Grenson Company Profile

An accent on quality, a statement of excellence.

Grenson's founder, William Green, was born in 1835 and, at the tender age of four, he and his recently widowed mother moved to Rushden in the county of Northamptonshire, in the heart of England. For centuries the county has been recognised as the home of the English shoemaker's art. The reason for this lies in the fact that all the original requirements for the manufacture of leather lay readily to hand: the surrounding forests provided the oak bark and charcoal necessary for tanning; there was an abundance of water for washing the hides (and subsequently providing power); and the grass plains stretching from Warwickshire to East Anglia was a rich source of hides.

It was a natural progression that an area which already produced tanned leather should also develop into leather goods manufacturing. However, even in the mid 1800s shoe making was still a cottage industry. Thus, William Green learned his trade helping his mother to handcraft boots at home until 1860 and then in his own house until 1866.

In order to get their products to market, the shoemakers relied upon intermediaries called Factors. It was the Factors who obtained the orders, sourced the materials, gave out the work to the craftsmen and arranged all the finances. This system worked reasonably well when demand and prices were high and the shoemakers remained wealthy; however, as power became concentrated in the hands of fewer Factors the system lead to a very uncertain lifestyle for the craftsmen and often great hardship.

The Green family had personal experience of this and so, when William decided in 1866 to become a Factor, he took the unique step of agreeing a formal contract of supply between his shoemakers and the newly formed company of William Green & Son.

William's products soon became renowned for their consistency of craftsmanship and materials; and his 'outworker contract' soon attracted the best craftsmen in the area. William realised that if he was to expand his business, keep his costs under control and remain true to the contract the best option was to build and equip his own factory; 'Greens Yard' was opened in 1874 and was amongst the first to adopt the recently invented Goodyear welt method of construction. In 1895, the company moved to larger premises on the present Queen Street site to accommodate increasing business. So, when William died in 1901 he left a solid foundation on which the company has been able to build throughout the 20th century. Concurrent with rising demand throughout the Edwardian era which resulted in yet further expansion of the Queen Street factory. It was recognised that the company's prospects could be improved still further if our products were more readily distinguishable from the general run of shoes being sold by the wholesalers. As a result, the 'Grenson' identity (a compression of Green & Son) was introduced in 1913 and became one of the first brand names to be registered in the UK. The company also started dealing direct with retailers and, as a result, the now famous Grenson In Stock service was conceived to ensure the rapid fulfillment of orders from both domestic and overseas markets.

All progress was interrupted by the Great War, albeit that restrictions on civilian production were more than made up by the demands for service footwear ranging from cavalry officers' riding boots to infantry men's marching boots. Grenson returned to civilian production following the Armistice; however, the crash of 1924/25 affected Grenson as much as everybody else, although the company held true to its principles by honoring all contracts, even if it meant trading at a loss. As a result, it was resolved to move the quality of our footwear and the Grenson brand further up-market. This decision proved very wise as the company suffered comparatively little during the Depression, whilst over half of the shoe manufacturers in Northamptonshire went bankrupt.

A range of made-to-measure shoes was also developed; these were of high quality but less pricey than those of the Bespoke makers in London. Later, Grenson developed its own fully Bespoke service but, uniquely, offering it through selected, carefully trained retailers. Again progress was halted by war, and the Rushden factory devoted its efforts to making special footwear for naval and flying personnel. Grenson developed a unique and carefully fashioned flying boot which was made as a black, no-cap shoe with a fully lined leg attached. These boots included a pocket to hold a commando knife which, in the event of being shot down, the airman could use both for defence and to neatly detach the upper part of the boot from the shoe, so increasing the potential for escape.

In the early 1950s our company quickly adapted to changes in public taste, for the shoe now became the predominant form of footwear, unlike the pre-war period when boots were by far the most common choice. Whilst Goodyear welted production was, and still is, at the heart of Grenson's business, the company has continued to explore ways in which comfort and appearance can be further enhanced with the introduction of innovations such as the Grens-in Sole to provide soft, underfoot flexibility.

Manufacturing techniques have also changed, albeit that the vast majority of our shoes are still hand-crafted. Similarly, changing lifestyles not least, increased travel by car and less walking has meant that innovation in design and use of materials has kept our range modern whilst retaining the heritage and craftsmanship that is encapsulated in the phrase: 'Grenson - England's Master Shoemakers since 1866'.

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