This Balmoral ankle boot made as prize work to demonstrate the skill of the shoemaker featured in the Bethnal Green Museum Shoe Exhibition held in London, England in 1897. The boot and museum label, come from an important collection of footwear and shoemaking objects thought to have been initiated by the London shoemaker, Robert Dixon Box, and consolidated by his son, Joseph Box and the Box Kingham family during the second half of the 1800s. The collection ranges from remnants of leather shoes from the Middle Ages found in English archaeological sites, to intact European shoes from the 1600s onwards, 'foreign' shoes collected as 'curiosities' from around the world, shoe buckles, spurs and snuff boxes, as well as company documents relating to Joseph Box Ltd.

The Joseph Box shoe company was an important London shoemaking business established in 1808 by a 'ladies shoemaker' called James Sly. From 1816 Sly's apprentice was Robert Dixon Box, the fifteen-year-old son of a bankrupted Quaker attorney. Box became manager of the business when Sly died in 1826, subsequently attaining a reputation for fine shoemaking through participation at international exhibitions and by obtaining Royal Warrants. The business became known as Joseph Box Ltd in 1862 after it was transferred to Robert's son, Joseph. Like his father, Joseph started in the trade at the age of 15, but retired at the relatively early age of 42 to enable his daughters to enter society. Although he transferred the business to his cousins the Box Kinghams in 1882, Joseph maintained an active interest in shoemaking through collecting. Some of the shoes in the collection feature a remarkable 20 stitches to the centimetre exemplifying the attention to detail and quality of workmanship Joseph Box shoes became renowned for. At the end of the century the business was later taken over by royal shoemakers Gundry & Sons, which was itself taken over by John Lobb Ltd some time after 1953.

The Joseph Box collection provides a unique insight into footwear history, demonstrating how changes in contemporary attitudes, needs and etiquette directly affected shoe design. It also reveals the fine skills of shoemakers as well as the impact of scientific developments and technological innovations on the materials and construction methods.

Reference:
Mitchell, Louise, with Lindie Ward, 'Stepping out: three centuries of shoes', Powerhouse Publishing, Sydney, 1997

This Balmoral ankle boot made as prize work by William Walsh for Robert Dixon Box in 1851 is described in the 1965 Box collection list as: 'Boot; patent leather and dark blue satin; lacing at the side; for a lady. Made by William Walsh in 1851. Box collection'.

The museum label was probably made for the Bethnal Green Museum shoe exhibition held in London, England, 1897.

This museum label and Balmoral ankle boot made as prize work to demonstrate the skill of the shoemaker, is part of the Museum's significant Joseph Box collection and featured in the Shoe Exhibition at Bethnal Green Museum, London, England in 1897, as number 164: 'Boot; patent leather and dark blue satin; lacing at the side; for a lady. Made by William Walsh in 1851. Box collection'.

Joseph Box Ltd had its origins in a London shoemaking business established in 1808 by a 'ladies shoemaker' called James Sly. From 1816 Sly's apprentice was Robert Dixon Box, the fifteen-year-old son of a bankrupted Quaker attorney. Box was to become manager of the business when Sly died in 1826, and gained a reputation for fine shoemaking through its participation at international exhibitions and by obtaining Royal Warrants. The business became known as Joseph Box Ltd in 1862 after it was transferred to Robert's son, Joseph. Like his father, Joseph started in the trade at the age of 15, but retired at the relatively early age of 42 to enable his daughters to enter society. Although he transferred the business to his cousins the Box Kinghams in 1882, Joseph maintained an active interest in shoemaking through collecting. At the end of the century the business was later taken over by royal shoemakers Gundry & Sons, which was itself taken over by John Lobb Ltd some time after 1953.

The collection acquired by the Museum in 1942 was probably started by Robert Dixon and consolidated by Joseph Box and the Box Kinghams during the second half of the 1800s. It includes remnants of leather shoes from the Middle Ages found in English archaeological sites, intact European shoes from the 1600s onwards, 'foreign' shoes collected as 'curiosities' from around the world, shoe buckles and spurs, as well as documents relating to Joseph Box Ltd.

Footwear scholar, June Swann, former Keeper of the Boot and Shoe Collection at the Northampton Museum in England was invited to catalogue this very significant collection in 1993. A large selection was subsequently featured in the Museum's 1997 exhibition and accompanying publication 'Stepping out: three centuries of shoes'.

REF:
Mitchell, Louise, with Lindie Ward, 'Stepping out: three centuries of shoes', Powerhouse Publishing, Sydney, 1997

Balmoral ankle boot, womens, silk satin / leather / wood and museum label, paper, made by William Walsh for Robert Dixon Box, prize work, London, England, 1851 / [1897]

Womens single straight Balmoral style side lace ankle boot of welted construction, rounded shallow toe and stacked heel featuring wooden last. Boot consists of black patent golosh with side seams and royal blue silk satin leg featuring a highly curved instep and silver side lace over tongue with twelve pairs of worked holes in ladder pattern. Golosh features a white stitched top edge, lining is black and white striped silk with sock and insole obscured by the last. Leather heel features full wheeling and a blinded on top piece and the brown leather sole features a zig zag forepart.

Cardboard museum label with printed text and black border, number 164 and description of shoe. Possibly a label from the Bethnal Green exhibition, 1897.

Made: Bethnal Green Museum; London, England; 1851

Made: Walsh, William; London, England; 1851

Made: Box, Robert Dixon; London, England; 1851

Interior obscured by last.

Joseph Box collection label pasted on outsole, printed black text on paper label, 'From JOSEPH BOX, / BOOT MAKER BY SPECIAL APPOINTMENTS TO / H.R.H. THE PRINCESS OF WALES, / H.I.H. THE CROWN PRINCESS OF GERMANY AND / H.R.H. THE PRINCESS LOUIS OF HESSE, / 187, REGENT STREET, LONDON. Established 1808'

Numbers written in corner of label, LH top, printed text in black on pasted paper label, '164', perpendicular to main text, LHS in ink, '41'

H4448-525

1851