tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287675141745937676.post8085317091254902178..comments2024-03-20T23:43:28.613+00:00Comments on Caroline's Miscellany: Ghost signs (100): Bermondsey leatherCarolineLDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00197813252586559665noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287675141745937676.post-4120075988641507932014-04-20T19:55:55.012+01:002014-04-20T19:55:55.012+01:00These photos brought back some good memories as I ...These photos brought back some good memories as I worked at M. Emanuel Ltd from when I left school in 1979 until 1982. It was a very small business with only the boss (Ralph Emanuel), a secretary (Joan), a rep (Dennis Fenton), a warehouseman (Roy), and me as a junior warehouseman. The entire company (offices & warehouse) was the middle floor of number 3 Leather Market. I also worked for a paper merchant named GF Smith & Son at number 2 Leather Market from 1982 until 1986.Andy Pnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287675141745937676.post-25302256601268700962013-10-19T03:32:43.658+01:002013-10-19T03:32:43.658+01:00One of the consequences of using leather for organ...One of the consequences of using leather for organ bellows was that mice ate it. In the 19th century you could buy a harmonium, which had small foot-pumped bellows inside the cabinet, with 'Mouse-Proof Pedals'. Here is a photograph of these devices; you can just see the words at the bottom of the metal pedal, just above the wooden base:<br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabinal/4271462052/Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287675141745937676.post-78690383694751798532013-10-18T21:31:11.974+01:002013-10-18T21:31:11.974+01:00Sam, that's a great one - a good excuse for me...Sam, that's a great one - a good excuse for me to go for another wander around! I think the walk was £11. <br /><br />Hugh, I think 'lively' is the perfect word for the carvings. <br /><br />Thank you Stephen, that's fascinating. I love the detail of leather for organs as a specialist business. I grew up near Street, Somerset - home of Clark's shoes who have also moved manufacturing from the UK. <br />CarolineLDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00197813252586559665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287675141745937676.post-18494013238828315102013-10-18T14:01:00.580+01:002013-10-18T14:01:00.580+01:00Caroline, I read this blog with interest. In the 1...Caroline, I read this blog with interest. In the 1980's I worked for a firm of Leather Merchants in Leicester Bevingtons & Sons. The business had been founded in the Eighteenth Century originally as tanners in Bermondsey. Once a month I one have to travel down to London to review the accounts of the office retained in London, which occupied the ground floor of the tannery warehouse, the tan pits had been filled in to create carparking. The rest of the building had been converted to flats.<br />The London business had 2 elements, the main part was the sale of skins to the clothing trade for leather jackets, etc. The busiest period was the run up to Christmas, payment was often large sums of cash. The smaller part of the business was the sale of leather for the repair of organs. The man who dealt with this side of the business came in once or twice a week but had been with the company all his life and was full of interesting information about tanning and the import of leather.<br /><br />In the office were old leather bound ledgers from the days when tanning was carried out. Each department had its own ledger and these were all different in there layout of the columns. These were printed to order each year.<br /><br />For this business they had imported untanned skins from abroad principally India and Pakistan other materials were sealskin, snakeskin and sheepskins. Over time the tanning was carried out overseas and the tanned skins were imported so the business had evolved into leather merchants. By the time I left the transfer of manufacturing had started with shoe uppers being made abroad for completion in this country. There are now no major shoe manufacturers left in Leicester.<br /><br />In the Nineteenth Century Bevingtons' commissioned large glass plate photos of one of their tanneries and some of the processes. I have seen reproduced copies of the photos which are of a very high quality. I believe the original photos/plates were donated to the Victoria and Albert Museum.Stephen Barkernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287675141745937676.post-35764226937496660182013-10-18T07:57:25.506+01:002013-10-18T07:57:25.506+01:00There's also this one on Tanner Street. Out of...There's also <b><a href="http://www.hatads.org.uk/ads/ghostsigns/26772/8496/Tradesmen---DIY" rel="nofollow">this one</a></b> on Tanner Street. Out of interest, how much are those walking tours?Sam Roberts (Ghostsigns)https://www.blogger.com/profile/04388533305466789541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287675141745937676.post-31312872294548734382013-10-18T07:45:54.845+01:002013-10-18T07:45:54.845+01:00What a splendid building - those lively carvings b...What a splendid building - those lively carvings banish anonymity and make the viewer feel included in the processes of the business (if the surrounding smells haven't already)!HughBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16690600639304795379noreply@blogger.com