My father's work

My father was known as Harry Zant, even though he was christened Harry Van Der Zant, which causes some problems in researching as I have to look at various possible names under either Z or V. Take into account also that this is a Dutch surname and is pronounced as "Von Der Zont" by the Dutch, with both of his parents being Dutch nationals who lived in England, one can see even more research possibilities.

At some point in his life he was apprenticed as a shoe repairer, and in 1949 started his own shoe repair business at Hayes End, Middlesex, England.

 I can remember as a child, he spent long, long hours preparing shoes for competitions and so this time I have got the certificates he won in those competitions. Some of the competitions appear to be run by certain magazines; 'The Shoe and Leather Record' and the 'Leather Quarterly'. Do these journals still exist? If not, have any of their journals been archived? If so, where?

 

I also have membership to the 'St. Crispins Boot Trades Association Ltd' dated 8th January 1964. Why 1964? He was in business from 1949 and worked for other shoe repairers before that date. Were there other organisations that he joined?

So get your thinking caps on. What do you know about researching the Shoe Repairing Trade? How can I find out more information about my dad's apprenticeship and life as a Master Shoe Repairer?