Report - John Bull/Dunlop Precision Rubber, Leicester - 2008/13

Mr Sam · Dec 28, 2013

seem to of missed the boat when it comes to the insides of this place, first visited in 2008 on a pleasant afternoon no way in so scurried up the tower for a few quick shots which showed how vast the site is! still not a walk in the park to get in some comedy access fo' sure

The Leicester Rubber Company was formed in 1906 by John Cecil Burton and his brother Cecil Hubert.
Initially dealing with imported cycle tires and tubing, the Burton brothers soon decided to use external manufacturers to produce tires for bicycles and prams under the very avian themed trade names of 'Swift' and 'Swan' - though still overseen by the Leicester Rubber Company. These trades names were in existence for a short time until the Company's patriotic 'John Bull' trade mark came into force in 1908.

It was in 1915 that the Rubber Company started to manufacture its own bicycle and pram tires at its Evington Valley Road site in Leicester; gearing up production in 1928 to mass produce car and motorcycle tires. The company's success led to a further name change in 1934 when the Leicester Rubber Company became the John Bull Rubber Company Ltd.

It was in 1955 that John Bull became merged with another company, Metalastick, and thus the John Bull company name became relegated to automotive history.