Huggins of Bristol is a name often associated with Police clothing from the 1960's. The registered name for the company was Huggins Son & Co. Ltd.
The predecessor of Huggins was a company called Pearson, Huggins and Company who traded as uniform clothing contractors and manufacturers of Bristol and London. This was founded by Thomas Lear Pearson and Charles Gibson Huggins in 1886. A branch in London was opened in 1901.
Pearson Huggins traded successfully in the 1890's and succeeded in securing contracts to supply the Police with clothing in England, Scotland and Wales. In particular, during the 1890's they supplied Police uniforms to Hampshire, Cardiff, Huddersfield, Denbighshire, Greenock and Dundee. This was despite some resentment about a supplier from outside the locality supplying the Police with their clothing. They also supplied railway and tramway companies with uniforms. In 1899 it was incorporated as a company.
In 1911 it became a limited company under the name Pearson, Huggins and Company (Ltd). At this time the Directors were:
Thomas Lear Pearson (Chairman) - 'Glenfield' Downs Park West, Westbury on Trym, Bristol
Charles Gibson Huggins - 'Croziehurst' 33 Woodstock Road, Redland, Bristol
Edmund John Saunders - 64 Lavington Road, Ealing, London
Charles John Rowe - 8 Kent Road Ashley Down, Bristol
Charles Gordon Huggins - 'Croziehurst' 33 Woodstock Road, Redland, Bristol
Thomas Raleigh Pearson - 'Glenfield' Downs Park West, Westbury on Trym, Bristol
Charles Gibson Huggins and Thomas Lear Pearson were appointed as joint Managing Directors. Mr E J Saunders was previously a manager at the London office. Mr C J Rowe was previously the 'Chief Travelling Representative'. Charles G Huggins and Thomas R Pearson, sons of the founders were already employed by the company in some capacity.
A purpose built freehold factory was built on Mivart Street, Eastville, Bristol.
Unfortunately, within just three years the company was facing insolvency under a cloud of financial irregularities. Company Director Thomas Lear Pearson left without trace having accumulated significant debts.
The register of defunct companies shows it was registered in 1911 and dissolved in 1932.
After the demise of Pearson Huggins and Company, Charles Gibson Huggins went on to form Huggins Son and Company Ltd. No doubt they acquired the assets from the former company in order to continue producing uniforms for the Police. The new company under Charles Gibson Huggins was trading successfully by 1914. Charles Gibson Huggins died in 1943 but the company continued producing uniforms for the Police into the 1960's.
Brighton based uniform maker A.Grantham acquired Huggins in 1968. Grantham was also a clothing maker which was founded when Agnes Grantham started a business concentrating on raincoats in 1915. The Hutchinson family took over in 1917 under the Grantham name but it wasn't until they had acquired the Huggins business that they also began making uniforms for the Police and airlines.
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| Bristol Evening Post - Monday 27 July 1987 |
The Pearson Huggins company also produced their own Police buttons during the Victorian era.
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| Bristol Constabulary Victorian tunic buttons made by Pearson Huggins |