Explore the history around K Village

Explore the history around K Village. . The ford and Nether Bridge over the River Kent were the focus for development on Kendal's main trade route to the south. By the 1700s, tanning was established on the south-east corner of Nether Bridge, where the K Shoes War Memorial to colleagues who gave their lives during the two World Wars now stands, bordered by the river and the present Burton Road, then the road to Lancaster., Elleray's old tannery closed around 1840. During building work in the 1930s, one of the old tan pits was discovered when a steam roller fell into it. About the time of the opening of Kendal Canal in 1819, warehousing had been built on the site into which, in 1825, Thomas Wilson and Sons expanded their business to weave material for men's fancy silk waistcoats. They closed down around the same time as the tannery., In 1845 Robert Miller Somervell, the founder of K Shoes, moved his leather merchanting business from the town centre to the small two-storey tannery building. In 1848 Robert's brother, John, became a partner in the business. A year later they purchased the whole Netherfield site and in 1855 started to make boot and shoe uppers., Within fifteen years, Somervell Brothers was Kendal's largest employer. The central block of the buildings called The Barracks was let between 1844 and 1846 as storehouses and a food store for the navvies building the Kendal and Windermere and the Lancaster and Carlisle Railways., In 1857 the Somervells introduced a sewing machine from America and began to make complete footwear. The "K" trademark was introduced in 1865 and high quality men's, women's and children's shoes were produced here until 1988 and on other Kendal sites until 2003., Over the years K Shoes also made gaiters, belting, hosepiping, aeroplane engine and wing covers, tents and fleece lined flying boots with secret compartments for a compass and German money. In its heyday the Netherfield factory employed 20% of the working population of Kendal., In 1981 K Shoes was merged with C and J Clark Limited and in 1988 the whole site was converted into a village of factory shop outlets. This in turn was demolished for the building of the present "K Village - The Lakes Outlet" which opened in 2010., Photograph captions , The Somervell Brothers' Board in 1920, L-R: Arnold, John, Malcolm, Colin (seated), William, Leslie and Gordon., K Skips were originally designed for nurses, evolving into K's most popular style., In 1845 Robert Miller Somervell relocated his leather merchandising business to The Bridge End building., The retiring 1933 K Fête Queen crowning her 1934 successor on the Parkside sportsground., T. Howard Somervell attempted Everest in K boots in the pioneer expeditions of 1922 and 1924., Early woodcut of the Netherfield Works in 1858 by W.J. Palmer.