments

Date of Survey

15 October 2014