Formation
During the nineteenth century, many shoe manufacturing processes were mechanised and the resulting numerous small factories merged over time. In 1882, Tomlin and Sons of Leicester, cutlery and shoe machinery manufacturer and William Pearson of Leeds were acquired by Merry and Bennion which by the mid-1890s was a leading supplier of UK shoe machinery. Renamed Pearson and Bennion, in 1898 it moved to the new Union Works factory in Belgrave Rd Leicester.
In February 1899, the 3 major US shoe machinery companies,Goodyear Machinery Company, Consolidated Hand Lasting Machine Company and McKay Shoe Machinery Company merged to form United Shoe Machinery (USM).
Pearson and Bennion's managing director, Charles Bennion went to Boston to negotiate a merger and the company which would eventually become BUSM was incorporated in October 1899 with the Union Works factory as its headquarters. The 1st years accounts dated 31 May 1900, showed 200 employees, profits of £16500 and £300,000 capital. A further 10 acres (40,000 m2) of land was purchased in 1901 from the Belgrave Road Cricket and Bicycle Grounds, the former home of both Leicester Fosse FC and Leicester Tigers.
Read more about this topic: British United Shoe Machinery
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