Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

Registered UK Charity (No. 115342)

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 162,259 pages of information and 244,500 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

British United Shoe Machinery Co

From Graces Guide
1919.
1921. From Leicester Chamber of Commerce Year Book.
Compressor. No 15548.
Compressor. No 15548 (detail).
Leather punch.
Leather punch. Detail.
Sewing machine.
Sewing machine (detail).

of Union Works, Belgrave Road, Leicester.

1899 Company formed to acquire the business previously carried on in Britain by the United Shoe Machinery Co of Boston, USA, and that of Pearson and Bennion of Leicester. [1]. As a consequence the company was controlled by the American company

1899 Public company formed

Later acquired several other similar businesses including the English and American Shoe Machinery Co and the George Tucker Eyelet Co.

As was common in the shoe-making trade, much of the equipment was borrowed from or leased from the makers, such as this company.

1914 Issue of debentures to provide working capital for expansion and pay off debts

1929 Death of Charles Bennion, chairman and managing director[2]

1930 Distribution of capital to the shareholders, the sixth time this had been done since 1918, testifying to the strength of the company[3]

1930 Acquired the Gimson Shoe Machinery Co.[4]

1961 Engaged in the manufacture of machinery, components and accessories for the boot and shoe industry and allied trades. 4,178 employees. [5]

1968 Partly owned by the United Shoe Machinery Corporation of Boston, USA. George Tucker Eyelet Co was a subsidiary.[6]

By 1969 was a diversified group, BU Group, engaged in supplying many industries as well as the consumer market[7]

1975 Emhart Corporation acquired United Shoe Machinery Corporation and with it gained control of the British United Shoe Machinery Co.[8]

1989 Black and Decker acquired the Emhart Corporation and with it the British United Shoe Machinery Co.[9]

See Also

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Sources of Information

  1. The Times, Jul 08, 1914
  2. The Times Mar 23, 1929
  3. The Times, Jul 14, 1930
  4. Northampton Mercury - 28 February 1930
  5. 1961 Dun and Bradstreet KBE
  6. Birmingham Daily Post - Monday 24 June 1968
  7. The Times, May 02, 1969
  8. Leicester Daily Mercury - 18 November 1975
  9. Manchester Evening News - 17 May 1989