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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Leicestershire => Topic started by: Finley 1 on Thursday 31 July 14 10:57 BST (UK)
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Wonder if anyone has or can find any information regarding this shoe company in Leicester???
thanks
xin
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Hi Xin,
there are quite a lot of articles about the Rawson family on historical newspapers but only up until 1919.
there have been some posts before on RC by Annie65115. she has offered to share info from wills etc.
the thread came under RAWSONS of Nottinghamshire/Leicester (don't know how to link it here)
Diddy
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That's me :)
but the Rawsons about whom I have lots of info/resources are not, so far as I know, connected with the shoemaking Rawsons.
I have looked briefly at the shoemaking bunch in the past to see if there was any connection and if my memory serves, I think they came from Northamptonshire in the mid1800s?? but don't quote me on that!
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OH ..... :-\ thank you both :)
I must have it wrong then....... I know my Grandfather worked in the boot and shoe trade all his life .... somewhere in central Leicester!!! and I thought it was Rawsons.....
Seemingly not... will have to see if i can find some other way of finding out where he worked.
thanks again
xin ;)
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Wires crossed I think!
maybe he worked at Rawsons -- it's the company you're interested in rather than the Rawson family? There was certainly a John Rawson who was a boot and shoe manufacturer in Leic from the 1870s onwards and he had sons so they may well have carried on the business.
I'll see if I can find anything in the trade directories ---
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John Rawson + Sons, Evington Valley rd; Built in 1890s, now demolished, Madani High School is on the site. Possible?
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Bless you and thank you. Yes Evington Valley Rd, I have been in touch with my cousin and she reckons he started out at Rawsons at a very young age and then went on to work at Smith and Wesley's.... Do you know anything about them???
Appreciate your help, have checked Google and it gives very little information.
xin :)
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From a 1919 publication -- Smith, Wesley + co, 63 Highcross Street (no further info, this is just a directory).
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Thank you, :)
xin
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http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Vanishing-landmarks-glory-days/story-12055581-detail/story.html
Some interesting info in the article which took me to http://www.lihs.org.uk/
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thanks for those links.. Really well worth a visit.
xin
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The records office are very helpful, and have a Shoe and Leather News Biographical directory dating from WW1, filled full of info on shoe companies at the time. I know it's not 1950s, but if Rawsons were set up much earlier there is a good chance they will be in this.
I've been told by a footwear history expert that there were about 140 shoe factories in Leicester in the 1950s. A lot of them, if older family companies, are hard to find out much about. I know because I'm on a quest to find out more about wholesale manufacturer TG Hunt of Leicester - they are very elusive!
There was a Leicester branch of the British Boot and Shoe Association in the 1950s, they are now part of the Textile Institute.
Hope this helps.
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Thank you,
Yes helps a great deal - really appreciate it.
:)
xin