Town firm remembered
Looms Memorabilia: Harborough Museum, Diana Looms Butland, descendent of well known former bootmakers in town from Idaho, America presenting family memorabilia to museum for display. L-r Pam Aucott (museum assistant) with Diana Butland with the family items for the museum. Friday 19th October 2012
MEMORABILIA from a former Harborough boot making firm has been returned to the town thanks to the American granddaughter of its founder.
The items donated to Harborough Museum by Diana Looms Butland include Union and Stars and Stripes flags which flew over Looms Ltd during the Second World War.
There are also photographs of Mrs Butland’s father Bernard Looms, who ran the business during the war, and of her grandfather, the firm’s founder George Looms.
Some of the photos date back to the First World War.
The items add to existing displays at the museum telling the story of Harborough’s industrial past and contributions to the war effort.
Mrs Butland was born in Harborough, living in Lubenham Hill, but was emigrated to the States as a baby in 1940.
Mrs Butland, who now lives in Idaho, has made numerous visits to the town since first returning in 1962.
She has donated a number of items over the years, including old cine films taken by her family of the Harborough Carnival parade and the town’s volunteer fire service, in which her father served as a volunteer, all of which are available to view at the museum.
Mrs Butland told the Mail: “I think my family would be very proud to think this has come back. In the States they have sentimental value but here they are of real historical value to people.
“I think the war and fire service photos will be of particular interest to genealogists.”
Looms Ltd was formed in 1895 by George Looms and variously occupied premises in Bath Street, The Square and St Mary’s Road.
In its heyday it employed hundreds of people until its demise in the 1970s.
Mrs Butland’s father had worked previously as an engineer in China but came to Harborough to run the family business in 1936.
Mrs Butland and her Canadian mother Roberta emigrated to California shortly after she was born, because of fears for their safety amid the threat of German bombing raids.
Her father re-joined the family in 1946. He died in 1973, aged 67.
Mrs Butland said: “When Dad arrived in California I did not recognise him, or like him, for that matter. He was strange and he talked differently.
“But he was very clever. He didn’t try to push it and we ended up having a very long, loving relationship.”
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Monday 20 May 2013
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