The Big Interview
A stitch in time I
t was 30 years ago this month that Mark Hobkirk joined the family firm fresh faced in his 20s, becoming the fourth generation of Hobkirk men to work in the sewing and embroidery industry. It was a moment of curiosity on Mark’s behalf a few years ago that led to Hobkirk Sewing Machines discovering the business began trading in 1903 from a shop premises in the Salford area of Blackburn. An enquiry with the local council unearthed a newspaper clipping from the turn of the century mentioning the business and that’s where the story begins. William later welcomed his son Edgar into the family business and in the 1960s, Mark’s father Peter also joined. Hobkirk Sewing Machines grew rapidly from the 1960s onwards, with investment in a further premises in Darwen Street on the other side of town as the domestic side of the business expanded. Mark recalls his father opening shops in Preston, Blackpool, Burnley, Accrington, Bury and Rochdale in the 1970s and 1980s as the company extended its reach across the north west further. This period in the company’s history also saw Hobkirk Sewing Machines introduce industrial sewing machines to its portfolio, working with well-known manufacturers such as Seiko, Zoje and Comel. As a result, the business built extensions to the rear of the Darwen Street shop to house industrial workshops, showrooms and warehousing.
A new phase
As Mark joined the family-run business in the early 1990s, the business was on the cusp of entering another new phase in its history.
Having grown successful in the domestic and industrial sewing fields, the 1990s saw Hobkirk Sewing Machines move into the embroidery sector and forge distributorships with Melco and Toyota.
| 56 | May 2023
It’s not often you hear news of a company celebrating 120 years of trading. P&P editor Melanie Attlesey speaks to the great grandson of company founder William Hobkirk as Hobkirk Sewing Machines marks this momentous milestone in 2023.
The first generation vs. the fourth generation: William Hobkirk and Mark Hobkirk
“A lot has changed since I joined the business,” recalls Mark. “The main one being technology and how easy it is to do business now.”
Back in the 90s Mark says that any calls to be made to customers or suppliers were done after 1pm when the calls were cheaper, quotes were
still typed out on a typewriter and brochures were mailed out in the post. “We used to have a Polaroid camera to take pictures of our second-hand machines to send in the post to interested customers. Now you just take a quick picture on your phone and send a text or email to them,” says Mark.
Peter Hobkirk pictured in the museum
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