The Heritage Cluster
Makers' Yard was built in 1854 for John Brown, a knitted glove manufacturer. It is a resilient building that has seen the rise and fall of Leicester’s manufacturing industry. It is said to be the oldest hosiery factory in the East Midlands and over the decades it quietly continued to support small companies. The last company, Charnwood Hosiery Ltd, used to “make socks for all the football clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool and Leicester City", according to Lydia Marshall, a former employee. Now it houses studios for Leicestershire's designer makers and creatives.
Alexandra House was the headquarters of Faire Bros and built in 1898. Faire Bros, a small wares manufacturer, travelled the world for new ideas and to extend their international business. They had family and offices across the globe but still cared for their hometown and their employees. The company would have grand days out supported by their philanthropic owner. They were at the cutting edge of their field creating innovative corsetry designs during World War II and inventing stationery still present in schools and offices today. It has now been restored and reused as an apartment building.
Leather Factors, now an apartment building, was built for Pfister and Vogel, an American tannery company, in 1923. The company, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was one of the largest leather tannery firms in their state with offices across America and the world including Leicester. We are yet to know why Leicester but presume it was because the city was central to Britain’s hosiery and footwear industries. Pfister and Vogel created an array of leathers for gloves and shoes, including their “Fancy Leathers” which we would be unlikely to see today, such as Seal and Walrus. The building itself has wonderful architecture and beautiful detailing that has been restored and preserved.
The Heritage Cluster is on Rutland Street in the heart of
Leicester's Cultural Quarter.