News Archive - 1999

Would you like a large cash award to improve your craft or trade skills? Or do you know of a friend or a relative who would benefit? If so, now is the time to send for an application form for a 2000 Queen Elizabeth Scholarship.

J. Hewit & Sons Ltd. is a member of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, which in 1990 founded the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust. Since then over £450,000 has been awarded to more than 65 men and women aged between 18 and 54.

Scholarships worth between £2,000 and £15,000 have enabled an aspiring couturier to work in the Paris salon of John Galliano, a trainee watchmaker to attend a specialist course in Switzerland, a furniture maker to study woodcarving in a Slovakian workshop and a buyer's clerk to attend a millinery course. There has been a glassmaker, calligrapher, antique restorer, basket-maker, upholsterer, wall paintings conservator, quilter, farrier and many more who have received substantial help to further their careers.

Applications are judged by the Trustees who look for well thought out projects which will contribute to the wealth of talent in the United Kingdom and reflect the excellence of modern and traditional British crafts as symbolised by the Royal Warrant Appointment. The ideal candidate will be a talented individual who has already shown a commitment to a craft or trade skill. Applicants can be of any age and do not necessarily need to be employed by a Royal Warrant holding company.

Application forms for the 2000 Scholarships are available from: The Secretary, The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, 1, Buckingham Place, London SW1E 6HR. (Please enclose an A4 size stamped address envelope). Completed forms must be received by 17th January 2000

The scholarship for may also be downloaded from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust's web site at www.qest.org.uk

Please Note: Scholarships are not awarded for the purpose of buying equipment to establish a business or a workshop nor to fund courses in general further education.

Awards and Prizes

The Spring and Summer months of May and June are often the most hectic, with ‘end of year’ examinations and exhibitions on many of the craft bookbinding and allied degree courses in the UK. The volume and quality of work produced by many of the students is quite outstanding and it never ceases to amaze us. It is a delight and an honour for us to be associated with these colleges and we are delighted to announce this years winners of the various J. Hewit & Sons Prizes.

Alan Isaac (on right) was awarded his prize at Guildford College, Surrey on the 29th June. Seen here with the the editor of this newsletter.

Alan Issac won the Best Calf Binding award
Guildford College of Further & Higher Education
Diploma in Fine Binding

Margaret Antalopoulos won the 1st year Forwarding Prize
London College of Printing
Part-Time BTEC HND in Design Binding

Courtney Gregwah won the 2nd year Forwarding Prize
London College of Printing
Part-time BTEC HND in Design Binding

Camberwell College of Art - BA (Hons) Conservation
The J. Hewit & Sons Ray Wright Memorial Award
was a awarded to Deb Major for
Committed and Consistent Good Work in Archive Conservation

The Society of Bookbinders Bi-annual Conference Telford 1999

A big thank you to all of you who came by our stand at the trade fair during the Society of Bookbinders Conference in Telford. It was lovely seeing you all - catching up with old friends and indeed meeting some of you for the very first time.

left: William McLean down for the few days from Edinburgh

right: John Pursey our man on the road!

Traditional Band Nippers by Shepherds Bookbinders

We are delighted to announce that we are now stocking this beautiful product. These nickel plated nippers are hand crafted in the UK, to the highest possible specification.

Traditional Band Nippers

Belmont Hollow

Following numerous requests, we are now stocking 'Belmont Hollow', a 225gsm card which is ideal for book spine hollows on case making applications.

Specification: Light terracotta in colour - 560mm x 760mm - long grain.

Cylindrical Polishing Irons are now available

Due to popular demand, in addition to our traditional 'spade' shape polishing irons we are now stocking a cylindrical polishing iron, produced by Shepherds Bookbinders. It is made to a very high specification from top quality stainless steel.

Cylindrical Polishing Iron

February 1999

We were very sad to hear recently of the death of Mr. Stan Scarlet at the age of 90. Mr. Scarlet joined J. Hewit & Sons, as it then was, in 1932 as the manager of the new London warehouse in Jewin Street. In December 1940, when bombing destroyed 46, Jewin Street, the office was transferred to Mr Scarlet's home in Bromley, Kent, and the business continued from there until new premises were rented in Clerkenwell 4 months later. Over the years Mr. Scarlet's influence within the company grew, and he became firstly the overall sales manager, and finally in 1969 the sales director for the Company, travelling widely throughout the world. Mr Scarlet retired from active duties in 1975, and as a director in 1982, although he kept in regular contact with us right up until his death. Mr. Scarlet was well known and respected within the leather industry, and we hope that all who knew him will join with us in passing on their condolences to his family.

We are delighted to announce that we have purchased the World rights to Manufacture, market and sell Bowdens Book Headbands.

For many years, J. Hewit and Sons Ltd. have been successfully distributing a range of the Bowden Book Headbands, complimenting the extensive range of fine bookbinding leathers we manufacture and sell and other bookbinding materials, tools, sundries and equipment we distribute.

Several months ago June and Brian Orley, the owners of Bowden & Son contacted us, and after informing us that they were planning to retire, asked us whether we would be interested in purchasing their Company. We were of course delighted and honoured by their offer. For us, the merging of the two companies made absolute sense. Both companies historically, have shared the philosophy of producing the very best products in their field. Bowden and Son since 1855 have been manufacturing the finest quality book headbands available anywhere in the World and we at J. Hewit & Sons Ltd. have a 150 year reputation World-wide of producing the very finest bookbinding leathers from our Edinburgh Tannery.

From the 5th of January 1999, the production and selling operation of Bowden Book Headbands moved from Essex to our tannery in Edinburgh. Our Intention is to continue offering our customers the excellent quality of product and customer service that they had become accustomed to in their past dealings with Bowdens.