INDUSTRIES 



The great depression of trade consequent on 

 the expenditure upon the Peninsular war seriously 

 affected the leather industry in Northampton. 

 Although with the return of better times the 

 hoot industry revived until the town took its 

 place as the most important centre of the men's 

 trade in the country, there appears to have been 

 a lack of enterprise about the sister industry 

 which preferred attempting to entrench itself 

 behind old privileges rather than strike out a 

 new course more in accordance with the altered 

 conditions of trade subsequent to the legislation 

 of 1830. Accordingly much of the trade that 

 might have been retained went to Leeds and 

 other centres in the north of England, and 

 larse importations of curried calfskins from 

 France largely took the place of the home- 

 produced article. In heavy leather only did 

 England retain its superiority, but in North- 

 amptonshire the tanyards yearly became reduced 

 in number. From 1840 the number of leather 

 manufacturers in the town became smaller, 

 and the number of merchants selling the pro- 

 duce of other districts and also foreign leather 

 increased. 



In 1847 we can trace tanneries for heavy 

 leather at the following places in the county : 

 Brigstock, Drayton, Duddington, Higham 

 Ferrers, Kettering (2), King's Sutton, Northamp- 

 ton, Warkton, Wilby, and Stanion. In 1854 

 four at least had been closed. In 1 890 three only 

 remained, while in 1 906 not one of those at 

 work in 1847 continues, though two new yards 

 have been opened in Northampton. One of 

 these was started about i860 by a Mr. Anderton, 

 who acquired a disused clay pit at the corner of 

 Monk's Pond Street and Spring Lane, utilizing 

 the excavation for the site of his tan pits. He 

 was unsuccessful in his enterprise, and was 

 followed three years later by Mr, William 

 Borton, who in turn disposed of the yard to 

 Mr. S.B.Thompson in 1864. This gentleman 

 tanned excellent leather for many years, retiring 

 with a competence in 1 893, the business being 

 purchased by Messrs. Pettit & Son,' who continued 

 to work it on the old lines (so far as the long 

 tanning process with oak bark as a medium is 

 concerned), and in conjunction with their busi- 

 ness of leather dressers, which will receive 

 mention latter. 



Mr. Borton afterwards started a tanyard 

 between the north side of the racecourse and the 

 brickyards, where vestiges of the old pits may 

 still be seen, but the business was not long con- 

 tinued. In 1846 Messrs. C. Cherry & Co. ad- 

 vertised their commencement in the business of 

 enamelling and japanning of leather in all its 

 branches in St. George's Street, Northampton. - 

 At this time japanned or patent leather was used 



' The yard was worked out in 1906 as it had 

 ceased to be profitable. 



' Northampton Mercury, 8 April, 1 846. 



in considerable quantities, and was mostly im- 

 ported from France. 



About the year 1832 Mr. Marmaduke 

 Wetherell came to Northampton from Lincoln 

 and started a tanyard in St. James' End, beyond 

 the west bridge. He concerned himself chiefly 

 in the tanning of horse hides, though in later 

 years the business under his son, Mr. James 

 Wetherell, and afterwards in the partnership of 

 Messrs. Wetherell and Neepe, was considerably 

 extended, and a branch warehouse and currying 

 shop was opened in Newland, extending through 

 to Grey Friars Street. After the death of 

 Mr. James Wetherell in 1882 the Newland 

 premises and business were taken over by Messrs. 

 T. Wetherell & Co., and the yard and business 

 in St. James' End continued by Messrs. Neepe 

 and Denton. A further change occurred in 

 1892 when the yard v\'as bought by Messrs. 

 Brice & Co., and on their business coming to 

 an end in 1896 the tan-yard was sold to 

 the Northampton Tanning Company, with 

 Mr. Carlton Heal as director of its affairs. New 

 pits for the tanning of sole leather on the mixed 

 tannage or Lancashire principle were immediately 

 laid down, and at the time of writing (1906) the 

 output of the yard averages about five hundred 

 hides per week. 



The firm of Messrs. T. Wetherell & Co., 

 consisting of Mr. T. Wetherell and his two 

 sons (the son and grandsons of the originator of 

 the business) still continue the currying and 

 leather-dressing in Grey Friars Street, and have 

 also acquired extensive premises in Wood Street, 

 for the manufacture of leather suitable for 

 leggings, gaiters, and linings. 



About the year i860 a new leather was 

 introduced into this country from France called 

 Calf Kid. This was a soft-faced material, some- 

 what resembling glove kid, but naturally having 

 greater firmness as being made from calf skin 

 instead of goat. The leather soon won popu- 

 larity, and in a short time English leather- 

 dressers entered the field. Messrs. Wade & Sons 

 were the first in Northampton to commence its 

 manufacture. The leather was dressed with 

 alum and salt, flour, egg yolk and olive oil. 

 Mr. William Wade had begun business as a 

 fellmonger and woolstapler in 1825, and a few 

 years later embarked in leather-dressing. About 

 i860 he had commenced curing Smyrna sheep 

 skins with alum for the Yeovil glovers, and 

 from that to dressing calf kid was only a step. 

 This branch of his business was successively car- 

 ried on under the direction of a Mr. Cant and a 

 Mr. Fudger, but finding the demands of the 

 new trade somewhat exacting, Mr. Wade relin- 

 quished it in favour of his earlier srjle of 

 business. As he had associated with him his 

 two sons John and Henry, the firm was now 

 known by the title of William Wade & Sons, and 

 considerable trade as woolstaplers, fellmongers 

 and dressers of Smyrna linings was continued for 



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