INDUSTRIES 



curriers, leather-dressers, leather-factors and 

 manufacturers of leather. There are also 

 some leather dyers and leather enamellers and 

 japanners, and a few makers of parchment 

 and vellum. The census returns of 1901 

 show that there is a resident population of 

 3,238 males and 785 females in the metropo- 

 litan borough of Bermondsey, and of 1,673 

 males and 870 females in South wark, engaged 

 in the various branches of the leather trade 

 and manufacture. 



Probably the oldest existing Bermondsey 

 firm of leather manufacturers and now the 

 best known is that of Messrs. Bevingtons & 

 Sons of the Neckinger Mills. The records 

 of successful commercial enterprise contain 

 few more notable examples of continuous 

 progress and consistent development than 

 that furnished by this house of leather manu- 

 facturers, factors and merchants, which for a 

 century past has occupied a distinctively re- 

 cognized position as one of the leading under- 

 takings in this important field of industry.^ 



The history of the business dates back to 

 its foundation in 1800 by three brothers — 

 Samuel, Henry and Timothy Bevington, who 

 were succeeded in the control by their de- 

 scendants, of whom Colonel Samuel Bourne 

 Bevington, grandson of Mr. Samuel Beving- 

 ton, is now the senior partner of the firm. 



The business was originally commenced at 

 the Neckinger Mills, which had been pre- 

 viously occupied by a company for the manu- 

 facture of paper from straw. The works were 

 considerably extended and developed by the 

 second generation of the family, at the head 

 of which was Mr. James Buckingham Bev- 

 ington, who continued as an active partner in 

 the concern until the advanced age of eighty 

 years, retiring in 1884 and dying in 1892 at 

 the age of eighty-eight. 



In 1850 we learn that this tannery was 

 devoted to the preparation of the thinner and 

 softer skins, especially for those tanned with 

 sumach or alum in place of bark, and also to 

 oil tanning : that is to say for morocco, roan, 

 buck and doe and other productions from 

 deer, goat and sheep skins by sumach ; and 

 for lamb, kid and other delicate skins by the 

 latter processes. Eighty-five men were then 

 employed on the premises and fifteen else- 

 where, and the establishment had a 6-horse 

 power steam engine to keep in motion the 

 various machines for softening, splitting, 

 finishing and washing. 250,000 skins were 

 yearly tanned by alum (tawed or white 

 leather) and 220,000 by sumach. The ma- 



1 The following account of this house is based 

 mainly on materials supplied by Messrs. Beving- 

 tons & Sons. 



terials used in the various processes were 150 

 tons of sumach, 1 8 tons of alum, 30 tons of 

 salt, 60 loads of lime and 70,000 eggs. 800 

 tons of coal and coke were annually con- 

 sumed here.^ 



The manufacturing departments are still 

 continued at the original site in Bermondsey, 

 the works covering an extensive area of 3 

 acres of ground, through which the lines of 

 the South-Eastern and London, Brighton and 

 South Coast Railways run, the arches being 

 utilized as stores for materials. The premises 

 are very conveniently adapted to the require- 

 ments of the business, the water used in the 

 various processes being supplied by a special 

 inlet from the Thames, and modern mechani- 

 cal plant being laid down to facilitate the 

 several specialities for which the house is 

 noted. Since the recent widening of the 

 South-Eastern Railway a new steam engine 

 has been erected with the most recent de- 

 velopments for driving machinery by means 

 of electrical dynamos and motors. 



The specialities of the firm include the 

 manufacture of morocco, roan, skivers, seal, 

 chrome and glove leather, from the initial 

 tanning and dressing to the most advanced 

 stages of currying and finishing, including the 

 manufacture of hat leathers. An operative 

 force of nearly 500 hands is employed in the 

 various processes of production. Messrs. 

 Bevingtons & Sons are also importers on a 

 large scale of all descriptions of continental 

 and American leather, and have in addition 

 established an extensive trade as wool mer- 

 chants. 



From 1856 until 1874 the city warehouse 

 of the firm was located in Cannon Street. 

 At the latter date this department was re- 

 moved to the large premises now occupied at 

 42, St. Thomas's Street, Southwark. 



Another very important Bermondsey firm 

 of tanners is that of Messrs. Samuel Barrow 

 & Brother, Ltd. This was originally started 

 in 1848 under the style of John Barrow & 

 Sons, the partners being Messrs. John Barrow, 

 Samuel Barrow and James Barrow. The 

 business, commenced in a small way at some 

 premises in Wild's Rents, has since developed 

 enormously. The present warehouses in 

 Westow Street were erected by Mr. Samuel 

 Barrow, who in 1864 purchased a large 

 tannery at Redhill, and in 1891 the entire 

 enterprise was registered as a limited liability 

 company, with a capital of ;^300,000 pri- 

 vately subscribed. Four tanneries are now 

 controlled by the company, namely three in 

 Bermondsey — i.e. in the Grange, the Grange 



2 Brayley and Britten, Hist, of Surrey, v. App. 

 31- 



339 



