Jackson’s Patent Belt Fastener

At this time the belts that ran machinery in mills and factories were held together with leather thongs. This would cause significant delays when they broke. Isaac Jackson began experimenting to create a solution that would fix the belts together quickly and with minimum skill. He registered many patents for belt fasteners including the famous “Jackson’s Patent Belt Fastener”. This was a metal plate that clipped together with a button from underneath.

He travelled around the world sharing his invention and built up a very successful international business. Isaac put Glossop on the map. He remained loyal to the town in which he had made his fortune and in 1905 he opened the new and modern works at Hawkshead, Old Glossop.

It was not an easy journey by all accounts and he struggled against much adversity. His “indomitable pluck, dogged perseverance and tremendous will power” won through to bring him the fame and fortune he achieved in the business world.

Throughout his life he was heard to say that “he owed his success to the unswerving loyalty and business acumen of his wife”. At many points when Isaac was on his journeys Harriet would be running the business and their young household. Isaac and Harriet had five children, Elizabeth, James, Herbert, Frances, and Beatrice (my grandmother)

Thank you to the Glossop Heritage Trust for details information.