Colchester Rubber Co.
Colchester Rubber Co. was a footwear brand manufactured by the Colchester Rubber Company. History Colchester Rubber Co. was a footwear brand manufactured by the Colchester Rubber Company. The original Colchester Rubber Company, founded in 1888 at Colchester, Connecticut, USA, Factory The Colchester Rubber Company factory was located at the intersection of Lebanon Avenue and Mill Street in the factory buildings which previously belonged to the Hayward Rubber Company which was in operation from 1847 to 1885. The Hayward Rubber Company was founded by Nathaniel Hayward, whose findings on the treatment of rubber with sulfur were used to develop vulcanised rubber. Some of the original Colchester Rubber Company factory ruins can still be seen at the site today. Many of the workers in the factory originally came from Ireland. Founding Owners The Colchester Rubber Company was founded by George Watkinson who was born 1838. Prior to founding Colchester Rubber Company, George Watkinson was a manager at the Candee Rubber Company. The Colchester Rubber Company factory, or Rubber Works, at Colchester were co-managed by George Watkinson and his son Irving Watkinson. Irving Watkinson was a busy man, as he also kept the Colchester town weather station and was the proverbial man about