Airborne Shoes – 1960

One day, in the early 1900s, two men, Frederick Pollard and Fred Wain, were both locked out of the shoe factory where they both worked for being a few minutes late.

They vowed it would never happen again and decided to establish their own company in Latimer Street named Pollard and Wain.

By 1917, growing demand meant that the company needed to find larger premises. They acquired a spacious factory, known as High Street Works, which covered an area between High Street (now Andrew Road) and Roseberry Road and fitted it with the most up to date machinery.

They specialised in the manufacture of high-class boys and girls boots and other shoes using various types of leather.

The factory changed its name to Airborne Shoes in 1947 and became one of Anstey’s best known companies.

It closed in the 1970s.

The photo, taken in 1960, shows the workforce rushing out onto Roseberry Road for their lunch break. They would either be going home for a family midday meal or to the company’s canteen.