Old Shoe Factory

An old shoe factory in Rushden,in 1937 Bignells Ltd launched 3 shoe factories In Rushden Wellingborough and Kettering, the aim was to market a range of massed produced British shoes(much of this was being imported from Czechoslavakia and central Europe this wa managed from a central office in London, they soon ex[anded after they aquired Poplar Boot Co from Raunds producing 4,000mpairs a week and i Messrs Cunnington"s of Crabb street Rushden, 9 producing 2,500 pairs a week, by 1940 theey were making over 25,000 pairs of boots and shoes every week, to keep a closer control the offices were then moved to Imperial House Rushden. The welfare of their staff was catered for with the opening of a hostel for young people who had left their homes to work in their factories, and a canteen to provide meals for the factory and office staff staff. and also made considerable donations from these factories to the Spitfire Fund.