Spratt's Complex
Encyclopedia
The Spratt's Complex in Poplar
(London Borough of Tower Hamlets
) is an old pet food factory that has been converted into approximately 150 live/work units. It was one of the first warehouse conversions in London. It is situated on Morris Road between the DLR
stations of Langdon Park
and Devons Road
.
The complex is called after the old Spratt's
dog biscuit factory. Much of the original markings are visible on the buildings, with names painted on the DLR track-side walls, and on the small chimney visible from Morris Road. It is sometimes known as "Spratt's Works", "Spratt's Factory", "The Limehouse Cut" or simply "The Cut".
The Spratt's Complex comprises six multi-storey period warehouse
s constructed in reinforced concrete and grouped around courtyards.
James Spratt set up his business in 1860 and soon his business was "a howling success". By the time the Spratt's Works (Poplar) was opened besides producing dog biscuits it made ships' biscuits and other pet food (including bird seeds). Under the brand name "Poplar", it packed pulses (butter beans, lentils and peas) and traded in live animals (horses, foxes and monkeys) around the world. It supplied biscuits to the troops and Polar explorers.
Barges would deliver fish heads for processing into pet food. Before 1914, the factory also made food for human consumption under the "Poplar" brand. In the Second Boer War
(1899–1902), four million biscuits a week were made for the British Army
.
At the end of World War II
"The impression of inscrutability conveyed by the gaunt impressive is cancelled out by the feverish activity inside". Besides biscuits, the works was also producing dogs', cats' and birds' medicines, dog shampoos and toilet requisites for animals. Also, at that time, there was a dog-show department - something that, perhaps, related back to James Spratt's initial 14 year old assistant - the future dog show founder Charles Crufts.
According to the East London News, the Morris Road factory "suffered severe damage as a result of enemy air action" and "the damage to the factory and working machinery made it almost impossible to carry on the work". However, looking at the buildings today, it seems that the damage done was overstated.
After the imposition of purchase tax on pet food in 1969, the factory closed down.
and great globs of toffee on the floors left by Appleton's (wholesale confectioners who had occupied the building after Spratt's). Originally, the courtyard was cobbled throughout.
Colman's Wharf was occupied by Gina Plastics until sold for development in 1988, at which time there was a huge industrial bay outside Studio 5, on what is now part of the car park. The space at the canal end of the floors of Colman's Wharf was much larger than now, as there was no interior staircase, nor were the lift and shaft part of the building, as large hoists were in use before its development. The ceilings had huge grid works of iron sprinkler pipes complete with large taps and fixings and the doors that now open onto balconies and those overlooking the canal were of the stable door type, glazed in the upper part and solid in the lower part. The windows are original except for some of those in Studios on the third floor facing the City.
The studio sizes vary between 580 to 1610 sq ft (53.9 to 149.6 m2).
The building was featured again in June 1986.
Back in 1986, the “studio – part workplace, part home – [had] no status in planning law”.
At that time the Spratt's Works was a hard-working colony whose residents include artists, photographers, the Queen's tapestry restorer (Ksynia Marko), a packaging firm, "Spitting Image" (Roger Law) and Elizabeth Fritsch (a top ceramicist).
Originally, the planning permission and the lease restricted the live (residential) accommodation to no more than 50% of the space (the rest up to 100% had to be for business use). In the 1990s, as it became progressively more difficult to get mortgages for properties of this type, the majority of the units changed to allow 100% residential use.
Each unit was originally sold as a shell with utilities run at the entrance of the unit (water, drainage, electricity, gas, telephone and fax lines, TV areal and entry phone cables). It was up to the leaseholder to fit out the entire unit: partitions, pipes, wires, etc. Although it was up to the leaseholder to design his or her own unit, building regulations had to be met, in particular, each unit had to include a fire lobby.
Poplar
Populus is a genus of 25–35 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar , aspen, and cottonwood....
(London Borough of Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
) is an old pet food factory that has been converted into approximately 150 live/work units. It was one of the first warehouse conversions in London. It is situated on Morris Road between the DLR
Docklands Light Railway
The Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
stations of Langdon Park
Langdon Park DLR station
Langdon Park DLR station is a station on the Docklands Light Railway in the East End of London. Situated between the existing All Saints and Devons Road stations, construction of the station began on 17 November 2006, and the first day of operation was 9 December 2007.- History and proposals...
and Devons Road
Devons Road
Devons Road is a road in the East End of London, UK. Part of the B140 road, it gives its name to the Devons Road DLR station.-Motive power depots:...
.
The complex is called after the old Spratt's
Spratt's
Spratt's was the world's first large-scale manufacturer of dog biscuits. Its "Meat Fibrine Dog Cake" was the brainchild of American entrepreneur James Spratt who launched the biscuit in London circa 1860...
dog biscuit factory. Much of the original markings are visible on the buildings, with names painted on the DLR track-side walls, and on the small chimney visible from Morris Road. It is sometimes known as "Spratt's Works", "Spratt's Factory", "The Limehouse Cut" or simply "The Cut".
The Spratt's Complex comprises six multi-storey period warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
s constructed in reinforced concrete and grouped around courtyards.
The Spratt's Works (1899-1969)
The factory was probably built around 1899. In the early 20th century, the Spratt's Works was the largest dog food factory in the world.James Spratt set up his business in 1860 and soon his business was "a howling success". By the time the Spratt's Works (Poplar) was opened besides producing dog biscuits it made ships' biscuits and other pet food (including bird seeds). Under the brand name "Poplar", it packed pulses (butter beans, lentils and peas) and traded in live animals (horses, foxes and monkeys) around the world. It supplied biscuits to the troops and Polar explorers.
Barges would deliver fish heads for processing into pet food. Before 1914, the factory also made food for human consumption under the "Poplar" brand. In the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
(1899–1902), four million biscuits a week were made for the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
At the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
"The impression of inscrutability conveyed by the gaunt impressive is cancelled out by the feverish activity inside". Besides biscuits, the works was also producing dogs', cats' and birds' medicines, dog shampoos and toilet requisites for animals. Also, at that time, there was a dog-show department - something that, perhaps, related back to James Spratt's initial 14 year old assistant - the future dog show founder Charles Crufts.
According to the East London News, the Morris Road factory "suffered severe damage as a result of enemy air action" and "the damage to the factory and working machinery made it almost impossible to carry on the work". However, looking at the buildings today, it seems that the damage done was overstated.
After the imposition of purchase tax on pet food in 1969, the factory closed down.
The derelict years (1970-1985)
The warehouses were derelict for some years until they were redeveloped between 1985 and 1989. As local lore has it, dog fighting took place years ago in the basement. Foundry House was derelict, with tape left on the windows from the BlitzBlitz
-Armed conflict:*The Blitz, the German aerial attacks on Britain in WWII. The name Blitz was subsequently applied to many individual bombing campaigns or attacks.*Blitzkrieg, the "lightning war", a strategy of World War 2 Germany-People:...
and great globs of toffee on the floors left by Appleton's (wholesale confectioners who had occupied the building after Spratt's). Originally, the courtyard was cobbled throughout.
Colman's Wharf was occupied by Gina Plastics until sold for development in 1988, at which time there was a huge industrial bay outside Studio 5, on what is now part of the car park. The space at the canal end of the floors of Colman's Wharf was much larger than now, as there was no interior staircase, nor were the lift and shaft part of the building, as large hoists were in use before its development. The ceilings had huge grid works of iron sprinkler pipes complete with large taps and fixings and the doors that now open onto balconies and those overlooking the canal were of the stable door type, glazed in the upper part and solid in the lower part. The windows are original except for some of those in Studios on the third floor facing the City.
The conversion project (1985-1989)
The complex was split into studio workshops (live/work units) and sold by JJAK (Construction) Ltd as empty shells for to leaseholders to fit out. The first building to be converted was the Limehouse Cut.The studio sizes vary between 580 to 1610 sq ft (53.9 to 149.6 m2).
The building was featured again in June 1986.
Back in 1986, the “studio – part workplace, part home – [had] no status in planning law”.
At that time the Spratt's Works was a hard-working colony whose residents include artists, photographers, the Queen's tapestry restorer (Ksynia Marko), a packaging firm, "Spitting Image" (Roger Law) and Elizabeth Fritsch (a top ceramicist).
Originally, the planning permission and the lease restricted the live (residential) accommodation to no more than 50% of the space (the rest up to 100% had to be for business use). In the 1990s, as it became progressively more difficult to get mortgages for properties of this type, the majority of the units changed to allow 100% residential use.
Each unit was originally sold as a shell with utilities run at the entrance of the unit (water, drainage, electricity, gas, telephone and fax lines, TV areal and entry phone cables). It was up to the leaseholder to fit out the entire unit: partitions, pipes, wires, etc. Although it was up to the leaseholder to design his or her own unit, building regulations had to be met, in particular, each unit had to include a fire lobby.
Today
The building has become extremely desirable for media-based artists, curators, graphic/web/product/fashion designers, animators, illustrators, architects and other creatives.Additional information
Roof garden
At the top of the Limehouse Cut building, there is a large 1500 sq ft (139.4 m²) communal roof garden with views over Canary Wharf. It is private and maintained by volunteering residents.Filming
Filming and photo shoots are regularly taking place in and around the buildings. Prior permission is required by the management company.Parking
Parking is restricted. In 2011, Flashpark has been introduced to deal with illegal parking.Conservation area
On 8 October 2008, the Langdon Park conservation area was extended to include the Spratt's Complex.Usage of the different buildings
- Colman’s Wharf (45 Morris Road, London E14 6PA)
- Original use: seed, packing, grain warehouse
- Today: live/work units, including Simulation (Studio 11), South Quay Travel (Studios 20 and 21)
- The Limehouse Cut (46 Morris Road, London E14 6NQ)
- Original use: grain warehouses, meal grinding, sand and grit, bakery no 2, veterinary medicine, laboratory stores
- Today: live/work units, including The Limehouse Recording Studio London (Studio 7 ) C&S Digital (Studio 8A), The London Academy of Art Project (Studio 8B ), Moot Design (Studio 8C), Rachel Clark (Studio 25 ), Folio Photography (Studio 28), Debbie Bragg (Studio 38A ), Everynight Images (Studio 38A ) The Dandelion Trust (Studio 41 )
- Foundry House (47 Morris Rd, London E14 6NJ)
- Original use: power house, bakery no 1, bank and delivery warehouse
- Today: live/work units, including Spook (Unit 301)
- Patent House (48 Morris Road, London E14 6NU)
- Original use: delivery warehouse, biscuit packing, grain warehouse, blacksmiths & wire workers, saw mills, kennel & box makers, advertising department
- Today: live/work units
- One Fawe Street (1 Fawe Street, London E14 6PD)
- Original use: grain warehouse, bakeries no 3 & 4 and a flour warehouse
- Today: live/work units, including AB Fine Art Foundry (One Fawe Street ) and One Fawe Street (Studio 6, Block B )