K shoes was taken over by the then C&J Clark in 1981 but since 1990 an almost yearly announcement of job losses has followed. We chart the sad history of the demise of shoe manufacturing in Kendal.
February, 1990: 50 K Shoes staff are made redundant, because of "a poor year" with high interest rates and the Uniform Business Rate increasing costs. Office workers bore the brunt of the job losses.
June, 1991: 66 jobs shed at factories at Askam and Millom, as recession cuts deep.
1991-92: Further job losses at Askam - around 118, and Millom - around 40.
February, 1992: More than 60 administrative, clerical and engineering staff lose their jobs.
January, 1993: 49 jobs go at Kendal, to "help reduce manufacturing costs".
January, 1995: Clarks announces 100 white collar jobs are to be transferred south from Kendal to Clarks' head office in Street, Somerset. The move effectively wipes out Kendal's headquarters with the marketing, retailing, sales and distribution activities affected.
l July, 1996: Clarks announces it is to close its Askham Springer factory with the loss of 245 jobs, while 25 jobs go at Kendal's Kentside factory.
December, 1997: The remaining 52 workers at K Shoes, Askam-in-Furness, say goodbye to the factory with a series of rousing parties.
July, 1998: 17 shop floor jobs lost at the Millbeck and Gallowbarrow factories in Kendal.
January, 1999: Clarks announces 105 jobs are to go at Kentside. Ten of those workers are laid off in October, when the last men's shoes roll off the production line.
February, 1999: Clarks announces 74 jobs will go at Gallowbarrow, and the Shap factory is to close, with the loss of all 51 jobs.
October, 1999: Clarks decides to end shoe making at Kentside early in 2000, with the loss of all 59 remaining jobs, although ten workers are to get jobs elsewhere with K Shoes.
July, 2000: Forty-six staff half the workforce at the K Shoes factory in Millom lose their jobs.
August, 2001: It was announced that 29 jobs would go from the Springer factory in Kendal some from Millbeck and some from Gallowbarrow.
April, 2002: Seventy six redundancies were announced for Kendal 49 blue collar workers from the Springer sandal factories, and 27 white collar staff from Natland Road.
January 17, 2003 10:00
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article