The new secretary of the Rushden and District Boot and Shoe Manufacturers’ Association, Mr. S. C. Brightwell, is a decided acquisition to the association. He follows, also, a very efficient officer in Mrs. Goodband, who has filled the post to the utmost satisfaction of the members of the association for a good number of years.
Mr. Brightwell brings to bear upon the position to which he was appointed on Monday, years of practical experience not only of boot factory office management, but of the actual manufacturing and of marketing the product.
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Mr S C Brightwell
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As a youth he started work in Messrs. John Cave and Sons’ factory, Rushden, being employed in the clicking department and in the orders department of the office. After the disastrous fire (which destroyed the old factory) and the new premises had been erected and were in being, Mr. Brightwell was given a position as traveller for the firm. He was in the service of Messrs. John Cave and Sons for 16 years. He next became a partner with Mr. Joseph Knight, Rushden, the firm being known under the style of Knight and Brightwell. Leaving that partnership, Mr. Brightwell was in the service of Messrs. Wright Bros., Kettering, for four years, and Messrs. Allen and Caswell, Kettering, for two years. The war came and stopped the work of commercial travellers in the boot industry as in others. Mr. Brightwell then started on his own account as a factor and then he began actual manufacturing on a small scale in premises in Crabb-street, Rushden. He gained his foundational knowledge of boot manufacturing at Messrs. John Cave and Sons.
The new secretary of the Rushden and District Boot Manufacturers’ Association is a native of Rushden. He has done much for benevolent causes in the town. Perhaps the most outstanding piece of work to his credit was his sponsoring of the Rushden Trades Hospital Scheme which was taken up by the whole town as a much better and surer way of raising money for the Northampton Hospital and other hospitals and convalescent homes. The committee of that scheme now administer well over £1,000 a year.
A good sportsman, “Syd” as he is known amongst his fellows, has been a good amateur cricketer and has of late years been a prominent playing member and officer of the Rushden Town Bowls Club.
In the 1925 municipal elections, Mr. Brightwell was a candidate for the south ward of Rushden on the Urban Council.
Mr. Brightwell takes over officially on March 31st.
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