This museum label and silk brocade mule made as prize work to demonstrate the skill of the shoemaker, featured in the Shoe and Leather Fair, Islington, 1895 and the Bethnal Green Museum Shoe Exhibition held in London, England in 1897 and in ' Boots & Shoes of our Ancestors' by W H Dutton. According to information on the museum label, the shoe was made and exhibited in a public house in aid of funds to defend the Chartist shoemaker Fay, in Finsbury, London, 1848. As a demonstration of solidarity, the shoe was subsequently carried through the streets of London. Early museum documentation includes (note by the late William Box Kingham: "This shoe has the best rocking pitch I have ever seen.")

The shoe and 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 silk damask mule made as prize work in England, possibly in 1848, is reputed to have been made in aid of Chartist shoemaker, Fay. The label notes: 'made & exhibited in a Public House in Finsbury (London) in aid of funds to defend the Chartist shoemaker, Fay 1848. It was carried throught the street of London in a demonstration'.

Described as: 'Shoe; upper of silk damask with a braid of gold thread; no quarter; wooden heel covered with dark blue satin.This shoe was made and exhibited in a public-house in Finsbury, to collect funds to defend the Chartist shoemaker, Fay, in 1848. Box Collection', Bethnal Green Museum Shoe Exhibition, London, England in 1897, exhibit number 152.

The 1965 Box collection list notes: 'W. Box Kingham: this shoe has the best rocking pitch I have ever seen'.

This silk brocade mule, document and museum label are part of the Museum's significant Joseph Box collection. According to information on the museum label, the shoe was 'made & exhibited in a Public House in Finsbury (London) in aid of funds to defend the Chartist shoemaker, Fay 1848. It was carried through the streets of London in a demonstration'.

The mule also featured in Catalogue number 18 by W.H. Dutton: 'Boots & Shoes of our Ancestors', plate X XX,180; as exhibit number 18 in the Shoe and Leather Fair, Islington, 1895 and the Bethnal Green Museum Shoe Exhibition, London, England in 1897, exhibit number 152 described as: 'Shoe; upper of silk damask with a braid of gold thread; no quarter; wooden heel covered with dark blue satin.This shoe was made and exhibited in a public-house in Finsbury, to collect funds to defend the Chartist shoemaker, Fay, in 1848. Box Collection'.

Noted on the reverse of a 'Registration No' form: 'Mr Johnson [unclear] Mulbery Tree Public House, Mulberry Court, Horseshoe Alley, Watson Street, Finsbury. This shoe was shown to raise funds to defend FAY the Chartist (1848) who was transferred from the Old Bailey. Sold by Edmund Lovett, 4 [ ] Marsh St. Works for Smith, Gt Russell St.'

The shoe is part of the Museum's significant Joseph 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

Mule, womens, silk damask / leather / silk, document and museum label, paper, maker unknown, prize work, England / unknown, [1848] / unknown / [1897]

Womens single straight mule of turnshoe construction with needlepoint toe and covered thin Louis heel over white leather. Mule consists of red silk damask upper featuring a straight top edge from mid seat with fawn leather bound seat edge and silver braid around the top edge. Lining is in white leather and the sock is brown basket weave silk damask. Heel covered in blue/black silk is white stitched with crescentic top piece. Leather sole features a highly polished forepart and lighter breast.

Paper document, handwritten in pencil describing the history of the shoe.

Cardboard museum label, black border with printed text, probably from Shoe Exhibition, Bethnal Green Museum, 1897.

Made: England; 1848

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

Identification numbers on sole, pasted over original label in top LH corner, printed paper '52', beneath original label, handwritten in ink, '81', label on heel breast, pasted paper with serrated edge, number in pencil, '533'

H4448-533

1848