A Hume Celebrating 90 Years

Archie Hume of A Hume Country Clothing reflects on the company’s landmark birthday and the launch of the commemorative 90th anniversary tweed

This year, and for the next twelve months, my family business – A Hume Country Clothing – is celebrating our 90th anniversary. It’s a very proud moment for us. Three generations of my family, starting with my grandfather, Arch, a master tailor who opened the doors in 1929. He recognised the tweed and textile mills as a source of quality raw materials for the made to measure tweeds he planned to sell to the farming community on market days from his shop on The Square.

But what began as a year of prosperity and stability after the horrors of the First World War ended with the Wall Street Crash and the start of the Great Depression. It could hardly have been a more challenging start. Still, Arch and his tailors hunkered down and stitched their way out of trouble and into the fabric of the Kelso community.

My father, Jock, took over the business from my grandfather and I can still remember the tailors, though Dad wasn’t a tailor himself, but he was born to the business and could spot opportunity. He saw that times were changing and responded by introducing ready-to-wear in the 1960s. It was a successful and pivotal move for the business. He was strong on business and development, with a flair for innovation and figures – his ledger books were works of art.

When you grow up in a family business, your support is counted on and you don’t question it when you’re asked to help out. I’d been helping in the shop after school from a young age and I’d already made the choice to enter the family business when my father passed away. Still, in hindsight, taking on the business in my early twenties when I was still very wet behind the ears was as big an ask as it was an opportunity and I’d be the first to admit I didn’t inherit my parents’ talents for record keeping.

The story goes that before he passed, my dad confided to my wife-to-be Karen, that while he thought I had the goods front of house, he wasn’t convinced about my book-keeping skills. Although it was years before Karen joined me in the business

– she had a whole career as a stockbroker to get out the way before she joined me at the helm – my dad’s expression of concern could be read as an endorsement of Karen. Her involvement began innocuously enough with an interest in developing a website for A Hume in 2007. Since then, what was once a traditional retailer has been transformed by a series of strategic technological leaps into the online digital age.

Arch and Jock would be very proud that we’ve stuck to our guns about maintaining traditional standards of quality and customer service, but it would blow their minds to see how we do business. Each day orders for our Scottish Borders tweed jackets come in and go out to the four corners of the world.

It seemed only fitting then, given the prominent role tweed has played in the success of A Hume, that we mark this occasion in tweed. Our very own commemorative tweed, designed by Esther Mason, a Heriot Watt School of Textiles graduate, who won an industry project run in conjunction with the world leading textile school to have the honour of designing our birthday tweed. Fitting too, that the honour of weaving and tailoring our anniversary tweed should fall to the prestigious Lovat Mill in Hawick. One of few surviving mills who make fine and beautiful tweeds for Scottish Estates, international couture houses and A Hume.

The result of the collaboration is our limited edition, 90th Anniversary Collection of tweed jackets and waistcoat inspired by the landscape of the Scottish Borders.

Over the next year we’ll be inviting our many loyal customers to celebrate with us. On 29 and 30 November we’re hosting a Dubarry Boots and Bubbles event – expect fizz, a free prize draw and goodie bags. Then, on 7 and 8 December we’re inviting RM Williams customers to come have their boots shined by me! Plus, more goodie bags and a further prize draw. Both in our shop on The Square, Kelso – warm welcome guaranteed. Have a look at our Facebook page.