Walsall Leather Industry

Written by Mike Glasson, curator of the Walsall Leather Museum, this book is full of nostalgic and historic photographs of the leather industry in Walsall over a period spanning nearly two hundred years. To accompany this visual richness, Glasson takes on a tour of the trade's diverse history in the Midlands town, which earned an international reputation as the saddlery capital of the world. At its peak, the industry employed more than 10,000 men and women. Disaster struck with the advent of the motor car, forcing the town's manufacturers to develop new markets for products such as purses, wallets, bags and gloves. These products kept the industry alive. This book has two subtitles: the first Images of England and the second The World's Saddlers but there is a lot more to it than simply saddles. Chapter one is about tanning and currying; two is saddlery; three light leathergoods; four famous names; five glove-making; and six specialist trades. The final chapter is about the Walsall Leather Museum itself. The whole is recommended to anyone from the British leather industry who would like a walk down memory lane. It is priced at £12.99 from Tempus Publishing Ltd, fax: +44 1453 883233; email sales@tempus-publishing.com