Vintage Boot Trees

This month our Marketing Manager, Jen, leaves us after 11 years.  We will miss her greatly but she leaves with all our good wishes – and the large collection of shoes and boots she has been storing in her office!  Fittingly she has chosen these vintage, wooden boot trees as our January Object of the Month.

Jen says; “There are so many interesting objects in the Musuem, but when I saw these wooden boot trees, I immediately knew they had to be my Object of the Month. They are a reminder of how the office has been my second wardrobe, being home to countless boots and shoes!

I have had a truly wonderful time working at South Mill Arts. There is never a dull moment, and it has been a real privilege to work alongside such a supportive, creative and fantastic team. “

Before the eighteenth century boots were functional; used for riding, hunting and in the military and were made on wooden lasts – from which the design of the trees was lifted. From the 1700’s they began to become a fashion item from men and women.   The wooden trees helped to keep the boots in shape and stay dry and fresh, as the wood absorbed moisture and odours. Cedar wood was popular for its natural oils which combat bacteria. Later designs incorporated metal and could be extended to stretch the shoes.

These and previous Objects of the Month are on display in the first floor of the museum in South Mill Arts.