You would be forgiven for not ever hearing about Blantyre business ‘J Spoul’s Boot & Warehouse’, for it existed over 130 years ago!
This business once was located at ‘The Cross’, High Blantyre as stated in an advert from 1893 and had a 21 day sale that April. Boots and shoes were made to measure and repairs were carried out ‘neatly on the premises’.
Adverts of the era could often be rather wordy, trying to cram as much information into the short column inches available. Sproul’s wrote “While thanking our numerous patrons in and around Blantyre for the very liberal support accorded us in the past, we desire to direct thelr attention to the Specialities to be offered at our Half Yearly sale, beginning on Saturday first and respectfully invite all those desirous in obtaining really substantial bargains in boots and shoes to favour us by calling and inspecting our stock which is replete in every department with the freshest and most reliable goods. Having a thorough knowledge of the requirements of the District, and buying solely from the best boot manufacturers in the industry in England and Scotland, we are enabled to place before the Public such goods that are best calculated to secure the continues and increasing confidence of our customers”.
In short, “Buy our Boots!”
