Earl Shilton - Old Job Toon

Old Job Toon

In the middle of the nineteenth century Job Toon commenced trading as a grocer and licensed victualer in Earl Shilton. Job was a devout Methodist, and his shop was still trading in 1868. In 1850 he installed his first a stocking frame in his home, which laid the foundations of J Toon and Son.

He worked the stocking frame with his wife Matilda, and gradually purchased more frames and rented them out in the community. Job would pay for the stockings produced, minus the rent of the frame. Job purchased a small building just off wood Street, and the early factory was powered by steam.

Horse and drey took the factory produce to Elmesthorpe Station. Old Job Toon had three sons Alfred, James and Carey. Alfred and James went into the hosiery business, while Carey became a successful local farmer.

Alfred was the senior partner and earned a salary of £5 per week. In those early days stocking were not so delicate and were sold by weight, warmth not high fashion appears to be paramount as the heaviest were the most expensive. During this period much of Toon’s trade was with South America. Alfred had four sons, two of them died during the 1930s, and his two surviving sons, Stanley and Carey, took over the firm that now operated over 1000 machines knitting machines.