Original Item: Only One Pair Available. These are fantastic summer weight leather flight gloves dated 1941 made by Thomas Ensor & Sons of Milborne Port in Somerset, England. The bear War Department markings and broad arrow stamps. Overall condition is very good, the gauntlets are still supple and complete. These gloves we so popular among fliers that American aviators were known to steal them from British Royal Air Force stores! Aviator gloves are essential for any RAF collection.
Thomas Ensor & Sons was a glove manufacturing company founded in Milborne Port in Somerset, England in 1820.
Thomas Ensor & Sons were listed as glove manufacturers of Hendford in the Post Office Directory of 1866 and as glove manufacturers of Brunswick Street in the Post Office Directory of 1875. It is tempting to think, therefore, that they occupied the site on the corner of both roads later occupied by Nichols & Sons tannery and now occupied by Cooper’s Mill.
In 1899 the business was acquired by Bernard Southcombe of Tintinhull, while Estcourt Southcombe remained at Tintinhull where their factory specialised in dressed chamois and doeskin leather. On the death of Bernard Southcombe in 1934 a private company was floated (in 1936) in the title of Thomas Ensor & Sons, of which Estcourt Southcombe was senior director.
The company was still active as late as 1947, certainly in Milborne Port when their factory was gutted by fire.