NORTHAMPTON: THE TOWN THAT MADE ENGLAND'S SHOES

THE HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE SHOEMAKING AND WHY THE TOWN REMAINS THE REFERENCE POINT FOR HANDMADE ENGLISH SHOEMAKING

NORTHAMPTON IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACE IN THE HISTORY OF ENGLISH SHOEMAKING.

THIS IS NOT REGIONAL PRIDE. IT IS THE RECORD. FOR OVER FOUR CENTURIES, A SMALL COUNTY IN THE ENGLISH MIDLANDS PRODUCED MORE QUALITY FOOTWEAR THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD AND ESTABLISHED THE STANDARDS AGAINST WHICH EVERY SERIOUS SHOEMAKER, IN EVERY COUNTRY, STILL MEASURES THEIR WORK.

HOW IT BEGAN

THE ORIGINS LIE IN THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD, WHEN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE HAD THREE THINGS THAT SHOE PRODUCTION REQUIRED: LOCAL ACCESS TO CATTLE HIDES FROM THE FARMING INDUSTRY THAT DOMINATED THE REGION, OAK BARK FOR VEGETABLE TANNING FROM THE SURROUNDING FORESTS, AND ESTABLISHED RIVER ROUTES FOR DISTRIBUTING FINISHED GOODS TO LONDON AND BEYOND.

BY THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY, THE TOWN'S CAPACITY WAS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO ATTRACT MAJOR COMMISSIONS. IN 1642, NORTHAMPTON SUPPLIED 4,000 PAIRS OF BOOTS AND SHOES TO THE PARLIAMENTARY FORCES AT THE OUTSET OF THE CIVIL WAR. THE TOWN'S ABILITY TO PRODUCE QUALITY FOOTWEAR AT SCALE IN A SHORT TIMEFRAME ESTABLISHED A NATIONAL REPUTATION THAT WOULD PROVE PERMANENT.

THE INDUSTRIAL PERIOD

THE INTRODUCTION OF MACHINERY IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY TRANSFORMED NORTHAMPTON'S PRODUCTION WITHOUT DIMINISHING ITS STANDARD.

THE BLAKE STITCHING MACHINE, PATENTED IN AMERICA IN 1858 AND ADOPTED IN ENGLAND SHORTLY AFTER, MECHANISED THE STITCHING OF THE UPPER TO THE SOLE. FURTHER MECHANISATION IN THE 1870S ALLOWED DURABLE STITCHED CONSTRUCTION TO BE PRODUCED AT GREATER SCALE. THESE MACHINES DID NOT REPLACE THE SKILLED CORDWAINER. THEY CHANGED WHAT THE SKILLED CORDWAINER SPENT THEIR TIME DOING, SHIFTING HUMAN EXPERTISE TOWARD THE JUDGEMENT WORK THAT MACHINES CANNOT REPLICATE.

THE BRANDS THAT EMERGED FROM THIS PERIOD REMAIN THE BENCHMARKS. CHURCH'S, FOUNDED IN 1873. CROCKETT AND JONES, 1879. TRICKER'S, ESTABLISHED 1829. EDWARD GREEN, 1890. EACH BUILT IN NORTHAMPTON. EACH STILL OPERATING. EACH MAKING SHOES TO A STANDARD THAT THE TOWN'S CENTURIES OF ACCUMULATED EXPERTISE MAKE POSSIBLE.

WHAT SURVIVES

THE WORKSHOPS ARE FEWER THAN THEY WERE. VOLUME PRODUCTION HAS MOVED ELSEWHERE. BUT THE STANDARD HAS NOT MOVED.

WHAT REMAINS IN NORTHAMPTON IS THE DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT A CORRECTLY MADE ENGLISH SHOE REQUIRES. THE ABILITY TO READ LEATHER. TO LAST A SHOE WITH THE SPECIFIC TENSION THAT PRODUCES THE RIGHT FIT. TO FINISH TO THE STANDARD THAT THE TOWN HAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED. THIS KNOWLEDGE IS HELD BY INDIVIDUALS, PASSED ON IN WORKSHOPS, REFINED ACROSS CAREERS THAT SPAN DECADES.

SPRINGLINE, THE LAST REMAINING MANUFACTURER OF HANDMADE LASTS IN ENGLAND, OPERATES WITHIN THIS TRADITION. WHEN 1812 SPECIFIES A LAST FOR A NEW SILHOUETTE, THE KNOWLEDGE BEHIND THAT SPECIFICATION COMES FROM NORTHAMPTONSHIRE'S ACCUMULATED UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT A CORRECT LAST PRODUCES.

WHY THE TOWN STILL MATTERS

NORTHAMPTON'S SIGNIFICANCE IS NOT HISTORICAL. IT IS PRESENT.

THE TOWN IS THE LIVING REPOSITORY OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENGLISH SHOEMAKING. THE REFERENCE POINT AGAINST WHICH NEW WORK IS MEASURED. THE PLACE WHERE THE STANDARDS THAT DEFINE WHAT MADE IN ENGLAND MEANS WERE ESTABLISHED AND ARE STILL MAINTAINED.

ANY BRAND THAT MAKES SHOES SERIOUSLY IN ENGLAND IS MAKING THEM IN RELATIONSHIP TO NORTHAMPTON, EITHER WORKING WITHIN THAT TRADITION OR DEPARTING FROM IT KNOWINGLY. AT 1812, THE RELATIONSHIP IS DIRECT. THE METHODS ARE NORTHAMPTON'S. THE AMBITION IS TO BE WORTHY OF THEM.