A Northampton shoemaker founded in 1829 and still family-owned, known for country brogues and boots and a Jermyn Street shop in London.
Tricker's makes shoes and boots for men and women, and describes itself as "the oldest established shoemaker in Britain" and as the maker of "the world's finest country footwear". Its core styles are the Bourton brogue and the Stow boot, and its designs match 1930s patterns. A magazine article says a pair of its country boots takes around 260 separate steps and eight weeks to make, and that the company offers an in-house repair service, with customers sometimes sending in pairs 20 years old. The company says everything is made from start to finish at its Northampton factory.
Tricker's began in 1829 in Northampton, a town known for shoes and tanning. A Northamptonshire heritage article names Joseph Barltrop as the founder, saying the Tricker name came from the maiden name of the wife of his son Walter. A magazine article names the founder as Joseph Tricker, so sources disagree and we have not settled the question. What is agreed is that it began by making waterproof country boots for farmers and estate owners and was among the first Northampton firms to adopt Goodyear welting machines. The company says it is committed to "making shoes and boots of outstanding quality" and that it remains in the founding family's hands.
The factory is in Northampton, and the heritage article places it on St Michael's Road. The company's flagship shop is in Jermyn Street in London, and its own site says that has been its home since 1938. The heritage article says it employed about 90 people and produced about 1,400 pairs a week, and that around 70 per cent of its output was exported, but this article is undated and the figures may have changed. It received a Royal Warrant from the Prince of Wales in 1989, according to a trade article.
On culture, the company says its craftspeople follow traditional techniques even as methods have changed over time. It is run by the Barltrop family, now into the fifth generation, with Don Barltrop as chairman and his son Nicholas as manager, according to the heritage article, which is undated. The Bourton and Stow shoes are reported to have stayed in the range for decades, which suggests a company that prefers to make a few things well. These are descriptions from the company and from articles about it.
A company like this employs clickers who cut leather, closers who stitch, makers who build the shoe, finishers, repair specialists, designers, shop staff in Jermyn Street, and teams in sales, export and finance. If you enjoy working with your hands or want to understand how heritage brands survive, it is a good place to learn about British making. Check the company website for current roles.
Website: www.trickers.com
PURPOSE helps school and university students explore 62 sectors and over 1,000 entry-level careers in the UK, then connects them directly with employers.
Explore PURPOSE