The Barrack is based on the standard seven-eyelet derby worn by soldiers in the Second World War.
Ankle-length and black leather, hundreds of thousands of men were issued similar-looking footwear to see them through marching, fighting and trench life. Back then the style was generically known as an ammunition or ‘ammo’ boot.
Unlined, with iron heel and toe-plates, and often an iron-studded leather sole, they weren’t necessarily a pleasure to wear. (Drivers’ boots wouldn’t include the latter feature as hobnails damaged vehicle pedals and created sparks. Those working with explosives or flammable substances were instead given boots with rubber crepe soles.)
The look has become a classic, though most modern styles have been updated to improve wearers’ comfort.
Military designs have long influenced civilian wear because of their practicality, durability and utilitarian aesthetic. We draw inspiration from this genre because war is sewn into the fabric of the Woodford family, business and the Northampton shoe industry.
Founder Chris is acutely aware of the many incidents and events, both fortunate and not, that brought him and his company to where they are today. It’s for this reason the Barrack is nicknamed ‘Stanley,’ after Chris’s paternal grandfather, himself the grandson of the original business owner of E.Woodford & Son shoe repair shop, established in London, 1908.
In 1939 Stanley was enlisted into the army aged just 20. He was sent to fight in France and narrowly avoided death on the beaches of Dunkirk.
The experiences of Stanley and the many hundreds of thousands of other men back then profoundly affected the history of the world, something Chris is keen to pay tribute to.
“I’m so lucky to have never seen or felt anything close to what my grandad went through,” says Chris.
“I love that he can be remembered and honoured in this small way – he loved shoemaking and he’d have loved what we’re doing here – and the fact that one of our boots carries his name.”
