Shoe industry
Shoemaking is part of the identity of Northampton and the surrounding area. Shoemakers have worked in Northamptonshire for almost 900 years.
Timeline
1213 - King John bought boots in Northampton for 9d (4p)
1229 - Henry III ordered Northampton to supply shoes for the poor at Christmas and Easter
1401 - Northampton shoemakers’ guild was established
1600 - Northampton had a small but recognised shoemaking industry
1649 - 13 shoemakers made 2,500 shoes for Oliver Cromwell’s army
1815 - The well-developed canal system connecting to Northampton, along with its central location in England, led to the growth of the shoe industry and made it easier to transport leather goods
1830s - West Northamptonshire became a hub for skilled shoemakers
1840s - The Industrial Revolution had increased shoe production in Northampton
1857 - Messrs Turner Bros. Hyde & Co factory at the corner of Campbell Square and Victoria Street was erected for Isaac Campbell & Co
Campbell Square factory
You may know when you are in a mile of Northampton by the noise of the shoemakers' lap-stones
Northamptonshire saying
1860 - Machinery replaced hand-skilled processes
1865 - Campbell Square factory manufactured 100,000 pairs of shoes annually
Clicking Room at Barratts
In the Clicking Room shoe upper components were cut out from the leather.
First and Second World Wars - Northampton shoemakers supplied nearly 50 million pairs of shoes to the British Army
Present day - Both Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig wore Northampton-made shoes while starring as James Bond
The shoes produced in Northampton are durable and repairable, known as Goodyear-welted shoes.
Some of the famous brands that have factories throughout West Northamptonshire are:
For more information on the famous shoe industry of Northampton see:
Last updated 16 October 2024