Walsall
is renowned for its fine quality saddles and leather
goods. The Walsall Leather Museum attempts to
demonstrate this tradition and features a live
working examples of tanning and the production
of leather in the region. Actual crafsmen who
are skilled leather workers make wallets and various
leather goods as you watch. The story of leather
unfolds as you walk round the museum.
Walsall is the leather goods capital of Britain
with ninety companies (three of them Royal Warrant
holders) producing riding equipment and high
quality gift items such as purses, belts and
handbags. HM Queen Elizabeth II is known to
favour Walsall produced leather handbags, and
the Royal Household places regular orders for
saddlery from Warrant Holders such as 'Jabez
Cliff & Co' (founded 1873).
Walsall Leather Museum, in Littleton Street,
celebrates this tradition and the associated
industry it has spawned in bits, buckles and
saddletrees. Despite suffering a severe blow
in the recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth Walsall's
leather industry is fighting back and continues
to flourish as a testament to quality and a
worldwide reputation for first class leather
goods.
Representations from these companies can be
seen at the annual BETA Exhibtion at the NEC
and Walsall has traditionally had its own Pavilion.