Chapter XLI: Section IX: 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The manufacture of leather was long subjected to a duty, which was finally repealed in 1830.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then machinery has been largely applied to the manufacture of boots and shoes, and sewing by the hand has been almost superseded by riveting machines and sewing machines.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.