Richard Williamson is a commercial leathersmith who spent eighteen years making leather goods for a small client list before turning to teaching full time. He started Leather Craft Workshop Days in London and moved the operation to a workshop at the rear of Fitzwilliam Street in Rushden in May 2025, putting it within a few miles of Northampton's shoemaking district. Courses run from half-day to two-day sessions and cover cutting, chisel work for stitch holes, edge burnishing, thread waxing and hand-stitching using the traditional saddle stitch method rather than a machine. Williamson selects the leather himself, visiting merchants directly rather than ordering stock sight unseen, and groups stay small so each participant gets one-to-one guidance through their own bag, wallet or pouch. Sessions are by booking only, run from the workshop rather than a shopfront.
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