Fred Mann & Co Ltd.
The Business, its locations subsequent developments
Fred Mann was one of a small group of boot and shoe manufacturer that were based in Sprowston.
He was born in Alford Lincolnshire in 1868 his father Henry a shoe maker born in Norwich had move to the area where he married a local girl by the name of Elizabeth Dales. The family moved to Norwich around 1880 and in 1889 Fred married Sarah Ann Baker. Shortly after their marriage they were found living at 5 Trafalgar Terrace on Aylsham Road where Fred was listed as a shoe manufacturer. There was then a move to Constitution Place off Constitution Hill where his neighbours the Ellis family had been producing boots over many years so the families must have been well known to each other. Ernest Ellis had a factory at 399 Sprowston Road and when he died in 1916 Fred appears to have taken over the premises as Fred Mann & Co Ltd. The company continued manufacturing at the premises until at least 1941possibly up until Fred`s death in 1945. D MacLaren used the premises for a while just after WW2 before moving to Mousehold Lane. Around 1958 and for a period of about ten years the premises were occupied by Castle Meadow Cleaners they were succeeded by Sprowston Iron Works. No 399 Sprowston Road was almost opposite Wall Road apparently the factory was found at the rear of 399 which sometimes was referred to as 399A this was situated just into a lane leading up to Mousehold.
Location of factory on Sprowston Road
