The history of Long Eaton's furniture industry is tied inextricably to that of the Derbyshire town, writes Andrew Mitchell, chairman of the Long Eaton Guild of Furniture Manufacturers and MD at Artistic Upholstery …
Long Eaton lies between Nottingham and Derby, north of the River Trent. In the 19th Century, it was a thriving industrial town, manufacturing much of the ‘Nottingham Lace’, which was sold worldwide. However, during the 1920s the lace trade experienced a sharp decline due to a change in fashions.There remained an abundance of highly skilled craftsmen and woman, and upholstery was a natural progression using these skills.
My history goes back to working with my father some 65 years ago. Things were certainly different then – perhaps the only thing that has remained the same are beech frames, which are still glued, screwed and doweled!
Everything was ‘handmade’. Seat cushions were constructed using locally made coil springs, covered with rubberised hair and cotton felt. These were then put into a holder to compress and hold the cushion, to enable a sewn cushion case to fit over, which one person would hold – the other person (quite often me!) would then ‘push’ this into the cushion using a winding handle.
And what about hammer and tacks? Yes, we still use them!
During those early days, many companies helped each other with ideas and problem solving, and those close ties still exist today – quite unique in any industry!
It wasn’t long before a few manufacturers got together to hold trade exhibitions in their individual showrooms under the name of Long Eaton Week. These exhibitions were so successful that other manufacturers and suppliers were invited to join, giving visitors a wider choice of furniture to attract more buyers – and it certainly did.
The name was later changed to Long Point, taking inspiration from the High Point furniture centre in North Carolina.
There are more makers of high-quality upholstery in Long Eaton than in any other town or city in the UK. And, in 2014, working with the Long Eaton Chamber of Trade and Erewash Borough Council, Long Eaton established itself as the UK Centre of Quality Upholstery Manufacture.
Read all about Long Eaton's furniture industry in the first edition of our dedicated supplement.
