The End Of An Era (Boot and Shoe)

On Friday evening 31st January 1977, messrs. Burton & Stone, Cropston Road Anstey, manufacturers of children’s footwear over 52 years, closed their doors for the last time and so ended an era of boot and shoe manufacturing in Anstey since the beginning of the century. In those early days, many familiar Anstey names became connected with the trade, such as Clicker Bill and Job Wright, who had a small factory in the Jetty. Cufflin & Simpson, Greens, Nealy Smith, Hughes, Ben Pollard and so on.

Up to the beginning of the century most of the footwear produced was hand made and one well known Leicester manufacturer, TOM CANN, was known as the hand sewn man. Then came the introduction of machinery to take over the manufacture of footwear. One type of machine, the Hand Method Lasting Machine, is still being used by the trade today. Tom Cann became upset with the thought of machines taking over, so he set out to protest. With the backing of his friends in the trade, he tried very hard, but he had to give in in the end and acknowledge that machinery was going to give a boost to the industry and make the production of boots and shoes much more easy and quick.

Before this time it was a familiar sight in Anstey to see workers carrying in their baskets to and from factories, work which had been done in their homes. The Boot and Shoe Industry had taken over the old stocking frame Industry and in all Boot and Shoe Centres there were to be found home workers toiling long hours to complete their batch. The advent of machinery led to the home worker being replaced by the factory worker, thus making the home more the centre of family life.

The village of Anstey soon became one of the chief centres of the boot and shoe industry throughout the County and it appears that at one time there were 17 manufacturing units of various sizes within the village, now there are none.

At its peak, operatives of both sexes came in from all over the surrounding areas to work in the local factories. From the City, Ratby, Groby, Markfield, Glenfield and many more. Where there was no accommodation for cycles, owners used to leave them at various homes in the village, where there was covered space, for a charge of 6d. per week. In later years a special bus was arranged to pick them up. Some of the workers would walk from as far afield as Shepshed. There are quite a few family links with Shepshed as a result of this. Many types of machinery were introduced into the industry mainly by the Pearson & Bennion Company, now known as the British United Shoe Machinery Co. of Belgrave Road, Leicester.

The B.U.S.M.C. from the beginning operated a lease system for its machinery whereby factories were able to rent the machines rather than buying them outright. The smaller man was helped considerably by this method. Some years ago this method was phased out. Because the Company always held large stocks of spare parts , 12,000,000 at one time, the machines were always maintained and the operator rarely had to wait long for his machine to be put in motion after a breakdown.

Inside the factory there was always the smell and dust of the leather and maybe the habit of snuff taking, so common in the local factories was the result of this. The habit of calling in at Fred Palmers for threepennorth of SP and the term, ‘Give us a pinch Tom’ will long remain with us. Also Harrys got a job at Gelly’s in the clicking room. The clicker used a very sharp knife to cut the upper leather into various shapes. A top clicker being a real artist. Gelly’s was short for Gelthorpes whose factory ran through from Bradgate Road to Latimer Street. There was Graves Jackson and Pickett or Richards (Staniforths) Gladstone Street, Diana Shoemakers (also called Top Firm or Masons), Pollard Wain & Co., later Airborne Shoes. Picketts (now Artisan Press), Springthorpe Hunt & Co., (now Units), Jack Springthorpes (now Roberts Leather), G. H. Palmer who also operated at one time in the present Stadon Club building, Willett Bros., Heel Building, Park Road, W. Bosworth, Heels, Leicester Road. The Job Wright Box Factory for the trade in the Jetty.

All that seems to matter today is how many dozen pairs can be turned out in a working day. So for Anstey it is the finish, but who will forget, Diana’s easy snug fitting ladies, the artistic design of Airborne, the Eagle Soccer boot and so on. Boots and shoes made in Anstey and sent to the four corners of the earth. Let it be remembered too, throughout the years there has rarely been any unrest amongst the boot and shoe operatives of our village. If only other industries would copy.

C. Sutherington.