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Fussell And Drury Footwear

S

Sirion

New Member
French209works of ArthurEWheeler(Bromsgrove).jpg

This photo is on a postcard dated 10 Sep 1908. The postmark is Bromsgrove. The writing on the back implies that the man standing this side of the hedge is Arthur Edward Wheeler (b. abt 1864 in Birmingham). In the 1901 Census his occupation was recorded as 'shoemaker'. An educated guess says that the name on top of the building is Russell & Drury but I have not managed to find out anything else about the factory in the picture or why it is in ruins!
If this rings any bells with anyone out there I'd be most grateful for info.
 
hi sirion..what a fascinating postcard this is...ive looked closely at it and i wonder if the factory is in this state due to a fire..

lyn
 
What an amazing photo I would say the destruction is definitely due to a fire the evidence is there with the smoke damage above the windows. The only shoe company I can think of is Russell and Bromley but don't know anything of their history. This factory could have been the forerunner maybe?
 
I agree about the smoke damage. Unfortunately, I have already explored the Russell & Bromley idea - they started, and remain, in the South East (HQ in Bromley, I think). Arthur Wheeler is my maternal great grandfather. Of all the branches of my family tree it is the Wheelers that I'm having most difficulty in tracing.
 
The company is actually Fussell & Drury, listed as Hinckley Street, although I don't think this photo would be of Hinkley Street


1901 Kelly's Directory

Fussell&Drury1900.JPG

Colin
 
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Wendy said:
What an amazing photo I would say the destruction is definitely due to a fire the evidence is there with the smoke damage above the windows. The only shoe company I can think of is Russell and Bromley but don't know anything of their history. This factory could have been the forerunner maybe?
Click to expand...
Hi, my grandfather, Thomas Drury and his brothers owned this factory which was badly damaged in a fire.
 
hello drury and welcome to the forum..was the building repaired after the fire...

lyn
 
Thank you so much for posting this information. I remember my mother telling me about a riding accident. It was a long time ago and sadly I have no more relatives on the Drury side that my I know of to find out more about my family.
 
1897 damage to glass windows at FD's factory, Worcester Road Bromsgrove. (strikers)
partner Victor Drury

1895 Boot Manufacturing Dispute....Every federated factory picketed...FD, Hinkley Street. Use of non-union labour.

March 1895 Shoe trade crisis crowd of about 1000, mainly factory girls and men and boys from neighbouring works-police used to get to factory.

1881 also Dudley Street.

1901 flooded factory in Bromsgrove

1895 Only 2 firms in Bm use lasting Machinery, FD and Jonas, Pershore St. FD have put down 5 Boston lasting machines capable of heavy work

1895 Stickers at FD had a tempory victory. 100 non-unionists asked to be paid off due to hostility. Factory closed until settlement.
 
It would be interesting to find out where the factory in the first post was situated. It shows an open space in front of the factory and therefore Hinkley St and Dudley St could be discounted. I have looked on Street View along Worcester Road
in Bromsgrove without success.

Fussell and Drury would have been quite a big shoe making concern. It looks like they had no sympathy for Trades Unions
 

Worcestershire Sheet XV.SE
Revised: 1901, Published: 1903​

Check out this map on the National Library of Scotland website. It shows a Boot & Shoe manufactory just off the Worcester Road, Bromsgrove. No evidence of its existance on Google Maps but Charford Road is there.
 
The 1924 map also shows a boot & shoe manufactory, marked in red. The 1924 Kellys identifies it as Victor Drury & Co Ltd.



map 1924 Bromsgrove showing Victor Drury, boot & shoe manufacturerA.jpg


It would seem that the factory was rebuilt. It is reasonable to assume that this was on the old site (though greatly expanded), and so th eold factory is presumably the small building marked with an arrow on the 1880s map below

map 1880s showing position of boot & show manufactury.jpg
 
Looking into the work of a Northampton based architect AE Anderson who we think designed the Bromsgrove factory can anyone confirm ?
 
Roger Frisby said:
Looking into the work of a Northampton based architect AE Anderson who we think designed the Bromsgrove factory can anyone confirm ?
Click to expand...
hi roger is your enquiry actually about the thread title ? which is frussell and drury footwear...if not could you please start a new tread under our factories and offices section of the forum so keeping the thread on topic..thank you

the team
 
I meant the Fursell and Drury site as well as the Victor
Drury site. Interested in the date of the build as well as the architect
.
I am compiling a complete list of the work of Anderson’s work and these two factories are outside his normal area but he was a renowned designer of shoe factories
 
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