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Charles Clutsom – A life in the elastic webbing industry
Charles Clutsom was born in Wales in 1886 after which the family moved to Norfolk and then to Quorn in the early 1900s (before 1907) where they had relatives (Charles’ maternal grandmother came from Quorn). It is thought that Charles attended Thomas Rawlins Grammar School, at least for a short time. This is believed partly because there are records showing that his younger sister, Freda was a pupil there from 1910, but mainly because on a Rawlins WW1 commemoration board a C or G Clutsom is recorded as having worked on munitions, which would fit with Charles’ occupation during WW1.
In 1911 Charles and Freda were boarding at their aunt’s house at what is now 15 Nursery Lane - then the right-hand house (as you look at them) of a pair of semi-detached houses called The Ashells, owned by the Turner family who lived next door at no 17. Percy Turner (John Percy, known as Percy), who was a similar age to Charles and was born in Quorn, was his great friend, and they worked together at M Wright and Sons, elastic webbing factory in the village.
Charles was good at his job and had ideas for improvements, but these were not well received at Wrights, causing Charles to become dissatisfied. On 29th March 1915 he received a job offer from Josiah Kemp who ran the Highfields Weaving Company Ltd at Coalville, who also made elastic and rigid webbing. The letter is addressed to Charles at Sandy Mount, Quorn, which was off Woodhouse Road, in what is known as Woodward Avenue today. The letter reads:
Dear Sir
At our directors meeting this evening, we were unanimous that it would be to our advantage for you to take up the position of manager of the above Company, with an investment of £200 or £300 or more if you desired; in fact up to £1000 the business could be worked more advantageously with the capital; we were also agreed as to your salary to commence at £3 per week, with of course the prospect of unlimited development both as regards your salary and share in the company: will you kindly let us know at your earliest, when we get to work in earnest, as early as possible.
Awaiting your reply
Josiah Kemp
Chairman of Directors
The association between Charles Clutsom and Josiah Kemp led them to going into partnership as Clutsom and Kemp, elastic web manufacturers, who became hugely successful with sales worldwide.
The images below were kindly supplied by Charles’ daughter:
1. The letter date 1929 from Josiah Kemp offering Charles Clutsom the post of manager with Highfields Weaving Company Ltd.
2. Charles with his motorbike in Quorn. The bike was registered in Leicestershire in about 1907, so he could have had it from new.
3. Charles with his friend Percy Turner in the sidecar. This may have been taken outside 15 Nursery Lane.
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Submitted on: |
2025-09-14 |
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Submitted by: |
Libby Birts with additional information from Sue Templeman |
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Artefact ID: |
2623 |
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Artefact URL: |
www.quornmuseum.com/display.php?id=2623 |
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