Rushden Research Group: Allebone& Sons Ltd

Article and 2008 photographs by Kay Collins

Allebone & Sons Ltd.


Mr Augustus Allebone	The factory in Oakley road - in 1984 (demolished 2010)

Mr. Augustus Allebone started as a boot and shoe maker in 1902. In 1908 he moved to larger premises in High Street, and then built a new factory, fitted with electric light, electric power, and all the latest and best machinery in 1915. They made medium class youths’ and boys’ goods before the war, but Government work making British and Russian boots kept them fully occupied throughout the war. The business was made a limited company (in 1913), managed by his two sons, Horace and Arthur Allebone, but when Horace joined up, his brother Arthur took control. The trademarks were Oakley Shoes and Prestige Footwear. In the 1940s George Selwood & Co. shared the premises when the RAF took over his Harborough Road factory, and the company was retitled A & S Footwear Ltd.

Rushden Echo & Argus, 17th March 1950, transcribed by Kay Collins

INCREASES OF CAPITAL
Allebone and Sons Ltd. (132,889)

Boot and shoe manufacturers, etc., of Oakley Road, Rushden. Increased by £65,000 in £1 shares beyond the registered capital of £20,000.


The 1908 factory in 2008 - it is now being demolished (2009). For several years it has been a furniture warehouse for GBD. Both factories are being demolished for flats to be built.	The Prestige Footwear factory in Washbrook Road, adjoins the other factory. The trees (right) are next to the old railway line which was down in a cutting next to this factory.

An aerial view showing the two factories backing onto the railway cutting where it crosses Washbrook Road

The rack for clocking in cards

The master Clock in the office upstairs

The stairs leading up to the office

Above is the rack where each employee's work record card was placed. Each time they entered or left the factory they would push the card into a slot in the time clock (this had gone when I took the photographs!) and the time was printed onto the card. This was then used to calculate wages at the end of the week. If they were late by a minute or two, they would lose a quarter of an hour's pay.

(Top centre) The Master Clock - inside a cupboard in the upstairs office. This was connected to the clock on the "shop floor", to ensure they both showed the same time. The clock was facing a window so I could not get a picture without my reflection!

(left)
A valve in the complex overhead pipework of the sprinkler system.

Several shoe factories were destroyed by fire and it was said "when a factory fire started in Rushden all surrounding fire brigades were put on alert". The Co-op shoe factory had its own fire brigade.


Inside the main factory area	Inside the Prestige factory area Note the glass cube window	Showing the pipework and north facing windows - John Collins (left) talking to "Mr. Barry"

Closers at the factory at Christmas about 1938/9

The closing department have bedecked the factory for the Coronation 1953

We have a list of people included in this photograph, in no particular order:-

Daisy Fellows, Mrs. Garley, Jane Beeby, Marian Williamson, Doreen Bailey, C Allebone, Maud Tomlin, Roy Tomlin, Don King, Irene Fletton, Arthur Allebone, Freda Phipps, Mary Dunkley & Edna Cooper.

A shop display card


These little foil tags were attached to all the "Prestigo" shoes			Card with the Oakley Shoes trademark
Advertising added when the shoes were packed