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Barker History
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AUTUMN / WINTER 2020
Arthur Barker Founder 1880
Arthur Barker, known affectionately by all the succeeding members of his family as Great Grandfather Barker, must have been a man of great resolve an tenacity of purpose. He began by working in a ‘shop’ (or workshop) situated at the bottom of a house garden in North Road, Earls Barton.
In the earlier days, Arthur Barker personally made hand sewn boots or shoes, but in 1880 he founded a company working with several others and sending work out to home workers in their individual ‘shops’.
After a time, Arthur moved his business to a small factory in Station Road and in 1905 his three sons joined him in ‘The Firm’ as it was called. During this time Arthur’s eldest son Charles left to become a leather importer. Ernest and Arthur junior worked on with their father during World War I, fulfilling contracts for army boots.
The 1920s saw Barker producing fine quality footwear in considerable quantity including establishing export trade in South Africa which grew rapidly over several years.
In 1921, Arthur the ‘Grand old man’ died leaving the Barker family business to his sons to continue. In 1933, a new branch was established in South Africa with several workers from Earls Barton, known as ‘The Pioneers’ emigrated and settled there. Arthur Barker junior managed the South African branch with the help of his son Roy, who subsequently ran it until 1965.
After World War II, Barker Shoes expanded considerably in Earls Barton with a new factory built in Station Road for the making of ladies shoes. This enabled the older factory to concentrate on men’s footwear only.
In 1955, the third generation of Barkers joined ‘The Firm’ which saw Albert became one of the world’s finest shoe designers while Charles steered the business until his early eighties. During 1956 the fourth generation joined the business and following in the footsteps of his predecessors, William (Albert’s son), became a respected shoe maker and shoe designer until his untimely death in 1996.
An impressive modern factory was purpose-built in 1986 to allow Barker to continue its shoemaking tradition and is where each pair of Barker Goodyear welted shoes are still made today.
