Gloving in yeovil

ivelnap Ltd

Glove Manufacturers

 

Ivelnap Ltd are known to have been active in 1924, and their letterhead noted 'Established 1889', but were not listed in any of Yeovil's trade directories until 1935 when they were listed as glove manufacturers of Victoria Road in Kelly's Directory of 1935.

Their glove factory had earlier, certainly in 1910, been the factory of Clothier, Brooks and Shire Ltd. who later moved their production to Pen Mill.

Around 1936, after the Primitive Methodist Chapel in South Street ceased to be used for worship, the Ivelnap Glove Company down-sized and moved there from their premises in Victoria Road. Frank Clothier, brother of Sidney Clothier who was twice Mayor of Yeovil, was the chief shareholder and Managing Director. Gerald Ricketts, well known at the time in the musical circles in the town, was Factory Manager.

The company was listed as Ivelnap Gloves (1936) Ltd of South Street in Edwin Snell's Yeovil Directory of 1954.

Frank Clothier, of the famous Yeovil gloving family, was director of Ivelnap Ltd until his retirement in 1958.

 

Map

 

The 1928 Ordnance Survey showing at centre the Ivelnap Glove Factory off Victoria Road.

 

gallery

 


Courtesy of Ray Kingston

A letterhead of Ivelnap Gloves (1936) Ltd. Note that it reads 'Established 1889'.

 

A full page advertisement from the June 1924 edition of "The Glover" listing those local companies taking part in the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley - including Ivelnap Ltd.

 


Courtesy of South Somerset Heritage Collection

The former glove factory photographed in the 1960s.

 

The Ivelnap Glove Factory in Victoria Road. The company moved from here around 1935.

 


From my collection

Ivelnap's advertisement in the 1961 Yeovil Rural District Official Guide.

 

Looking east, on the left is the former Primitive Methodist chapel, somewhat hastily demolished I seem to remember. This photograph dates to the early 1960s by which time Ivelnap Ltd was coming to the end of its business life, if it hadn't ceased already by then.

 

This photograph probably dates to the 1980s by which time Ivelnap Ltd had ceased trading and the building was lying empty.