Wolseley

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Birmingham, Drews Lane, Wolseley

There is one other large survivor from this period, the Wolseley factory in Drews Lane, Washwood Heath. By this time Wolseley was part of the Vickers engineering group. Their original factory in Adderley Park was greatly expanded during the war but it was completely demolished in the 1970s. Drews Lane was designed for component production, but slowly took over car assembly during the twenties, particularly after Wolseley was taken over by Morris in 1926.

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Birmingham, Drews Lane, Wolseley Factory

The Drews Lane buildings date from 1915-6 and were partly built in the name of Electrical and Ordnance Accessories, another firm in the Vickers group. They were designed by a local architect and surveyor, J.J. Hackett. There is a very long two storey street front, in red brick with stone bands, divided into bays by simple pilasters, and the central bayGlossary Term is emphasised by a big semicircular pedimentGlossary Term: not in Ball's or even Cooke's class as architecture, but it certainly has an impact.

Glossary

Bay

Division of an elevation or interior space as defined by regular vertical features such as arches, columns, windows etc.

Pediment

A formalized gable derived from that of a classical temple; also used over doors, windows etc. A broken pediment has its apex omitted. An open pediment has the centre of the base omitted. A broken pediment with double-curved sides is called a swan-neck pediment.