Statue of Liberty

The Lennard Shoe Manufacturers

Fredric Lennard and his five sons Samuel, Thomas, Henry, John and William built up a large shoemaking business in Leicester. In August 1901 they patented the Liberty brand of footwear. During the First World War they made boots for soldiers from their factory on Asylum Street (now Gateway Street). After the War, two Company directors travelled to New York, to get new ideas for shoe production.

Posters for Lennard Brothers’ shoes

The Eastern Boulevard Factory

Returning from America, Lennards planned a copy of the Statue of Liberty for the roof of their new Eastern Boulevard factory. The factory was designed by Leicester architect Howard Henry Thompson and used the French “Hennibique” reinforced concrete system. The factory dominated the junction of Eastern Boulevard and Walnut Street and produced 15,000 pairs of women’s shoes each week. They were sold throughout the country in their own Public Benefit Boot Company shops. The Leicester shop was next to the Clock Tower.

The Liberty Building on Eastern Boulevard c1930s

The Statue of Liberty

The statue was commissioned in 1919 and made by local sculptor Joseph Morcom. It was made from plaster over a wire frame, filled with concrete. To coincide with the statue’s unveiling, Lennards changed its name to Liberty Shoes and the factory became the Liberty Building. Liberty Shoes was sold in 1973 and the factory demolished in 2003. The statue was saved and in 2008 was installed on the Swan Gyratory roundabout. Patrick Leonard, great grandson of John, attended the unveiling.

The statue in its new roundabout location