The Loake shoemaking tradition began in 1880 when brothers Thomas, John and William opened a factory in Northamptonshire in the heart of the English shoemaking industry. Their aim was to provide the most handsome, comfortable and durable gentlemen’s shoes possible. The present factory, in Wood Street, Kettering, was built by the brothers in 1894. Today, five generations later, Loake continues to be family owned and prides itself on the exceptional quality that only traditional skills and a family heritage can achieve. Loakes are famous for their fine, handcrafted Goodyear Welted shoes. Only the finest grade leathers and materials are used to create Loake shoes.
Five generations ago in 1829 the master shoemaker Joseph Barltrop founded RE Tricker which, still based in Northampton, has become one of the oldest English shoe manufacturers. His family continues to apply the same traditional crafts and skills along with 21st century flair in the production of highly sought after footwear and Tricker shoes are the proud holders of the Royal Warrant from His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales. Using only the best available materials, including calf upper leathers and oak bark tanned soles, Trickers craftsmen apply legendary skills to both hand-made and bench-made shoes, giving Trickers shoes a quality seldom equalled in Goodyear welted footwear.
Sanders & Sanders Ltd was established in 1873 by brothers William and Thomas Sanders of Rushden, Northamptonshire. They had a vision of offering outstanding quality footwear to discerning members of the public. With their five craftsmen, they selected the finest English hides, the best local oak-bark tanned soles and began to design and make footwear. This vision has since been passed down from father to son and the company is currently in the fourth generation of family management, employing over one hundred craftsmen. Sanders shoes continue to be made using the labour intensive Goodyear Welted construction method, generally acknowledged as the finest method of shoe construction.
The Sebago-Moc Company was founded in 1946 America by three New England natives: Daniel J. Wellehan, Sr., William Beaudoin and Joseph Cordeau. They started producing hand-sewn penny loafers, styled after the native American moccasin, that evolved into their famous Sebago Docksides. The modern boat shoe was invented by Paul Sperry in 1935. By cutting into his shoes’ soles he replicated his dog’s ability to effortlessly run across snow and ice. Although Sebago deck shoes are designed for use in demanding wet conditions their handcrafted high-quality sleek, smart designs and comfort have led to Sebago loafers and Sebago shoes becoming desirable fashion items worldwide.
Established by Richard de Winter in 1990, Bradshaw & Lloyd’s ethos is to offer high quality leather footwear without the inconvenience and cost of visiting the high street. The two collections The Grosvenor and The Benchmade, made entirely in Northamptonshire by two factories established in 1873 and 1829 respectively, represent all that was ever great about English shoemaking and are very competitively priced. The collections include classic oxfords, brogues, penny loafers, tassel loafers, monk shoes and boots.
