Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Electricity junction box of around the early C20, manufactured by Hardy and Padmore of Worcester.

Monument Types

• JUNCTION BOX (Post Medieval to Unknown - 1900 AD?)

Full description

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Summary
Electricity junction box of around the early C20, manufactured by Hardy and Padmore of Worcester.

Reasons for Designation
The electrical junction box of around the early C20, manufactured by Hardy and Padmore of Worcester, which stands in front of Stacklands and Fountain Court, High Street, Eynsford is listed at Grade II, for the following principal reasons: Architectural interest:

* as a well-detailed design by the company of Hardy and Padmore of Worcester, which survives well; * as an increasingly rare survival of an electrical junction box from the first age of electrical supply. Historic interest:

* the junction box is a reminder of how electricity was supplied in the early C20 and the importance accorded to its infrastructure.

History
Electrical junction boxes were introduced across England from the late C19 and were part of the distribution and supply infrastructure needed to transfer electricity from where it was generated to its point of use. The junction box, or feeder pillar, was designed to take power from the grid and control the electrical supply to a number of buildings in the surrounding area. The Eynsford junction box was probably installed around the turn of the C20 to supply electricity to houses and the local school (now a house known as the Manse). It would have been constructed at the Worcester foundry of Hardy and Padmore.

Robert and John Hardy set up their business in 1814 and Richard Padmore joined the partnership in 1829. The foundry was an important English producer of goods for worldwide distribution, including lamp posts, tram wire supports and poles, bollards, thresholds and manhole covers. Hardy and Padmore went into voluntary liquidation in 1967.

A number of their products are listed including several gas lamps, and examples of feeder pillars on Library Walk and in Lincoln Square, Manchester (National Heritage List for England (NHLE) entries 1449639, 1475459, 1475254 and 1475255). Another listed feeder pillar is located within the suburb of Hornsey, London (NHLE entry 1359591).



Details
Electricity junction box of around the early C20, manufactured by Hardy and Padmore of Worcester. MATERIALS: cast iron. DESCRIPTION: a pillar-like, rectangular box which faces north-west and is located on the pavement adjacent to a retaining wall. It is around 1.5m high and 0.3m in width and depth. It has a pyramidal cap above a dentilled cornice supported at each corner by a slender colonette. The faces have moulded panelling and raised decoration with the central three panels having foliage to the corners. The front face has a circular maker's mark containing the name of Hardy Padmore Limited, Worcester. The side faces have an oval motif to the centre and an integral, moulded door handle. The rear face is obscured by the wall (1)

<1> Historic England, National Heritage List for England (Index). SKE29372.

Sources and further reading