Holland Brothers in Wide Bargate.

This building, right of centre, in Wide Bargate, is today (2013) the premises of Heron Foods.

It was acquired by local garage firm "Holland Brothers" in 1900 and has undergone extensive changes over the years.

Holland Brothers, just after the turn of the twentieth century.

It had major rebuilding around 1930 but was wrecked by German bombs in 1941 and it was ten years before it was rebuilt again.

The scene after the German bombs dropped. The car in the picture was owned by the former chairman of Fisher Clark (a local label manufacturers) Mr. Vernon Clark.

 

In the 1980's Holland Brothers leased the site to the national chain of hardware stores Wilkinsons and Heron Foods moved in when Wilkinsons moved to premises in Pescod Square. Even on the modern building old features (original?) like the two thin pillars at the front can still be seen.

The Pop Shop.

In 1978 the owners of the Pop Shop snack bar in West Street, Les Harris and his wife Alice, retired after 30 years in the catering business. Mr. Harris attended Park School as a boy and for ten years before World War Two he had worked for Fisher Clark's. During the war he joined the Royal Marines and served on H.M.S. Victorious. The couple took over the premises, which had previously been a pawn shop, in 1948. It was a very popular cafe not only for snacks, meals and tea and coffee but as a meeting place too.



The building before it was the Pop Shop, the pawnbrokers three balled sign clearly visible centre right.

The new owner was Mr. Shelton Goonewardena (a Sri Lankan who married a Boston girl) who had previously worked for Boston Corporation as a clerical officer and said at the time that he planned to run it on the same lines as the previous owners.

The building which was nearly opposite the Regal Cinema, along with many others, was demolished (above) and replaced (below) with a beautiful piece of architecture that is Wickes D.I.Y. store (sarcasm)!!!

Fisher Clark.

Throughout its history Fisher Clark has survived through its ability to move with the times. The shape of the familiar tag, with its cut corners, owes its design to Mr John Fisher, a tailor who settled in Boston in 1850. They were made of small rectangles of calico or buckram, folded over at two corners at one end, with the other end then folded over these for strength, and the whole secured by a metal eyelet forming the characteristic label shape of the original John Fisher patent.

 

John Fisher's Label factory, Sleaford Road, 1857.

Before long demand for these new labels outstripped that for suits, and Mr Fisher took George Clark, a son of a London bookbinder, into the business with him.
The early tags were used primarily for luggage and hamper labelling, and were quick to catch on. Such was the company’s success that Queen Victoria and the future Edward VII eventually became clients.
Mr Clark bought out the Fisher interest in 1876, but two years later, he died, leaving a widow and eight children – four of them sons. The eldest, George, then aged only 17, decided to carry on with their father’s business. He became the driving force that made Fisher Clark a major 20th century label manufacturer and remained actively involved in the business until his death in 1957.
The first purpose-built factory was opened in 1902, employing a lady clerk and 25 operatives. In 1921 Fisher Clark became a limited company. By 1938, and 21 extension later, the workforce had increased to 350. This site, which has been continuously developed and changes, is still one of two Norprint occupy in Boston.

 

One of the old Fisher Clark factories.

 

Fisher Clark joined the Norcros Group in 1960, merging with Tickopress in 1968 to form the nucleus of the current labelling giant Norprint International, which has an annual turnover of £50m. Within that structure Fisher Clark now operates as an independent Strategic Business Unit, Having proved its continuing relevance.

Below : Modern labels.