Wareings Irvin on Ebay.

[joeson]

I am interested on getting any information on Wareings,including any pictures of the factory then and now.What would be great would be to find someone who used to work there,although this is becoming increasingly unlikely.
I am also looking for information on any of the manufacturers below,although this is probably the wrong place:
P Frankenstein and Son Ltd
Parkinson Ltd (Walsall)
A Whyman Ltd
L Silberston & Sons
A Raven & Co Ltd
J L & S Ltd
Cohen & Wilkes Ltd
John Gordon & Co

 

[rich]

I am interested on getting any information on Wareings,including any pictures of the factory then and now.What would be great would be to find someone who used to work there,although this is becoming increasingly unlikely.
I am also looking for information on any of the manufacturers below,although this is probably the wrong place:
P Frankenstein and Son Ltd
Parkinson Ltd (Walsall)
A Whyman Ltd
L Silberston & Sons
A Raven & Co Ltd
J L & S Ltd
Cohen & Wilkes Ltd
John Gordon & Co

Joeson, in response to you and Andrew............
I contacted Stephen Rubin of Pentland a year or two ago, here's the reply.

Just a note to say I've received your comment on Wareings. The factory was closed many years ago. We are looking through our archives and this will take a few weeks, but if we come across anything, we will then come back to you. If you do not hear from us, then I'm afraid you must forget it. Truthfully, I was involved in the purchase of Wareings, but can remember nothing whatsoever about sheepskin flying jackets, unless there is some history that we can find.
Yours sincerely

He did follow this up, advising me there was nothing to be found - a real pity, as he did seem genuinely very interested.

And in the era before email (remember that!) I wrote to IAC at Letchworth, asking for information. I no longer have their reply, but perhaps needless to say I didn't get a personal invitation to
view their archives, or a guided tour of the in-house museum!!! In fact, they just said something like........ Wossis, jackets? Eh? Errmm, maybe try ALC, we flogged off all the bits and pieces to
them, not interested, leave me alone....... glorious history ........iconic jacket ...........the Few............. whossis all abart.......... I'm off on me lunch.

It was very disheartening. They don't even make the parachutes there anymore, this business moved to South Wales some years ago, (but has probably moved on to China by now!) I can take
a pic of the factory for you if you'd like, I can walk there in about ten minutes from where I live.

Which leads me on to another source of info which I only got a glimpse of.......... there may not be much, but I can follow it up - it's something I've been putting off for months, but somehow there're always other more pressing things to do............... but I'll have another go very soon.

Best of luck in your search for information - I think once you have a 'key' , many doors can be unlocked. But 'key holders' seem to be miserable sods and never in too much of a hurry to share.

 

[Andrew]

Thanks for that miserable news Rich. I'd still rather hear that than a rumour about the existence of a lost archive somewhere that over time will become a secret tunnel under Letchworth that contains several crates of unissued mint Irvinsuits in all sizes plus a locked filing cabinet full of contract orders, patents and pattern drawings, dies for zipper pulls and buckets :lol:

 

[handworn]

I never bother to bid in person, as it were, unless it's something I don't care all that much about being outbid on. For stuff I really want, I use the website snip.pl to place my snipes. Just a recommendation.

I could not have come closer to bidding on this one WITHOUT bidding on it than I did. Based on the winning bid, I probably could have grabbed it but I was worried about the fit. Its been hard to find an original Irvin that I think will fit me. I am a 44R. My A-2's that fit spot on are 23-24 inches pit-to-pit. The big issue for me with Irvins is the sleeves are so darn long on me...........

I was worried that this one would be too large and to be honest, its in almost too good a shape for my tastes. Looking for a sturdy wearer that actually looks used. Seeing as I would wear it one or two days a year, a sturdy original makes sense however I am always wondering if the sleeves will be too long. Maybe a I need a custom ELC or something but really want the real deal, no repros.

Its the only original flight jacket type still on my list that I don't own.

The Irvin listing above ended here at 4 AM, no way I would ever get out of bed to bid but the dogs woke me up right before 4 so I was able to watch the bid end. Had typed a winning bid amount (so I think) in the box but was not convinced enough about the fit. Nice looking jacket though.

No regrets........