Sanders & Sanders

Sanders & Sanders Ltd., originally known as Sander Bros., was established in 1873 by brothers William and Thomas Sanders of Rushden, Northamptonshire. Their story began when William Benjamin Sanders, having been apprenticed to the shoe and boot trade and later working in London as a clicker, returned to Rushden in 1871 with the ambition of founding his own shoemaking business alongside his brother. By 1873, the Sanders brothers, together with five craftsmen, had set up a workshop in the heart of Rushden. The early days were marked by hard labour and long hours, but their determination led to rapid growth, and soon they moved to a larger premises further up the street. As demand for their footwear increased, the Sanders brothers expanded their workforce and began employing more craftsmen and outworkers. In 1912, Sanders & Sanders relocated to Spencer Road on the outskirts of Rushden, bringing around 70 workers with them. Despite this move, the uppers for their shoes continued to be made by outworkers in the surrounding area before being brought back to the factory for finishing. The introduction of advanced machinery, including Goodyear welting machines, revolutionised their production process. During the First World War, the factory reached peak output, producing almost 6,000 pairs of army boots per week. After the war, demand remained strong, with 5,000 to 6,000 pairs of shoes leaving the factory each week and being delivered across the country. Tragedy struck in 1924 when a fire destroyed the factory, an event described by Mr. W. Sanders as one of the biggest blows he had ever faced. The fire, believed to have started in the clicking department, caused extensive damage, but the Sanders brothers responded by rebuilding the factory in a modern style and installing the latest B.U. machinery. The new factory, referred to by Mr. William Sanders as his ‘model factory’, allowed the entire shoemaking process to be completed under one roof for the first time. After Mr. William Sanders retired, the business passed to his three sons, William, Thomas, and Leslie. Sanders & Sanders remains a family business, now guided by the fourth and fifth generations of the Sanders family. The company continues to operate from the same Spencer Road factory, producing over 2,000 pairs of the finest quality shoes and boots each week and holding the ISO9001 Quality Assurance certification. Sanders & Sanders is recognised globally for English elegance and exports to more than seventy countries across six continents.