Boot and Shoe Repair Shops

I found a photograph of a Shoe Repair shop. It took me back to the 1960's when it most common to have your footwear repaired rather than dispose of them when they were worn. Our family always had shoes in for repair and I was the one that usually had the task to take and collect them and I loved those shops, usually tiny shops and dark and had a lovely smell of polish and leather. Usually served by the Cobbler himself or his wife and they always looked characters. Which leads me to ask whether any of the members remember such shops. In later years, I do remember Sam Ballard on the Foleshill Road, really nice man. Spon Street

There was cobbler's shop on the corner of Whitefriars Street and Whitefriars Lane - diagonally opposite the Hope & Anchor - which a lot of members here will remember. Brandish's showroom is just visible on the extreme right on the corner of Whitefriars Lane: Edited by member, 9th Jun 2016 3:54 am

When I was a young girl we used to take our shoes to be repaired to a cobblers in King Edward Road, Hillfields. I seem to recall that the shop belonged to Mr and Mrs Padbury. I also loved the smell of the leather. We have a cobblers here in Bedworth but it's very rare for me to have shoes repaired these days, mum would say we have too much money!!

For those of you still wanting shoe repairs, there's a cobblers shop near the corner of Providence Street and Earlsdon Street in Earlsdon. Not been there many years, but the service is good and friendly. Not sure of any other out of town cobblers, although I was aware of the one on the corner of Stoney Stanton Road and Cross Road years ago. Edited by member, 1st Mar 2014 9:06 pm

Re the last post, I used to get my motorcycle boots repaired there. When I first started riding I used to use cast off firemans boots and when I first took them in he told me who they used to belong to. Apparently he used to mark them.

Tricia, I remember that shop, I think they had a son called Gordon. I also remember a shoe repairers in Broomfield Road, Earlsdon. If I remember correctly the cobbler only had one leg. As Tricia said it's so expensive now to get shoes repaired, it's usually cheaper to buy new ones.

There was a shop in Broomfield Road owned by a lovely man named Harold Timms - never seemed to be without his pipe He was a good friend of my old grandad at Three Spires BC

Judging by the posts so far, the Boot and Shoe repairers all seemed nice men. Another trait, they liked to smoke a pipe while they worked (which probably added to the aroma of the shop)! Also, a trade that disabled men could cope with, same as Tailoring. They were always such dark places weren't they! I wonder if they were apprenticed?

To prolong the wear on the heel of your shoes you could have Segments (segs) fitted, this was a steel piece which made quite a noise when contacting the pavement..I wonder if they still fit these....

Hey Norm, I remember my own father always used those. He would have a three-way shoe "last" and hammer these tiny "segs" into the heels - and if I remember correctly - also the toes on occasions (were they made for either end of the shoe?) As you say, you could here the clicking of the heels from some distance away. I wonder if this was some sort of "carry-over" from the army days - as similar sets were always used in the heels of parade boots.

My husband said he used to soak the bottom of his boots in water and then knock the "Segs" in order to be able to knock 'em in straight!!

In the 1972 Phone Directory it lists 5 Coventry shoe repairers: Barson L.J 1a Clay Lane Meir H.W 18 Allesley Old Road Pickard & Bateman ltd. 4 Riley sq, Bell Gn. Timms H.J 17 Broomfield Road Wardle H 128 Clay la, Stoke

Hi Garlands Joke Shop. If you have access to the 1972 Phone Directory, could you check to see if Sam Ballard is listed on the Foleshill Road? I can remember going there in the early 1980's?

Checked the Directory: Ballard S, 327 Foleshill Rd, Coventry. The shop is listed as a Shoe shop as opposed to a Shoe Repairers. Hope this helped