Who designed Ghillie shoes

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Rex, thanks for the aerial view of Ladysmith Road. I suspect that Number 24 may have been the "registered office" address of the company after its reorganization in 1934, and was probably the residence of either the owner or the book keeper of the business.

I have to say that I was some what skeptical about a lacing manufacturer being located in Birmingham, as I would have thought lace making would have been an offshoot of the rope making industry (laces being somewhat similar to twine or string, or other types of cordage) which was centered in Liverpool at that time.

[The Barry]

Fascinating article, great find!

[Rex_Tremende]

I suspect that Number 24 may have been the "registered office" address of the company after its reorganization in 1934, and was probably the residence of either the owner or the book keeper of the business.

I have to say that I was some what skeptical about a lacing manufacturer being located in Birmingham, as I would have thought lace making would have been an offshoot of the rope making industry (laces being somewhat similar to twine or string, or other types of cordage) which was centered in Liverpool at that time.

The actual business end of the business was in West Yorkshire, but in 1933 Andrew Gillis parted company with his younger brother, Clarence, after a dispute over production methods used in their other business, the Gillis Woolens Co. Andrew wanted to add byproduct from the manufacture of his cotton laces to the fibers left over from the production of wool yarns. But Clarence would have none of it, owing to his strong belief in the Virgin Wool. "I'll not have a shoddy product!" Clarence declared.

Andrew went to live with his spinster sister in Birmingham, and re-formed their company in 1934, operating out of her home. His last, heated words to his brother, Clarence, before he left West Yorkshire for the last time were, "I'll know a good yarn when I see one!"

Regards,
Rex.

[English Bloke]

Deleted by English Bloke...

[Bugbear]

The actual business end of the business was in West Yorkshire, but in 1933 Andrew Gillis parted company with his younger brother, Clarence, after a dispute over production methods used in their other business, the Gillis Woolens Co. Andrew wanted to add byproduct from the manufacture of his cotton laces to the fibers left over from the production of wool yarns. But Clarence would have none of it, owing to his strong belief in the Virgin Wool. "I'll not have a shoddy product!" Clarence declared.

Andrew went to live with his spinster sister in Birmingham, and re-formed their company in 1934, operating out of her home. His last, heated words to his brother, Clarence, before he left West Yorkshire for the last time were, "I'll know a good yarn when I see one!"

Regards,
Rex.

This would make an exelent play, or better yet, a Broadway musical production.

[beloitpiper]

Is that true? I thought ghillie brogues came from the ancient style of shoes. "Ghillie" being the word for a Scottish gamekeeper, and "Brogue" coming from the word for shoes in Gaelic.

[Bugbear]

Gillis and Old Lace

It will need lots of choreography...

[Hamish]

There! I have always maintained that those wretched items of footwear were not 'traditional' - but I did not know the history of the laces! Many thanks for the detailed information.

Take care,
Ham.

[Pleater]

Laces are not made in the same way as cord, the older type normally have an outer tube of very fine interwoven threads surrounding a fairly soft core, the ends are clamped, formerly with a metal end - these days using a plastic glue and shrink wrap tube.

Flat laces are simpler, and are a thin woven braid, but again are not the same as cordage.

There was a fairly widespread corset industry in the Midlands, along with shoe and boot making, which might have been sufficient to maintain the making of laces for both these products close at hand.

When I lived in Leicestershire I worked for Allied Lyons at 'Symingtons Soups', and another branch of the family had owned 'The Corset Factory' in the town centre. I saw an old film on TV fairly recently, there were hundreds of films of everyday work and play discovered and conserved almost my accident, and the workers leaving the Corset Factory was one of them.

Anne the Pleater

[puffer]

So, as a "traditional" kilt accessory, "Ghillie Brogues" as we know them are a tradition that is;

A, less than 100 years old.

B, English.

IMHO, MOST OF WHAT "MANY" TOUT as "TRADITIONAL SCOT'S WEAR" is of "LATE DATE" & HIGHLY ENGLISH INFLUENCED OR "CREATED" BY THEM.

1."CLAN TARTANS"
2."TRADITIONAL" 8 yard "Tanks"
3. "DRESS ATTIRE" (Jackets, ETC)
4. The "current" DRESS DIRK & SQIAN DUBH
5. ETC, ETC

Puffer