140 Years: Introducing Our Anniversary Boot 

As one of a handful of Northamptonshire shoemakers still practising traditional Goodyear-welted craftsmanship, we welcome you to celebrate 140th anniversary. This year marks the launch of the 140 Boot, a strictly limited run rooted in the brand’s wartime efforts.

Caretakers of Craft

William Church often refers to the Joint Ownership as the “caretakers” of the brand: its factory, history, craft, and character. In our blogs and history features, we tend to focus on the stories we’ve witnessed first‑hand, yet this building has lived a far longer life than any of us. It has passed through generations and families, weathered change, and still preserved the integrity and values of Made in England for 140 years.

A Legacy Built on Endurance

Northamptonshire’s shoe and bootmaking industry helped shape the Goodyear welting techniques and machines we still use today, our boots have long stood as proof of that craftsmanship. During the First World War, the Desborough factory ran without pause, producing over 2,500 pairs of boots a week for the British Armed Forces, and did so again a generation later, through the Second World War.

One surviving pair, issued in 1942 to Leonard Barr – grandfather of a Cheaney customer – remains stamped inside with “J. Cheaney & Sons, Desborough. 1942.” Over eighty years on, the boots still bear the mark of how they were made. That standard has only gotten better.

The 140 Boot

Handcrafted at the Cheaney factory in Desborough exactly as they have been for 140 years, the Collection is produced in editions of 140 pairs, for the UK market and for Japan. Every pair is individually numbered and certified, and no pair exists outside these two markets. Available in Black and Mocha.

What sets these boots apart from the rest of our collection is the detail hidden within them. Each element has been thoughtfully considered to reflect not only the generations of craftsmanship that came before us, but also our own time as caretakers of the Cheaney name. 

Details:

• Toe cap detailing: three rows of traditional waxed stitching as the original wartime boot. Lasted on our bestselling 12508 country last.

Sole stamp: The design is based on the original marking found on the inside of the military boot from 1942. For the 140th anniversary, this marking has been adapted to reflect Cheaney’s history, replacing the original year of issue with the company’s founding year (1886) and the boot size with the anniversary number (140).

The Broad Arrow

The three-pronged arrow head symbol was used as an official British Government property mark. It was stamped, engraved, painted or otherwise applied to military equipment and government stores. It was particularly important when military equipment was manufactured by private contractors rather than in government-owned factories.

The mark effectively said:

• This item belongs to the British Government.
• It is part of official government or military stores.
• Its possession and disposal are subject to government regulations.
• It is identifiable as government property.

Hand-painted finish: A black sole waist, complemented by a brown heel and edge finish. The detailing takes inspiration from traditional hobnail military boots, giving the design an authentic vintage feel with a contemporary twist.

Each pair in the 140 Collection arrives with a certificate of authenticity confirming its number within the edition of 140, signed by the ‘caretakers’, alongside a brand biography and a photograph of the shoe. Inside the box lid is printed an image of the original Victorian-era factory, a reminder of where every pair begins.