A fellmongery and tannery were on this site in 1719. FW Braybrooks opened in 1890 and closed in 1969. It was a large employer in the town which bought in sheep skins and by a lengthy and complex process of fleshing, washing, pickling, salting, splitting, tanning, dyeing and drying turned them into leather or parchment. It gained an international reputation for the quality of its’ work. Later the firm paired up with high quality leather manufacturers and concentrated on th initial process. They were unusual trade names for employees: woolstaplers, fleshers, fellmongers and parchment makers.
