Hook, Knowles & Co. Shoes

[Drodcor]

Hi all,

I have recently acquired this pair of shoes and I want to know something more about the history of them. The shoemaker is Hook, Knowles and Co. and the original box appears to be from beginning of 20th century.

The shoes seems to be a little older, late 19th century, but I'm a bit confused about it. Could anybody help me dating these shoes, and tell me something about the shoemaker? I did some google but there is little information about Hook & Knowles. Here, a couple of pictures.





Thanks!

 

[retro ruth]

I found quite a bit of information, some by a simple google, more by looking at google books and google news archives.

They were London company, based in Bond Street.

The earliest mention I found of the company is 1879, and the latest 1933, but I expect they existed either side of those dates as well.

There are shoes in several museums including the V&A and the Met.

They made shoes for royalty and Winston Churchill.

This excert from London of To-day from 1902 has a lovely description of them, near the bottom of the page.

They are apparently mentioned in a Thackeray novel, though I can't find which one.

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

Those are lovely shoes. From the front, they appear to be early 19th century, 1830s or 1840s. Thakery died in 1860 or 1861 so if he mentioned the company in one of his novels, the shoes could be earlier than 1879.

Ruth, you found a lot of information! Perhaps Jonathan will come along and pin down a date.

Thank you for showing us these wonderful shoes.

 

[Jonathan]

I don't know when Hook, Knowles & Co., were founded but I thought it was earlier than 1879. June Swann, the curator of the Northampton Shoe Museum, compiled information on all the important early English shoemakers and I am sure they would have the exact dates of operation, however, I don't know if Northampton still has that info, or if it is accessible. I believe those are evening shoes from the 1890s but are made in an historic style, possibly for fancy dress. The quarter lining stiffeners and heel shape are late 19th century features, but the shape and silk ribbon laces suggest an early 19th century style. My bet is that they were made to go with a costume of a famous person from the early 19th century for a party.

 

[Drodcor]

Good morning, and thank you all for your comments and help!

Ruth, as Barbara said, the company is mentioned before 1879, i´ve found images of a possible pair of shoes made for them around 1830-40 ^^
Jonathan, thanks a lot, i hadn´t think about the possibility of a costume, but it matches, seeing the heel and the ribbon!

I keep on searching info about the shoemakers, and the shoes, but it is being too hard!
I´ll try to find info in Northampton Shoe Museum.
If I could find more tips about them, i´ll tell you, for sure!

Info and useful tips are welcome! ;)
Thanks a lot again, Barbara, Ruth, and Jonathan!

Dee

 

[Pinkcoke]

Can you show a close up of the label please?

 

[Drodcor]

Of course Melanie! Here it is! ^^

 

[retro ruth]

I only meant the earliest reference I could find was 1879 - (apart from possibly being in a Thackeray novel. I did a search of Thackeray novels and couldn't find any reference, so that may not be true). I didn't mean that was when they were founded.

 

[retro ruth]

So do you have a box as well? Please show us the box!

 

[Jonathan]

Do the shoes have a shank in them? You can tell by if the soles are rigid, like you can't bend them. Are they bendable or stiff?

 

[Pinkcoke]

You can find out when the Royal Warrant was issued by writing to the Royal Archives at Windsor: They would have to have supplied the royal household for at least 5 years before this date.
The Registrar
Royal Archives
Round Tower
Windsor Castle
Windsor,
Berkshire
SL4 1NJ

 

[Drodcor]

Ruth: Here it is the box



Jonathan: I think there is no shank, the soles are quite bendable and soft, no stiff at all.

Melanie: Thanks so much for the info. I will contact them.

Thanks all, again. I'll keep on search and reporting about my findings. Stay tuned! ;)

 

[Jonathan]

It's so hard to tell from a small photograph, but if the soles are shankless then these are 1860s or early 70s. However, I dont' beleive that 'Makers to the Royal Family' counts as a royal warrant - that would be an official statement with an associated name, like "Makers to H.R.H. Princess Alexandra"....

 

[retro ruth]

They did have royal warrants at some point though - the advert in my first post, which is from 1902, has "By Appointment to HM The Queen", and the coat of arms, and the text linked to in London To-day of the same date, says they have a warrant for the Princess of Wales.

The box looks like it has a couple of warrants too, but I can't see them in the small pic.

 

[Jonathan]

'By appointment' sounds like a royal warrant, 'makers to the royal family' sounds like boasting!

 

[Pinkcoke]

'Makers to the royal family' isn't proof of a warrant, but I have seen shoes by this maker with the a seperate fabric label featuring the royal arms and by appointment to, and the same insole stamp as above. They used this stamp for many decades. (at least 1870-1920s)

However, I dont' beleive that 'Makers to the Royal Family' counts as a royal warrant - that would be an official statement with an associated name, like "Makers to H.R.H. Princess Alexandra"....

Only 'By appointment to' and an image of the royal arms currently indicates the royal warrant today, however in the past it has been displayed differently such as simply a crown and 'by appointment' The rules on displaying a warrant may well have been less strict in the past.

Drodcor could we see a bigger photo of the box lid, or a few close ups? as it may actually state above the royal arms which royals were currently patrons to them, which may aid in dating.

The list of Royal Warrant Holders and, importantly, to which royal, were published annually in The London Gazette. Unfortunately issues prior to 1900 have not been digitised and are only accessible in person or upon request from the Nation Archives at Kew.