About the Shoe L&CS&ATGS
Early in the last century the main sport linked to charity was football, and every city, town, and village had its own local charity cup competition. A well know referee in the north of England, Jack Howcroft, was a prominent figure in the local events, and being associated with the shoe industry and a keen golfer he inaugurated a Golf Cot Competition to provide cots for his local hospital in Bolton.
It was that success, that prompted Mr W Whowell (grandfather of our current treasurer) to organise a similar competition when he moved to Leicester, with his leather business in 1921. Mr Whowell had met a Mr E Roberts, and early in 1922 met Mr J F Reid an ex-Captain of the Leicestershire Golf Club, and following a meeting at the Grand Hotel in Leicester our Society was formed, known then as the Leicester and District Shoe Leather and Allied Trades Charity Golf Competition.
Mr J F Reid became the first President in 1922, and Mr Whowell was the fifth President in 1926, with his son W H Whowell becoming Presient in 1953.
The above details are from a booklet entitled "Golf with an Object" published by Mr W Whowell in 1951.
Todays Society, with about ninety members, continues to thrive with a very similar programme of events each year, raising substantial sums for the Shoe Trades Charities and local charities.
Many well know Shoe Industry families have been and still are connected with the Society, following the footsteps of their fathers and/or grandfathers, for example Derek Marlow and Geoffrey Mawer, are both active members, and also Chairman and President, respectively of the International Shoe Championship of the Shoe, Leather and Allied Trades, an annual event that has been running since 1946.
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