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Amos Griffiths Simpson, Glove Manufacturer (1878-1953)
Image: Framed Photograph - Mr. Simpson?
Source: Museum Victoria
Amos Simpson was born in Stafford, England in 1878. The son of a shoemaker, he worked in the trade in England and briefly in Massachusetts, USA. He then migrated to Melbourne in July 1914 at the age of 36, arriving on the Demosthenes.
Simpson married Ida May Chapple in Melbourne in 1917; the couple had no children.
After working for a shoe pattern-making firm in Melbourne, he formed a business, Simpson & Sutherland, in 1922 then Simpson's Gloves in 1924, in partnership with Henry James Atkins. Simpson brought his knowledge of the industry and design skills to the partnership; Atkins his financial skills.
Simpson was a red-haired man with something of a temper, at least at work. He hated to spend money on anything that would not increase production and profits. No scrap of leather was wasted, and nothing ever thrown out, either material or equipment. Ernie Jordon, who was taught how to cut coat linings by Simpson when he joined the business in 1927 at the age of 16, recalled that Simpson would often say 'Near enough is not right but right is near enough.'
The company logo for Simpson's Gloves was a Stafford Knot, acknowledging Simpson's home county of Staffordshire in England. Stafford had a long history of shoemaking.
Items per page: 10 50 (showing 1 - 10) 362 items
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Sign - 'The Man We Need', Simpson's Gloves, Richmond, Victoria, circa 1930s
Sign setting out the virtues and characteristics of the ideal employee or 'The Man We Need'. Signed at the bottom by Amos Griffiths Simpson, co-founder of Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd, Rich ...
From: Richmond, Australia Images: 1 -
Belt Buckle - Orange, Pink & Cream, circa 1930s
Orange and yellow belt buckle, circa 1930-1939. It was used at Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd. It was found in the glove making area upstairs at the factory. Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd was form ...
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Belt Buckle - Green & Cream, circa 1930s
Green and cream belt buckle, circa 1930-1939. It was used at Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd. It was found in the glove making area upstairs at the factory. Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd was formed ...
Images: 2 -
Belt Buckle - Dark Green & Cream, circa 1930s
Dark green and cream belt buckle, circa 1930-1939. It was used at Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd. It was found in the glove making area upstairs at the factory. Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd was f ...
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Handbag - Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd, Black Calf, circa 1950s
Black calf handbag manufactured by Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd, circa 1950s. It was found in the storeroom behind the salesman's office. Simpson's Gloves was formed in 1924 and produced l ...
Images: 1 -
Handbag - Black Calf, circa 1950-1960
Sample ladies black calf handbag made by Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd, circa 1950-1960. It was found in the handbag salesman's showroom. Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd was formed in 1924 and pr ...
Images: 1 -
Shoe Uppers - Brown Leather, 1933
Samples of leather shoe uppers made in Stafford, England, 1933. Used at Simpson's Glove Pty Ltd and found in box in a shed above the air raid shelter. Amos Simpson had fiends in the boo ...
Images: 1 -
Tailor's Dummy - Male, Adjustable, circa 1926
Alternative Name(s): Mannequin Adjustable tailor's dummy used in coat, jacket and vest making at Simpson's Glove Factory, circa 1926. It was probably used for male garments as there ar ...
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Tailor's Dummy - Male, Non-Adjustable, circa 1926
Alternative Name(s): Mannequin Non-adjustable tailor's dummy used in coat, jacket and vest making at Simpson's Glove Factory, circa 1926. It was probably used for male garments as ther ...
Images: 3 -
Label - 'Simpson's Traditional Quality', Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd, circa 1930s
Round gold label which reads 'Genuine Leather, Simpson's, Traditional Quality' made for Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd, circa 1930s. It was found in the large downstairs storeroom. Simpson's ...
Images: 1
