Sheepskin tanning pioneer dies
14/09/2009
A well known figure in the UK tanning industry, Andrew Tinnion, died, as a result of melanoma, at the end of August.
His career in the leather industry started at Columbia, the Morlands Tannery in Bermondsey, London. He organised the re-location of the tannery to Redruth in Cornwall and moved to Somerset when he became the director in charge of two tanneries, the one at Redruth and another at Glastonbury.
When Morlands closed down in 1983, Mr Tinnion took a major role in setting up the Fenland Sheepskin Company in Bridgwater, Somerset, where he pioneered the use of enzyme technology, among many other developments, in woolskin tanning. He promised at the time that this was the last tannery he would build, but he broke his promise recently when he helped set up a micro-tannery in the Falkland Islands.
He took over the chairmanship of the Real Sheepskin Association in 1993 and held the position until his death.
Under his leadership the UK Sheepskin Industry staged something of revival mainly through its work with young fashion designers at first, then young furniture and interior designers who helped to attune sheepskin to the ‘Vivienne Westwood’ era.
Fenland Sheepskin Company became the de facto “University of Sheepskin” for not only many generations of design graduates but a growing community of sheep farmers, breeders and smallholders seeking a Contract Tanning Service for their special sheepskins.
His lifetime of service to the leather industry and sheepskin tanning was recognised during a celebratory reception and lunch at the Leathersellers Livery Hall in the City of London in June 2008, attended by a unique gathering of industry members, colleagues and former tanners.
He is survived by his wife, June, and their two children and five grandchildren.
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