J K King

A huge silk factory, 200 feet long and 50 wide stood between West Street and the Crouches footpath. Powered by a ponderous steam engine it employed 600-700 people in its heyday but the trade declined when opened to foreign competition. The site was taken over by the seedsmen, J K King who over the years erected sheds and warehouses to clean and store a range of seeds and a trial ground to test varieties. In 1920 most of the old silk factory, then used as a warehouse for millions of seeds, was destroyed in a fire. In the late 1980's the site was sold and redeveloped. I took most of these photos on 18th September 1989 just before demolition started.
For more on J K King, click the 'The Past Recalled' tab above.