Papers of George Spencer (1868-1946), hosiery manufacturer, and his partner William Henry Revis (1849-1923)

The date range is 1896-1980, with the vast majority dating from before 1939. Items are described in more detail at series or item level in the catalogue.

BSP/1: Series of letters, predominantly from W H Revis to George Spencer, c.1908-1918, with typescript copies of some of the letters.

BSP/2: Statements of accounts and balance sheets for Messrs Barrowcliff Bros and Spencer Ltd, 1903-1907.

BSP/3: Lutterworth factory building papers, 1902-1909

BSP/4: George Spencer & Co (Lutterworth) company account book, 1919-1928

BSP/5: Partnership agreement papers, 1918-1921

BSP/6: Papers relating to W.H. Revis's involvement with the company, 1917-1940

BSP/7: Assorted licences, agreements and correspondence relating to the Interlock patent agreement, 1912-1934

BSP/8: George Spencer Limited, Report of the Directors and Statement of Accounts, 19 Sep. 1949

BSP/9: Typescript drafts of histories of George Spencer Ltd, c.1950s-1970s

BSP/10: Notebooks and pocket books, 1897-1908

BSP/11: Miscellaneous letters, papers and accounts, 1896-1980

BSP/12: Photographs, 1951-1952

George Spencer (1868-1946) was born in Basford, Nottingham. He was apprenticed in the hosiery, dyeing and finishing trades, and formed a hosiery manufacturing company, Barrowcliffe Bros. & Spencer, with his partner Herbert Barrowcliffe at Lutterworth, Leicestershire, in 1900. This was wound up in 1908, and Spencer formed his own company, with his partner William Henry Revis (1849-1923), under the name of George Spencer & Co. The company manufactured knitted underwear using a ribbed fabric machine. The trade mark, invented by George Spencer, was 'Vedonis', with the slogan 'Next to myself, I like Vedonis'. In 1911, Spencer obtained a licence to use Interlock fabric and machinery from Scott Williams of America, and formed a joint company with J.B. Lewis & Sons known as the Scott Knit Fabric Company Ltd, with a registered office in Nottingham. Lewis's manufactured men's products and Spencer's women's and children's, and the joint company collected and paid royalties to the patentees. Simpkin Son & Emery and R. Walker & Sons later joined the Scott Knit Fabric Company. In 1925 they applied for a five-year extension of the licence.

In 1911 George Spencer & Co opened a factory on Leicester Road, Lutterworth, and in 1914 also opened works at Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. Their principal site at Basford, Nottingham, was opened in 1927 and included the dye works of a subsidiary, W.E. Saxby Ltd.

The interest of Spencer's late partner William Henry Revis (1849-1923) was purchased from his representatives in 1928, and the company became a limited liability company under the name George Spencer Ltd. It expanded from producing underwear into also manufacturing cardigans and housecoats. In 1949 the company became a Public company and issued shares. It remained a family-run business, with George H. Spencer as Chairman and Managing Director in 1958. At that time, the company employed around 700 people.

Revis and Spencer were both benefactors of Nottingham University College. Revis gave £48,000 to the College, the most significant donation after the gifts of Sir Jesse Boot. Spencer joined the University Council in 1924, and became Vice-President in 1930. George Spencer and Herbert Lancashire gave £10,000 each to endow a chair at the College in 1928. The money was used to endow the Lancashire-Spencer Chair of Physics.

Material has been arranged by type and chronologically

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Online: Available on the Manuscripts Online Catalogue, accessible from the website of Manuscripts and Special Collections.

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The papers were inherited by a family member and donated to Manuscripts and Special Collections in August 2021 and June 2024.