Wellington Boot
Arthur Wellesley, Duke Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, Duke Wellington
Born1 May 1769
Died14 September 1852 | Age 83

Duke of Wellington 1810

In the early 1800s Arthur Wellesley, then Viscount Wellington, asked his shoemaker, Mr George Hoby of St James's Street, London, to make a boot which was easier to wear with the new trousers.


Duke of Wellington original Boots
Duke of Wellington original Boots


Arthur Wellesley was born in Dublin Ireland of Anglo-Irish descent.
After his great victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, Wellington became a British hero and a somewhat fashion icon with people from all quarters wanting to be seen in Wellies.

Wellingtons march on
Rubber Wellies
Rubber Wellies

In 1856 the Edinburgh-based North British Rubber Company had started to manufacture Britain’s first rubber or ‘gum’ boots. The boots were named Wellingtons and the name has stuck ever since. With the First World War being fought in the trenches the company was commissioned to produce millions of pairs as standard kit for ordinary soldiers, to prevent ‘trench foot’.

Leader

The Duke was twice British prime minister as leader of the Tory party from 1828 to 1830, and again in 1834.
The emblem of Rule Britannia
In History
  • 21 September 1936.
    This month 87 years ago the world lost Frank Hornby
  • 01 September 1976.
    This month 47 years ago the world lost Percy Shaw
  • 10 September 1960.
    This month 63 years ago the world lost Harold Gillies
  • 01 September 1806.
    This month 217 years ago the world lost Edward Nairne
  • 21 September 1836.
    This month 187 years ago the world lost John Stafford Smith
  • 01 September 1846.
    This month 177 years ago the world lost Edwin Beard Budding
  • 25 September 1936.
    This month 87 years ago the world lost William Horlick
  • Christmas Cracker. 200 years ago 18/10/1823 Tom Smith was born
  • 17 September 1877.
    This month 146 years ago the world lost William Henry Fox Talbot
  • 18 September 1938.
    This month 85 years ago the world lost William Fletcher
  • Marshall Amplification. 100 years ago 29/7/1923 Jim Marshall was born
  • 10 September 1938.
    This month 85 years ago the world lost Charles Cruft
  • 18 September 1967.
    This month 56 years ago the world lost John Cockcroft
  • 16 September 1890.
    This month 133 years ago the world lost Louis Le Prince
  • 50 years ago in 1973 The first stable LCD is announced to the world.
The emblem of Rule Britannia
Who Invented?
Who Discovered?
Who Created?
The History of..

Tags: