A DALE cobbler is embarking on one of his “most challenging” restoration jobs ever – an odd pair of 100-year-old girl’s work boots.
Adrian Andrews, who owns Star Cobblers, in Star Yard, Barnard Castle, was sent the battered boots by a customer from Shetland who regularly uses his services.
He said: “He’s sent me all sorts of boots and walking shoes, some of them needing a good amount of work, but these boots probably need the most amount of work.
“He sent a letter with them saying he’d found them in an old derelict farmhouse, inside a wall. Apparently it was a tradition to give the house good luck.”
The black leather boots
will be cleaned, re-heeled, stitched and glass buttons re-attached.
Mr Andrews added: “They’re the most unusual job I’ve had. They probably date to around 1900, possibly from the 1920s.
“At first, I put them to one side but the customer explained he wanted them restored and will probably put them in a display box, although he may decide to put them in the wall at his house to bring him good luck.”
The boots are the same size, of a similar design but are not a pair.
Mr Andrews said: “It was not unusual for this to happen – if someone wore one boot out, they would match it with another. It’ll take me about two weeks to do the work, but the biggest challenge will be finding 16 glass buttons to replace those that are missing.”
Mr Andrews said it was not unusual to receive boots through the post for repair.
He said: “We’ve been on the internet for some time and we get a lot of customers from all over the country, Scotland and Ireland. This year has been no different, although we’ve had more sent to us.
“I don’t think there are many traditional cobblers down south so people scout around for services and we get lots of great five-star reviews on our website.”
