";s:4:"text";s:10969:"John White’s Lime Street factory had been finished only a few years before the outbreak of hostilities with Nazi Germany, and was swiftly pressed into supporting the war effort. Walking. By 2001 David Corben had spent 39 years in the Northamptonshire shoe industry. Established back in 1919 in Northamptonshire, John White made a firm name for themselves during the Second World War, when they supplied shoes and … McWatters retired as Chairman in the early 1980s and Philip Birch took full control, expanding the Ward White empire with a succession of retail businesses, including Halfords and the predecessor of Focus DIY. The variety of boots produced by John White for the war effort was almost unheard of.
He brought the same approach to John White, working with the very best overseas manufacturers to deliver the quality that John prided himself on whilst keeping prices at fair and affordable levels. A company in decline, in an industry on its knees, 1966 saw George McWatters appointed Chairman of John White Footwear.
Read more. In total one ninth of all footwear supplied to British Forces came from John White; some eight million pairs in all. Chisham Black Chelsea Boots – Coming Soon ... Alderney Brown Double Monk Shoes £ 120.00. Moore Brown Calf Lace Shoe £ 120.00.
John White’s Lime Street factory was finished in 1939. Or, if you’re in the mood for a pair of new boots, you might prefer the classic John White Chelsea, or the country brogue lace up boot in tan. Despite this, John swiftly obtained repeat orders due to the superior workmanship and quality of the boots and shoes that left his workshop. It could be speculated John was forced from the company by other board members; he had recently taken ill and spent some time in a Northampton nursing home. Both of these designs work particularly well with jeans or chinos.
Arthur Knight are privileged to offer a wide range of shoes and boots for men by the famous John White footwear brand. Arthur Knight Shoes Units 1-3 Carousel Way Northampton NN3 9HG, UK, John White All Black Suede Westbury 3 Chukka Boots, John White Light Brown Suede Westbury 3 Boots, Premium Oxford Brogues in Brown Polished by John White, John White Formal Derby Brogues in Black Polished, John White Formal Derby Brogue Shoes in Tan Leather, Premium Oxford Brogues in Oxblood by John White Shoes, Premium Oxford Brogues in Tan by John White Shoes, John White Premium Snuff Suede Mens Chelsea Boots, Navy Blue John White Slip on Chelsea Boots, Cognac Suede Westbury 5 John White Ankle Boots, Navy Blue Suede Westbury 5 Mens Ankle Boots, Light Brown John White Chelsea Boot Leather Sole, Black John White Chelsea Boot with Leather Sole, Black Tumble Grain Chukka Boots by John White, Spectator Brogues in Black & Navy by John White Shoes, Spectator Brogues in Brown & Suede by John White Shoes, John White Westbury 4 Mens Green Suede Chukka Boots, John White Westbury 4 Mens Navy Blue Suede Chukka Boots, John White Shoes Chelsea R Boots in Brown Suede Leather Rubber Sole, Burnished Brown Plain Double Buckle Designer John White Shoes, Navy Blue Nubuck Mens Lace Up Brogues by John White Shoes, Tobacco Snuff Suede Brogues for Men by Designer Label John White Shoes. It was under David’s watch in 1995 that Loake first began producing shoes in India, recognising the potential of producing high quality footwear in the Far-East. We’re proud to continue the John White story into its second century sticking to the same principles that John built his business; quality footwear at fair, reasonable and accessible prices. If you’re an executive looking for the perfect boardroom shoe, you can’t go wrong with the John White polished wingcap shoe in black. Alternatively, you might like to browse the range of head turning John White buckle shoes, which look particularly smart with a business suit and tie.
Always call or message the retailer before you visit to ensure they have the product you want. Impregnable footwear was of a superior quality, worthy of the skilled people who made them, but sold at fair and reasonable price. In 1962 John White retired from the business that he’d started in a small workshop in 1919. In 1968 he appointed Philip Birch to the board as Managing Director. It was at this time that John White decided to launch his own brand. Established back in 1919 in Northamptonshire, John White made a firm name for themselves during the Second World War, when they supplied shoes and boots to at least 10% of the British army. In 1940 the John White directors and employees paid for a Spitfire.
That year John sold 1.25 million pairs of shoes. The Lime Street factory was designated a Grade II listed building in 1994, ensuring the building was preserved into the new millennium. In 1937 John White defended small retailers from Marks & Spencer after M&S began selling 5 shilling shoes. Arthur Knight are privileged to offer a wide range of shoes and boots for men by the famous John White footwear brand. For a smart casual outfit, may we draw your attention towards the John White suede chukkas or tobacco snuff suede brogues. Joining the trade aged 16, at the same time John White retired, David had seen huge changes in shoemaking throughout the second half of the twentieth century. Select options.
For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. The boot and shoe industry had been operating at full capacity to meet demand for the war, and as a result the wholesalers who worked between manufacturers and retailers now had thousands of pairs they couldn’t sell. The early 1960’s saw a slump in the Northamptonshire shoe trade, and John White laid off 183 workers in 1963. 40 of 40 items Filter. John White’s legacy continues in Rushden and Higham Ferrers. The signature had been bought by the company in 1948 and had been inscribed since 1919, but all shoes produced after 1974 were prohibited from bearing the founder’s mark. If you’re an executive looking for the perfect boardroom shoe, you can’t go wrong with the John White polished wingcap shoe in black. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. A local councillor said years later that there were only two really good times for the Rushden boot industry: the First World War and the Second. The John White Golf Club was formed from what was left of the John White Sports Ground. Perfect Pairs - Dychurch Lifestyle and Yellow Bourbon. Believe it or not, there are great shoemakers outside of the Northampton shoe brands that we celebrate (who knew?!) We operate 4 stores in south western Ontario employing over a hundred people. In 1972 John White Footwear joined with George Ward Holdings (no connection to John’s brother-in-law, also named George Ward) to form Ward White, and by the time John White died in 1974 Ward White consisted of 34 companies, produced 350,000 pairs per week and turned over £40 million a year (£305 million today). Home / Shop / Shoes / Derbys / Pembroke Tan Derby Shoes Pembroke Tan Derby Shoes £ 120.00 £ 80.00. By the end of the war in 1945, they accounted for 90% of all shoe exports destined for America, proving that John White footwear was, and continues to be, a sought after and superior brand. The decision to retire wasn’t entirely acrimonious; it came after the board refused his wife Nancy voting rights, putting John in a minority position for the first time in the company’s existence. Midland Brown Brogue Boots £ 150.00. By the end of the war in 1945, they accounted for 90% of all shoe exports destined for America, proving that John White footwear was, and continues to be, a sought after and superior brand. He called this footwear ‘Impregnable’, and the Impregnable boots and shoes he made stood out in a market full of cut price footwear. John White Shoes John White classic shoes and boots have over 100 years of experience and combine elegance with classical styling at a competitive price. The boot and shoemakers were in a race to the bottom; prices were plummeting and so were standards. Alternatively, you might like to browse the range of head turning John White buckle shoes, which look particularly smart with a business suit and tie.For a smart casual outfit, may we draw your attention towards the John White suede chukkas or tobacco snuff suede brogues. John launched the Impregnable brand with a front page advert in the Daily Mail, then the world’s most expensive shop window. In 1978 John White was issued with the Royal Warrant, providing footwear “By Appointment” to the department of the Master of the Household. John White began making men's boots and shoes in 1919.
Select options. Shop John White Deals John White Westbury HouseBury CloseHigham Business ParkHigham FerrersNorthamptonshireNN10 8HQ www.johnwhiteshoes.com T: 01933 410 584 Factory s Since 1919 John White Shoes has been driven by the same founding values: quality craftsmanship, timeless British styling, and a ‘Keep Believing’ attitude. Made for. John White had already spent 23 years in the shoe industry when, aged 35, he made the first pair of John White Shoes. Use the map to find your local stockist. By 1941 John White had nine factories, with a staff of 2,000 who produced three million pairs a year. The Royal Warrant was held up until closure in the 1990s.
In 1989 the whole Ward White group was sold to Boots, and the John White manufacturing business eventually ended up being owned by UK Shoe Group. Arthur Knight, Registered in England. Our boots and shoes can once again be found in shops throughout the world, from independent retailers to large chains.
This was the first time a shoe manufacturer had advertised in this way. The Pembroke is a stripped back workhorse of a shoe, with a rounded toe decorated with a simple punched design and a stitched sole supported by a protective rubber grip. Factory Shoe is a large shoe company, but small enough to care. Our range of John White shoes include a wide range of quality brogues, loafers and cap shoes. But the closure of John White was just one of many shoe company failures in Northamptonshire in the 1990s, and by the end of the decade the shoe trade was all but dead. Arthur Knight are privileged to offer a wide range of shoes and boots for men by the famous John White footwear brand.