Morlands Tannery - Glastonbury
July 2015
The business that was eventually to become Morlands was established in 1822 in Street. By the 1860s the business needed bigger premises and moved to a tannery at Northover, Glastonbury. In 1870 a new partnership between James Clark (as in Clark's shoes, based just up the road at Street), his son William, and John Morland, James’s son-in-law, was formed, with John Morland bringing new capital into the business. The firm, Clark, Son and Morland, went into production in 1871 with sixty-five employees.
In 1906 Morland’s introduced sheepskin motor rugs and footmuffs for passengers in motor cars. Footmuffs were kept on the floor of the motor car and took both feet. By 1919 Morlands slippers were in production. In 1922 some 12,000 were sold. In 1925 the firm became a public company. Overshoes, designed to be worn over motorist’s ordinary shoes, were a popular product.
In its heyday Morlands was the largest tannery in Europe, with factories in Glastonbury, Highbridge, Redruth and later Yeovil, each week tanning 36,000 skins, which were purchased from all over the world.
During the Second World War Morland’s made flying boots for the Air Ministry, and skins for other firms to make into flying clothing. The technical advances made to meet Ministry specifications lead to improvements in the quality and appearance of the products so that when the war ended the demand from the civilian market increased. After the war the firm concentrated on fleece lined leather footwear. Acquiring skins of the right type and quality became more demanding as production increased.
The market demanded a greater range of styles and colours and the business grew in the post war years, and with A.J. Baily and Co. Ltd, Morlands became Glastonbury’s largest employers. However in a changing market and under pressure from foreign manufacturers Clark, Son and Morland Ltd went into receivership in 1982. A new company under the direction of Baily’s was set up to make lines formerly made by Morlands but this itself closed in 1992 and tanning ceased and the building fell into disuse.
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Unfortunately, on 24th October, it was reported that some vandals had set this building on fire. By all accounts it's now gutted. All the glove templates and spare labels etc are all gone. It appears that the fire raged throughout the night.
Link to news article on the fire.
In 1906 Morland’s introduced sheepskin motor rugs and footmuffs for passengers in motor cars. Footmuffs were kept on the floor of the motor car and took both feet. By 1919 Morlands slippers were in production. In 1922 some 12,000 were sold. In 1925 the firm became a public company. Overshoes, designed to be worn over motorist’s ordinary shoes, were a popular product.
In its heyday Morlands was the largest tannery in Europe, with factories in Glastonbury, Highbridge, Redruth and later Yeovil, each week tanning 36,000 skins, which were purchased from all over the world.
During the Second World War Morland’s made flying boots for the Air Ministry, and skins for other firms to make into flying clothing. The technical advances made to meet Ministry specifications lead to improvements in the quality and appearance of the products so that when the war ended the demand from the civilian market increased. After the war the firm concentrated on fleece lined leather footwear. Acquiring skins of the right type and quality became more demanding as production increased.
The market demanded a greater range of styles and colours and the business grew in the post war years, and with A.J. Baily and Co. Ltd, Morlands became Glastonbury’s largest employers. However in a changing market and under pressure from foreign manufacturers Clark, Son and Morland Ltd went into receivership in 1982. A new company under the direction of Baily’s was set up to make lines formerly made by Morlands but this itself closed in 1992 and tanning ceased and the building fell into disuse.
-----
Unfortunately, on 24th October, it was reported that some vandals had set this building on fire. By all accounts it's now gutted. All the glove templates and spare labels etc are all gone. It appears that the fire raged throughout the night.
Link to news article on the fire.
