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 (left partly demolished in 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.

November 1903 - Names of Workers copied from an old Ledger Book
Closing Room	Clickers	Making	Finishing
Sayer	Noble	Wood	Shoulder
Ives	Hobbs	Clark	Hodby
Brown	Noble, E	Britton	Allen
Johnson, S	King	Gamble	Green
Jolley	Harbour	West	Hodby
Kendle	Fletton	Whiteman	Smith
Berrell	Packing	King	Heeling
Bodman	Horace	Knight	Knight
Smith, L	Rough Stuff	Britton	Sears
Denton	Parker	Underwood
Smith	Maddams	Denton

Rushden Echo, 27th November 1908

Mr. A. Allebone

For several years past Mr. A. Allebone has occupied the factory at the corner of Wellingborough-road and Duck-street. His business has now developed, and the need for larger and more convenient premises has been forced upon his attention. He has now secured the factory at the bottom of Midland-road—at the junction of that road with High-street—at present occupied by Messrs. Sanders and Sanders, who will vacate it on the completion of their proposed new factory in Spencer-park. Mr. Allebone, who hopes to be in his new quarters in the spring of next year, will then be able to greatly increase his out-put of boots and more hands will be required.

Rushden Echo, 5^th September 1924, transcribed by Kay Collins

Outing—On Saturday the employees and staff of Messrs. A Allebone and Sons Ltd. held their annual outing, to Wembley being visited by a party of about 80. Starting out at 6.30a.m., in charabancs supplied by the United Counties Omnibus Company. Wembley was reached after a stop at Barnet. At Wembley the trippers disported themselves in various ways, and a start for home was made at 8.30. After stopping at Barnet on the return journey, Rushden was reached just before 2a.m., after a most enjoyable day. The employers made a welcome contribution towards the expenses of the outing.

A & S Ltd letterhead from the 1940s

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 had a list of people included - 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.
2023 we got another copy of this photograph with most names

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

The facade has stood for ten years - demolition began in 2008!

Courtesy of Mervyn Wood in 2018

Allebone & Sons Ltd - mainpage