Frances and Michael Holmes

About 70 members of the Heritage Society heard a beautifully illustrated talk at the Fairland Hall by Frances and Michael Holmes on the Norwich boot and shoe industry.

For centuries textiles had been the main trade of the city, but the Industrial Revolution of the 1700s saw production move to the north of England. However, many unemployed textile workers were able to find work in the emerging shoe industry, which began to become manufacturing based from 1792 when James Smith established a shop and factory in St Peter’s Street on the site on which now stands the City Hall. By 1900 the shoe industry had become the city’s largest employer, principally making high quality shoes for ladies and children. Approximately 7500 people were employed in such factories as those of Edwards & Holmes, James Southall (later Start-rite), Howlett & White (later Norvic), P. Haldinstein & Sons (later Bally) and H. Sexton & Sons (later Sexton, Son & Everard).

Trade dipped significantly during World War One when the export market closed, but by 1931 the number of people employed on shoes in Norwich had risen to 10700 – though many were on short time. During World War Two several factories, among them Edwards & Holmes and Sexton Son & Everard, suffered badly from bomb damage, but things improved again in the 1950s with shoes being made by 9000 workers in 20 factories, including Bally and Norvic. During the presentation some interesting film clips were screened, including one narrated by Richard Dimbleby showing various stages of the shoemaking process at a Norwich factory.

There was great camaraderie in the factories with football matches, works outings, staff dances, beauty queen contests and children’s Christmas parties, while in the 1940s BBC radio’s “Music While You Work” and “Workers’ Playtime” were broadcast to the employees at their benches. Howlett & White even had their own brass band!

Then, because of cheap imports from countries like Italy and Portugal, changing fashions and distribution problems, the city’s shoe industry saw a rapid decline. Most factories closed and today only Start-rite, Florida (Van Del) and Shorten & Armes survive in some form, while high quality slippers are produced by Osoeasie and Broadland Slippers.

Tony Wright, who was in the chair, gave the vote of thanks.