_Leather, India-Rubber, and Shoe Manufactures._
In a preceding volume the tanning of leather was noticed, and the
shoemaking trade was frequently mentioned;¹ but the manufactures in
india-rubber are a more modern development, nevertheless, it seems
requisite to give some account of them.
¹ Mackintosh’s _History of Civilisation in Scotland_, Volume
I., pages 241, 400, Volume II., page 293; Volume III., pages
287, 305.
The manufacture of leather was long subjected to a duty, which was
finally repealed in 1830. In the latter half of the last century
there was a considerable leather trade in Scotland; and until about
twenty-five years ago the manufacture of leather was increasing,
but since the trade has not been so prosperous. The best and most
durable kinds of boot and shoe leather were not at any time produced
in Scotland; the quality of this class of Scotch leather is inferior
to both the English and the French. In 1871, there were about 120
tanneries; and at this time there were 2739 persons employed in
connection with the leather manufacture in Scotland. In 1891, about
3000 hands were employed in it.
Within a period of forty years the boot and shoe making trade has
undergone a complete revolution; before 1859, boots and shoes were
made by the hand, and with few exceptions they were all sewed. But
since then machinery has been largely applied to the manufacture of
boots and shoes, and sewing by the hand has been almost superseded by
riveting machines and sewing machines. One result of the application
of machinery has been the establishment of large manufactories of boots
and shoes. One of these in Glasgow, in 1870, employed 2000 hands; and
in other large towns many shoe factories have been started within the
last twenty-five years. The articles produced in these factories are
much inferior, both in quality of material and in workmanship, to those
which were formerly made by the hand; but the factory article has the
recommendation of cheapness, and this is what the majority of dealers
and customers are always in quest of.
Gutta-percha in its raw state is a substance extracted from certain
trees which grow in Asia, and the manufacture of it in this country is
of recent date. From about 1858 onward, it was largely used in making
boots and shoes in Scotland: the soles were of gutta-percha and the
uppers of leather. It has been applied to many other purposes; and
as a non-conductor of electricity it has become an invaluable aid in
constructing the submarine telegraph.
In 1871, the number of persons employed in making boots and shoes
was 37,587, and of this number 13,426 were females, but 12,207 of the
latter were shoemakers’ wives who worked at the trade.
The manufactures in india-rubber are of comparatively recent origin,
and up till about 1820, it was only used for rubbing out pencil
marks. The raw material of caoutchouc, or india-rubber, is a resinous
substance, which exudes by incisions from trees that grow in Brazil,
in Cayenne, and Quito; and it was first brought to Europe (France)
about the year 1734. The first notice of it in Britain occurs in a
publication of Dr. Priestley’s in 1770. In 1819, Mr. Hancock began
his experiments on india-rubber, and the following year he obtained a
patent for india-rubber braces, garters, bands, etc. He continued his
operations, and before 1847, he had obtained fourteen patents for his
special india-rubber goods.
In 1820, Mr. Macintosh, of Glasgow, began to make experiments with
india-rubber; and in 1823, he established a work in Glasgow for
waterproof articles. In 1824, he took out a patent for waterproofing
cloth, which was afterwards distinguished by his name. This cloth was
made by cementing two folds together by the solution, and coats made
of it soon became well known. He formed a partnership in Manchester,
and commenced to manufacture waterproof goods on a large scale, and the
firm became widely known. Mr. Hancock had worked some of his inventions
in connection with Mr. Macintosh, and finally entered the firm, which
then assumed the title of Messrs. Hancock & Macintosh.
After the manufacture of useful india-rubber goods was demonstrated
by the efforts, talents, and enterprise of the two gentlemen mentioned
above, there was a wild rush of attempts at india-rubber manufactures.
“Mechanicians hailed the rubber as a sort of missing link in their code
of materials for machine making; and such was the rage for introducing
it, that it was frequently found in most unsuitable positions.” It
is now used in connection with many machines; indeed, the purposes
to which it is applied, as well as the different kinds of goods and
articles manufactured from it, are exceedingly numerous and varied, and
a complete detail of them would be out of the question――only a few can
be mentioned.
Boots and shoes of all sizes have long been manufactured from
india-rubber. One of the earliest specimens of this class of goods
was known under the name of “goloshes,” which were worn as overshoes,
and were in great vogue thirty years ago. About that time there was an
india-rubber manufactory in Edinburgh which could turn out 7000 pairs
of boots and shoes a-day, or over 2,000, 000 pairs a-year.¹ Coats,
leggings, cushions, bags, and so on were at the same period produced
in endless variety. A little later, combs, jewellery, and a long series
of miscellaneous articles were produced from india-rubber.
¹ In recent years this class of boots and shoes have fallen
out of fashion.
The vulcanite and black jet jewellery was popular twenty years ago, and
immense quantities of it were produced. At present a large business is
done in india-rubber and vulcanised goods in Scotland.