ARIAU AMAZON TOWERS HOTEL BRAZIL

In the early period Kingswood boot factories tended to be small, family-run units relying heavily on outwork. The various parts of the boots were collected by the outworkers from the factory and made up at home, the boots being returned to the factory to be 'finished'. This type of production which was later superseded by larger, more mechanised factories better geared to mass production.

For hundreds of years, leather production and manufacturing has been a high profile feature of Kingswood.

DERHAM BROTHERS

Derham's business was started by James and Samuel Derham in the 1830's or 1840's, and was among the first to make ready-made footwear. The company moved to Soundwell in 1906 after the earlier factory was destroyed by fire. In 1910, the factory was bought by Clifford and Percy Steadman of Steadman and Co. Derham's, like many other employers, got involved in the social side of their employees' lives. Derham's owned allotments in the area for the use of their employees.

BRUCE LEWIS

One of the factories that ceased production in the1950's was that of Bruce Lewis. Originally his factory was located at 53 Downend Road, Kingswood (Gordon Boot Works). During the Second World War his business was housed with the Saunders Brothers at 25 Downend Road. (Many businesses were grouped together during the War so that the empty factories could be used for different types of war work).
In 1947 a fire broke out at this factory and half of it was destroyed; however, as the building was insured, Bruce Lewis had sufficient to start up again in Forest Road, Kingswood. He subsequently went into liquidation in the 1950's.

When the British Shoe Corporation came into Kingswood, they took over the building, in Forest Road, that Bruce Lewis had occupied. It was this organisation that took much of the female labour force of Derham Brothers and Pratt when those factories closed down.

SAUNDERS BROTHERS

The firm of Saunders Brothers, whose property Bruce Lewis shared, was begun by Edwin Pearce Saunders. He originally started trading from a small building in Cross Street, Kingswood, but later on moved into Alsop Road. Here he bought several small cottages, had them demolished and erected his factory.

He also bought two cottages on Downend Road and had them converted into Kilvie House, now Kilvie Guest House. When his parents died, he took his brothers Tom, Charlie and Harry into the firm, and they remained partners until 1910. Edwin's son Ne!son, joined when Edwin bought out his brothers, who carried on working as paid employees. Edwin worked until his retirement in the l930's. lt was nelson who had the house 'Myrtle Glydd' built and lived there, almost opposite the factory. His sons, Keith and Terry, were the last Saunders Brothers in the firm ' and they ceased production in 1957.

PRATT

A major employer in the heavy boot industry in Kingswood, this firm manufactured an extremely good, high quality agricultural boot. There are still many inhabitants of the Kingswood district who have themselves worked for the firm. 'I went straight into a job within a week, in a boot factory at Kingswood.'

'Which one was that?' 'Pratt's in Park Road. I was feeding up to a heel attacher, that is, there was a machine with two feet on, swivelled in the centre, and boxes of nails on the side, and you had to sort these nails out, slip them in the holes and then the operator would put the boot on the heel, clamp down the machine and the heel would be attached.'

The business was started by Edward Woodhall Pratt in the 1880's. William and Ted Pratt ran it after E.W. Pratt retired. The Pratt family eventually sold out to Derhams, and the factory was demolished in the 1960's.

POW

lssac Pow, 1839-1910 was a manufacturer, and was the first to install permanent machinery in his factory. He was also a member of Kingswood Urban District Council and Chairman of that authority in 1901/2.

AARON JOHNSON

Aaron Johnson owned the Britannia Boot Works at the junction of Britannia Road and Forest Road. Part of the buildings were destroyed in a fire and he is supposed to have perished with it. He does, however, reputedly still 'visit' the factory on occasions!

HOARE AND DOUGLAS

The boot manufacturer business of Hoare and Douglas was originally housed in the out buildings of a property on Whittucks Road, now known as Oakfield Road. An attempt to sell the property, known as 'Hanham House', was made on 2nd November, 1898 at the Jolly Sailor Hotel, Hanham, whilst Hoare and Douglas still had a two and a half year lease on the buildings they were using. The bill of sale for this can be seen in the Reference Section of the Central Lending Library (Bristol). They continued trading in Oakfield Road until acquired by G.B. Britton in 1956.

THE MOON FAMILY

The last family firm in Kingswood was that of Moon. It closed in 1971, Charles Moon and his brother Raymond being the last members of the family to be wor

In the early period Kingswood boot factories tended to be small, family-run units relying heavily on outwork. The various parts of the boots were collected by the outworkers from the factory and made up at home, the boots being returned to the factory to be 'finished'. This type of production which was later superseded by larger, more mechanised factories better geared to mass production. For hundreds of years, leather production and manufacturing has been a high profile feature of Kingswood.

DERHAM BROTHERS

Derham's business was started by James and Samuel Derham in the 1830's or 1840's, and was among the first to make ready-made footwear. The company moved to Soundwell in 1906 after the earlier factory was destroyed by fire. In 1910, the factory was bought by Clifford and Percy Steadman of Steadman and Co. Derham's, like many other employers, got involved in the social side of their employees' lives. Derham's owned allotments in the area for the use of their employees.

BRUCE LEWIS

One of the factories that ceased production in the1950's was that of Bruce Lewis. Originally his factory was located at 53 Downend Road, Kingswood (Gordon Boot Works). During the Second World War his business was housed with the Saunders Brothers at 25 Downend Road. (Many businesses were grouped together during the War so that the empty factories could be used for different types of war work).

In 1947 a fire broke out at this factory and half of it was destroyed; however, as the building was insured, Bruce Lewis had sufficient to start up again in Forest Road, Kingswood. He subsequently went into liquidation in the 1950's.

When the British Shoe Corporation came into Kingswood, they took over the building, in Forest Road, that Bruce Lewis had occupied. It was this organisation that took much of the female labour force of Derham Brothers and Pratt when those factories closed down.

SAUNDERS BROTHERS

The firm of Saunders Brothers, whose property Bruce Lewis shared, was begun by Edwin Pearce Saunders. He originally started trading from a small building in Cross Street, Kingswood, but later on moved into Alsop Road. Here he bought several small cottages, had them demolished and erected his factory.

He also bought two cottages on Downend Road and had them converted into Kilvie House, now Kilvie Guest House. When his parents died, he took his brothers Tom, Charlie and Harry into the firm, and they remained partners until 1910. Edwin's son Ne!son, joined when Edwin bought out his brothers, who carried on working as paid employees. Edwin worked until his retirement in the l930's. lt was nelson who had the house 'Myrtle Glydd' built and lived there, almost opposite the factory. His sons, Keith and Terry, were the last Saunders Brothers in the firm ' and they ceased production in 1957.

PRATT

A major employer in the heavy boot industry in Kingswood, this firm manufactured an extremely good, high quality agricultural boot. There are still many inhabitants of the Kingswood district who have themselves worked for the firm. 'I went straight into a job within a week, in a boot factory at Kingswood.'

'Which one was that?' 'Pratt's in Park Road. I was feeding up to a heel attacher, that is, there was a machine with two feet on, swivelled in the centre, and boxes of nails on the side, and you had to sort these nails out, slip them in the holes and then the operator would put the boot on the heel, clamp down the machine and the heel would be attached.'

The business was started by Edward Woodhall Pratt in the 1880's. William and Ted Pratt ran it after E.W. Pratt retired. The Pratt family eventually sold out to Derhams, and the factory was demolished in the 1960's.

POW

lssac Pow, 1839-1910 was a manufacturer, and was the first to install permanent machinery in his factory. He was also a member of Kingswood Urban District Council and Chairman of that authority in 1901/2.

AARON JOHNSON

Aaron Johnson owned the Britannia Boot Works at the junction of Britannia Road and Forest Road. Part of the buildings were destroyed in a fire and he is supposed to have perished with it. He does, however, reputedly still 'visit' the factory on occasions!

HOARE AND DOUGLAS

The boot manufacturer business of Hoare and Douglas was originally housed in the out buildings of a property on Whittucks Road, now known as Oakfield Road. An attempt to sell the property, known as 'Hanham House', was made on 2nd November, 1898 at the Jolly Sailor Hotel, Hanham, whilst Hoare and Douglas still had a two and a half year lease on the buildings they were using. The bill of sale for this can be seen in the Reference Section of the Central Lending Library (Bristol). They continued trading in Oakfield Road until acquired by G.B. Britton in 1956.

THE MOON FAMILY

The last family firm in Kingswood was that of Moon. It closed in 1971, Charles Moon and his brother Raymond being the last members of the family to be working. They believed the reason they were able to continue