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Somerset County Herald and Taunton Courier. Saturday 30 Mar 1946
Page 3 Column 3
GOLD WATCHES FOR WORKERS
COMING-OF-AGE GIFTS AT TAUNTON
A “VAN HEUSEN” CELEBRATION
An interesting ceremony, the first of its kind in the history of Harding,Tilton & Hartley, Ltd., will take place at the County Hotel, Taunton, on Wednesday, April 10th, when Mr. Harold HARTLEY (chairman and managing director of the company) will present gold watches to factory workers and members of the office staff who have served the company for 21 years.
This ceremony will become a permanent event as others qualify by completing the necessary service. The presentation this year is of particular interest because the 14 recipients formed the greater part of the original staff with which Mr. HARTLEY first embarked on the production of the “Van Heusen” collar.
In 1922 a small factory was acquired in Viney-street, Taunton, with 28 workpeople; and, while the original building has long since disappeared, the site forms part of the very much greater area on which the present modern factory now stands.
One factory operative has been associated with the collar manufacture for over 50 years, and although much of this time was spent with other employers, the directors of Harding, Tilton & Hartley, Ltd., have marked her jubilee by presenting to her a cheque for £21.
EARLY PREJUDICES.
The earliest production of the “Van Heusen” collar was in white only, and provided an attractive alternative to the stiff white starched collar, which, at that time, was the universal vogue for men's wear; but, in the early days of its manufacture, many difficulties had to be faced and prejudices overcome. The first sales recorded early in 1923, were small indeed, a few hundred dozens per month only; but the “Van Heusen” collar was not slow in establishing its popularity, and with the advent of coloured shirts with collars to match a demand arose for coloured “Van Heusen” collars. This ultimately led to the production of a “Van Heusen” shirt, the first and only garment expressly made to match a collar; the otherwise universal procedure being for collars made to match shirts.
Towards the end of 1928, a private limited company was formed which, in addition to activities in the home market, began to build up a large export trade. At a later date, the company introduced the collar-attached-shirt to its home and overseas markets, a vogue which now threatens to rival that of shirts with separate collars. In 1935, the company's capital was increased and a public limited company was formed and, as such, is operating to-day.
WAR PRODUCTION.
During the war years, much of the company's production was devoted to Service shirts and collars for officers' wear, which, even in pre-war days had become a recognised standard. Plans are now being made to meet the ever-increasing demand for “Van Heusen” products for civilian wear, both at home and overseas.
Those who on April 10th are to be presented with gold watches participated in the struggles of those early days. To-day they can see the result of their efforts in the great demand for the company's products throughout the civilised world, embracing 123 countries and dependencies.
The “Van Heusen” Company has, throughout its existence, been under the able administration of Mr. Harold HARTLEY.