Cottages about 1870 - near John Cave's first factory From John Cave's Centenary book this is the only photograph found to date .........

By an unknown artist, this painting depicts Factory Place cottages. They stood behind Dial Farm, off Bedford Road. Walter Green had drawn a simliar picture when he wrote his memories of the 1860s. He also gave a talk to Rotary members in 1942.

Sketch by Walter Green

Clive Wood also did a sketch from a description given to him by Vic Childs who told him : "Access to Factory Place was between the cottages in front which were in Bedford Road. The block centre back of the picture is the six cottages, numbered from the left. Beyond the cottages was a block of 6 toilets for the factory and beyond that the factory - the first factory of John Cave shoemaker, before he moved to High Street in about 1875."

Sketch of Factory Place cottages by Clive Wood of the cottages standing behind Dial Farm (marked on the sketch) and 5 houses in Beford Road

In 1910 when Valuations were made for all properties there were 6 cottages. Vic Childs lived at No.4 with his parents and his 5 siblings. His father Charles had married Laura Kate Sears (b Irthlingboro' 1880, a daughter of William Sears, a mason's labourer) in 1897.

Sketch of Factory Place by V Childs of No.4 Factory Place as it had been in 1907. He has numbered the cottages, and at the top shows Toilets 6, and Cave's factory. The other row of cottages front Bedford Road, with C Knight's farm (Hilly Farm) far right.

Another copy of the 1907 sketch by V Childs with an extra piece of paper added at the right edge. Opposite the row of cottages fronting Bedford Road - Vic added Abbott's Funeral Directors' with C Knight's farm building (Hilly Farm) far right. At the bottom left he shows the road to leading to Little Street and Harborough Road junction at the right.