Cheaney

A Northamptonshire shoemaker, Joseph Cheaney and Sons, making Goodyear-welted shoes and boots in Desborough since 1886.

About Cheaney

Cheaney makes traditional men's and women's leather shoes and boots in Desborough, Northamptonshire, a county long known for shoemaking. The boot range is its signature line, including fleece-lined and veldtschoen styles, which are built to keep water out. Shoes are made with Goodyear welting, a construction method that lets soles and heels be replaced, so a pair can last for years. In an interview with The Rake magazine, the company said about 1,500 pairs are cut each week and that a pair takes roughly eight weeks from cutting to dispatch.

Joseph Cheaney, who had been factory manager at another firm, set up the business in 1886 in small premises on Station Road in Desborough. In 1896 it moved to a purpose-built factory covering every stage of shoemaking, and shoes are still cut and closed there. It grew through the First World War, made shoes for big retailers in the US and the UK under their own names until the early 1960s, and kept trading through hard decades. In 2009 cousins Jonathan and William Church bought the company in a management buy-out. William Church says the company chose to focus on quality, and wants good value for customers.

Cheaney's factory and head office are in Desborough, near Kettering in Northamptonshire. The Rake interview says it has 11 standalone branded stores, including some in central London. It has also made shoes with fashion brands including AllSaints and Superdry, which shows how a heritage maker can work with high-street labels. Japan and Italy were named as its largest markets.

On people, Mr Church describes Cheaney as a close-knit local employer. The Rake reports that over 80 per cent of its staff live within three miles of the factory, that many have long careers, and that one employee recently marked 50 years with the company. It also says the firm trains new workers to replace those who retire. Staff are mostly from nearby villages. These descriptions come from the owner and a magazine, not from an independent study.

Jobs in a shoe factory include clickers, who cut the leather, closers who stitch the upper parts, makers who build the shoe, finishers who polish and check it, plus designers, buyers, shop staff and teams for online sales, marketing and finance. If you like working with your hands, or want to see a product made from raw leather to finished pair, a company like this is a good example of British manufacturing. The company website is the place to look for current roles.

What they do

• {'desc': 'Traditional leather footwear built so it can be resoled.', 'title': 'Goodyear-welted shoes and boots'}
• {'desc': 'Eleven standalone stores including London, plus online sales.', 'title': 'Own shops and online'}
• {'desc': 'Footwear made with fashion brands such as AllSaints and Superdry.', 'title': 'Collaborations'}

Key facts

• Founded 1886 by Joseph Cheaney in Desborough, Northamptonshire; current factory since 1896
• About 1,500 pairs cut each week and about eight weeks from cutting to dispatch (The Rake, undated)
• Bought in 2009 by cousins Jonathan and William Church
• Over 80 per cent of staff live within three miles of the factory (The Rake)

Website: www.cheaney.co.uk