The Rushden Echo, 4th February, 1910, transcribed by Jim Hollis
Factory Extension At Rushden
Mr. Percy Collins Enlarges His Premises
Mr. Percy Collins, heel manufacturer, Denmark-road, Rushden, has just had extensive additions made to his factory, and he commenced to utilize the increased accommodation this week.
It is 13 years now since Mr. Collins first started in business for himself as a heel builder, taking over a part of a small workshop in Newton-road, adjoining the Urban Council yard. At that time he employed three hands. The business, which has been carried on under Mr. Collins’s personal supervision, has from that time to this gone on rapidly increasing. From Newton-road he removed to larger premises in Crabb-street, and subsequently to a spacious factory in Denmark-road. It is to this factory that the extensions now under consideration have been made.
has been added at the Newton end of the factory, the work having been carried out in a most efficient manner by Messrs. Clark and Sanders, of Church-street, Rushden, with whose work Mr. Collins expresses himself perfectly satisfied.
Through the extension, Mr. Collins will increase his productive capacity threefold. The extension is on the one-floor principle, with north lights in the roof. The new building is lofty and of large dimensions; it is well ventilated, and has all the modern improvements; block wood flooring is used; and incandescent lights have been installed. Mr. Collins is introducing new machinery of the very latest type, and in every way the business will continue to be conducted on the most up-to-date methods.
|
The Rushden Echo, 31st December 1909, transcribed by Kay Collins
Boys’ Life Brigade—At the Baptist Church Assembly-rooms yesterday week the annual Christmas tree was held. There was a large attendance, and a very enjoyable evening was spent. Mr Percy Collins represented Santa Claus. The proceeds were over £8.
|
Percy and his wife, Susan, moved to Gladstone House in Griffiths Street, in about 1903. Following an accident, Percy Collins died in 1911, and his brother Henry, who had been managing the business, now took over, but then Henry died in 1913.
|
Rushden Echo, 19th January 1912
The Business of the late Mr. Percy Collins, lift manufacturer, Rushden and Bozeat, has been purchased as from 1st January last by Messrs. Tailby and Putnam. This firm do an extensive business in grindery, etc., for the boot trade. We understand that Mr. Henry Collins has been appointed manager of the lift manufacturing business, and, under his capable control, we are confident that the excellent reputation of the old firm will be kept up by the new proprietors, who will continue to trade as P. Collins and Co. We wish the firm every success.
|
| Extract from Soldiers' Notes 1914 - Private Horace Clayton, of Rushden, was manager of the Bozeat Branch of Messrs P. Collins & Co. before he enlisted in 1914. |
Horace Wright moved into the property in about 1915, and P Collins and Co. moved to Allen Road, where they remained until 1965 when the company was retitled Putnam Ltd.
Rushden Echo and Argus, 4th December 1931, transcribed by Kay Collins
Factory Accident
While operating a revolution press at Messrs P Collins’ heel factory, Allen-road, on Tuesday evening, Mr W Horsford, of Stanwick, seriously cut his hand. Eight stitches had to be inserted in the palm. The accident occurred at about 5.10pm—five minutes before the close of work. First aid assistance was given by Mr Hobbs, of Messrs Wm Green and Sons Ltd.
|
|
| Memories 1950s - Anon |
P Collins & Co Ltd – Allen Road |
 |
|
Revolution Press - Standard Rotary Machines Ltd.
|
|
The company directors were C Putnam, S A Putnam, D M Putnam & M C Putnam.
In the 1950’s two brothers, Ray & Stuart Putnam were running the factory. Two men used to come by train from Wellingborough to work there, the rest lived in Rushden. There was a workforce of about 20.
There were 6 men operating Revolution Press cutters. They cut out the heel pieces from sheets of leather, and if the leather was uneven the press knife might flip and cut the operator. Several men lost fingers using these types of press. There was also a skiving machine to even out the thickness of some of the pieces.
|
| All the pieces of each shoe size were batched up into sacks. The sacks were then taken into the making room where the pieces were taken out and gathered together to make the certain depth required by exchanging thinner pieces for thicker to achieve the exact thickness; this job was mostly done by women. Each heel when gathered to the right thickness was laid into a large tray divided into long sections, every alternate heel was rotated a half turn. The tray, when full, was passed to the tackers, who put 7 tacks into each on the curved edge, one in the centre and three down each side. These tacks held the heel together for the slugging machines to complete the heel. This job was done by both men and women. |
 |
|
The heels were laid into trays
|
|
 |
|
Hand Tacker
|
|
| Charles Putnam also had a factory at Ringstead, and another at Bozeat. |
 |
|
Examples of slugging patterns in soles and heels
|
|
|
Later they also made Dinky heels for stiletto heels.
In Graveley Street there was the Boston Leather Co. who used to cut soles and heels for other factories, also using the Revolution Press. If we got behind with orders, then work would be sent up to them for a day or two, until we caught back up to date.
There was also a heel factory in Windmill road, next to the old Windmill Club; the Rushden Heel Co. Ltd., and in Sartoris Road there was W W Chamberlain who also made heels, but they made other shoe components too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rushden Echo & Argus, 23rd March 1945
Rushden Man and Firm Fined
George Herbert Line, pressman-cutter, “Georgees” Avenue-road, Court Estate, Rushden, was at Northampton fined a guinea for driving a van with inefficient brakes, and the owners of the vehicle, P. Collins and Co. Ltd., boot heel manufacturers, Allen-road, Rushden, were fined three guineas for permitting the offence.
|
|
|
