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Seamless Hosiery Room.
Upon the opposite side of the road to the main buildings is a two-storey block, 90 feet by 40 feet, well-lighted by extensive ranges of windows on either side, of which the ground floor is occupied as a packing and folding room, where the goods are put up for dispatch to the Nottingham warehouse. Above this is an equally spacious apartment fitted with large tables, drawers and partitions, and here a numerous staff of assistants is engaged in cutting-out, making-up, and trimming underwear for ladies and gentlemen. The principal features of the firm's output comprise plain and fancy cotton and merino underclothing for both ladies and gentlemen, ladies' hose, gentlemen's hose and half hose, and other textile goods of this description in an immense variety of different shades and new designs, in superior qualities of make which maintain the old standing reputation of the house in the home trade, and in the distant markets of Europe, Asia, India, and our Colonial possession in all parts of the world. About six hundred hands, the majority of whom are females, are employed in the factory, under the most healthful conditions. In connexion with the works and with a view to the comfort, recreation, instruction, and moral training of the female operatives, an iron building has been erected capable of seating 200, where in the evenings classes are held and instruction given in singing and other subjects. These classes are under Government inspection, and earn grants on results. It is satisfactory to learn that this institute is much appreciated by the workers, who avail themselves of its advantages to its full extent. A smaller institute for men on another site is also in operation. A most laudable spirit is evinced throughout this establishment in the matter of private sick clubs and liberal help to hospital and other charitable institutions; as a proof of this we may mention that during the year 1897 the sum of over £200 was collected by small amounts, regularly given, and that at the suggestion of the employes themselves. We have to express our obligation to the management for facilities for the preparation of this briefly condensed report ot a thoroughly interesting and representative industrial undertaking.
FLERSHEIM & CO., LIMITED, NOTTINGHAM.
NO history of Nottingham would be complete without mentioning the shipping houses, foremost amongst these being the well-known firm of Flersheim and Co., Limited. Established in 1865, in the days before the wave of protectionism had spread over the Continent of Europe, and when Nottingham practically held a monopoly for machine-made laces and curtains, this firm very soon, by its energy and enterprise, took up a leading position amongst the foremost in our town.
The mention of their Canadian traveller, Mr. Thompson, may still awaken recollections amongst the pioneers of Canadian trade, as Mr. Thompson was one of the first to popularize Nottingham goods in Canada.
The firm's travellers visit almost every civilised country under the sun, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Roumania, Turkey, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Egypt, Asia Minor, the Cape, and the Transvaal, Cuba and the West Indies, Canada and the States, and the East and West Coasts of South America, all these and other countries have been visited either by one of the partners or by fully qualified travellers speaking in most cases the language of the country they were catering for, and provided with all other necessary qualifications.
But as one Continental country after another erected its barriers of protection and so excluded English goods, Messrs. Flersheim and Co. had to turn their attention to other markets, and for the last 20 years have made the home trade a leading feature of their business. This necessitated as far as the curtain branch was concerned a departure from the old lines. The firm, which had been established exclusively as merchants, now developed into manufacturers, and in the course of the last few years has put up machinery of its own in Nottingham and the neighbourhood, besides being interested in other lace and curtain factories.
Flersheim and Co., Limited, are the patentees of a peculiar kind of curtain material well-known in the home markets for its artistic effect and great durability.
In 1897 the business, for family reasons, was converted into a limited company.
