LEADING THE WAY IN CRAFTSMANSHIP

While browsing through an Official Guide to the City of Leicester dating from 1954, a Leicester Mercury reporter found a section on Leicester's industries.There are large features on the big three - hosiery, footwear and engineering - but there are also smaller sections on "other industries".

One of these caught his eye as it was headed "Craftsmen in Lead" and features Norman & Underwood.  It begins:

"Lead has always been recognised as the finest possible material for covering large roof areas, and almost all of our famous cathedrals and mansions, and many parish churches, have lead roofs.

"Many of these roofs are still giving excellent service, although the lead may have been laid about 300 years ago.

"Architects have found from experience that these lead roofs have proved satisfactory because of the old craftsman's method of fixing, also that cast lead was used in all cases."

The art of casting lead is one of the old crafts of England and at one time nearly died out owing to the introduction of machine-made sheet lead."But cast lead has always been recognised as the best and most economical form of covering for these large areas, as the original cost is less, and the valuable old lead is reused, and the colouring and texture maintained.

"Norman and Underwood Ltd, of Freeschool Lane, Leicester, is one of the few firms in the country which has the expert craftsmen capable of casting lead sheets suitable for these large roofs.

"Coupled with this, their men are specially trained in fixing the lead in the medieval method, which from experience has proved the best.

"As a result of this specialist training, Norman and Underwood Ltd has been instructed by many of the most celebrated architects in the country to carry out lead work on ancient and historic buildings.

"Among the many hundreds of jobs they have done are work on such famous buildings as Exeter, Gloucester, Ely and Salisbury Cathedrals, Woburn Abbey, Chesterfield's Crooked Spire, St George's Chapel, Windsor and, more locally, the churches of St Mary de Castro and St Nicholas. They are now carrying out work at historic Staunton Harold Church.

"The firm, although casting and fixing lead in the mediaeval fashion, is fully up to date in other respects.

"It has a fleet of caravans for its men, who travel all over the country and, if necessary, can recast the old lead on site.

"Apart from casting roof sheets, they are also experts in casting and making up special ornamental lead rain-water heads, pipes, water tanks and garden ornaments, and have lately supplied the magnificent heads and pipes for Hull University, all made to the architect's designs.

"Keeping abreast of the times, the firm, which has been established for 127 years, is developing its light lead casting side and is now actively engaged in supplying castings for atomic energy and the electrical trade, and lead washers of all descriptions."

What an excellent extract!  We have now been established for over 180 years are are still going strong!   Our relocation to Scudamore Road in Leicester was a big wrench for the company after 180 years on the same site but our Managing Director, Jonathan Castleman who is the 7th generation of the Underwood family is firmly in control.  Here's to the next 180 years!