The Eureka , also known as the Latin Verse Machine , is a mid-19th century machine for generating Latin verses, created and exhibited by the Quaker inventor John Clark of Bridgwater .
132-640: Clark, a cousin of Cyrus Clark , was born at Greinton in Somerset in 1785 and moved to Bridgwater in 1809. There he was first a grocer and later a printer. In 1830 he started work on the Eureka and was able to exhibit it in 1845 in the Egyptian Hall in Picadilly . Visitors, for the admission price of one shilling, could see a machine that resembled a ‘small bureau bookcase’, with six narrow windows in
264-684: A UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, and was later added to the transnational World Heritage Site known as the " Great Spa Towns of Europe " in 2021. Bath is also the largest city and settlement in Somerset. The city became a spa with the Latin name Aquae Sulis ("the waters of Sulis ") c. 60 AD when the Romans built baths and a temple in the valley of the River Avon, although hot springs were known even before then. Bath Abbey
396-401: A World Heritage Site , recognising its international cultural significance. Between 1991 and 2000, Bath was the scene of a series of rapes committed by an unidentified man dubbed the " Batman rapist ". The attacker remains at large and is the subject of Britain's longest-running serial rape investigation. He is said to have a tights fetish , have a scar below his bottom lip and resides in
528-416: A private limited company . This enabled the succession to the third generation of family members as children of William Stephens Clark became 'life directors' alongside Francis and himself. Tasked with specific responsibilities, Alice Clark, John Bright Clark and Roger Clark developed distinct roles. Brothers John Bright and Roger Clark studied American making processes and techniques with a view to appointing
660-528: A Clarks dem wear," producer Jah Thomas tells Fingers in the book. "And in Jamaica a rude boy him nah wear cheap ting." Writes Fingers, "In the early 70s, the rude boy/desert boot association became so strong that young males risked a beating by police simply for wearing a pair. 'You must be a thief,' the police would say. 'How else would you afford such expensive Clarks?'" He tells the story of an infamous Kingston police officer called Joe Williams, who carried out
792-606: A Spanish executive and former CEO of Guess , being named as the new Clarks CEO in March 2021. Prior to his appointment as CEO, he served as a board member to Clarks since April 2019. Jonathan Ram was named CEO in March 2022 and took the position in April of that year. Between 2022–2023, Clarks launched a collaboration with English footballer Raheem Sterling . Through the collaboration, Sterling launched his own range of Clarks Wallabies as Raheem Sterling x Clarks Originals . The line in
924-663: A car salesman, who had seen the Desert Boot at the Chicago Shoe Fair in 1949. Davis established a sales organization covering 150 accounts with outlets that stocked Clarks products, predominantly Desert Boots. He also sponsored advertisements for Clarks shoes in The New Yorker and Esquire magazines. Davis established relations with some of America's most prestigious retailers; Abercrombie & Fitch , Neiman-Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue . The coverage for
1056-528: A clear vision of what women's sandals and shoes were required to supplement the demand for men's casual offerings. An Italian resourcing programme was started by Woods in 1960 to get more style and variety into the ranges. Offices were opened in the Empire State Building , New York in April 1964. Sales were also buoyed by the introduction of the Wallabee in the late 1960s and expansion towards
1188-491: A designated brand of school shoes from Clarks marketed for older children and teenagers. From 2023, Clarks began producing school shoes in collaboration with footballer Raheem Sterling , with school shoes in the Raheem Sterling range featuring a bright green insole with football lined padding, as well as featuring half of a football on each sole, representing a football when both shoes are placed together. During
1320-465: A full football on the bottom. The company claim that the "football inspired playprints sole design lets kids leave their own unique impression on the world". The interior of the school shoes in the range feature a green insole, with a football themed lining. The history of C&J Clark's representation in America dates back to 1950 and the formation of Clarks of England Inc. Initiated by Bronson Davis,
1452-403: A hostile takeover. The closure of factories started in 1978, and continued throughout the 1980s. Daniel Clark resigned in 1986 replaced by John Clothier (son of Peter) who remained CEO throughout the turbulent buy-out negotiations with Berisford International Plc, a properties commodities group that attempted to take the troubled company public. While the proposal was defeated by shareholders at
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#17327913700731584-417: A large degree sought to better accommodate the motor car, including the idea of a traffic tunnel underneath the centre of Bath. Though criticised by conservationists, some parts of the plan were implemented. In the 1970s and 1980s, it was recognised that conservation of historic buildings was inadequate, leading to more care and reuse of buildings and open spaces. In 1987, the city was selected by UNESCO as
1716-544: A number of these agreements in his capacity as Overseas Manager until 1952. Bancroft retired in 1967. His son, Daniel Clark succeeded Peter Clothier as managing director in 1973, with Anthony Clark remaining as chairman. He retired in 1974, when his son, Lance Clark , was appointed managing director of the manufacturing and wholesaling division. In 1974 Clarks bought the fashionable Ravel, Pinet and Mondaine. The company acquired "K" Shoes, based in Kendal, Cumbria to salvage it from
1848-514: A partnership with a Quaker cousin in the trade of fellmongering , wool-stapling and tanning in Street, Somerset. By 1825, this partnership had been dissolved and Cyrus relocated to a site on the High Street in Street, utilising premises that belonged to his father-in-law to exploit his idea of making rugs out of sheepskins instead of pulling off the wool. C. & J. Clark recognise this as
1980-522: A popular choice of parents as a place to purchase school shoes for children to wear upon returning to school following the summer holidays. The Independent UK newspaper ranked Clarks as the number one provider of school shoes in the United Kingdom in 2017, highlighting that it has been providing quality shoes for over 170 years and highlighting the fact that Clarks is one of only a few manufacturers of school shoes to be provided in half sizes. Part of
2112-460: A practice in the city in 1668. He was interested in the curative properties of the waters, and he wrote A discourse of Bathe, and the hot waters there. Also, Some Enquiries into the Nature of the water in 1676. It brought the health-giving properties of the hot mineral waters to the attention of the country, and the aristocracy arrived to partake in them. Several areas of the city were developed in
2244-605: A raid on a dance being run by producer and label boss "Sir Coxsone" Dodd . The DJ Dennis Alcapone recalls the arrival of Superintendent Williams: "He tell the DJ to turn the sound down, and he say: 'All who's wearing Clarks booty, stand on that side of the dance. And who's not wearing Clarks booty stand on this side.' Because he knows that rude boys wear them, so that is a way of identifying them." Reggae and dancehall stars Dillinger , Trinity , Ranking Joe , Scorcher , Little John , Super Cat and countless others had sung about Clarks in
2376-571: A royal borough ( burh ) of Alfred the Great , and was reformed into a municipal borough in 1835. It has formed part of the county of Somerset since 878, when ceded to Wessex , having previously been in Mercia (the River Avon had acted as the border between the two kingdoms since 628). However, Bath was made a county borough in 1889, independent of the newly created administrative county and Somerset County Council . Bath became part of Avon when
2508-404: A school was founded so that young men and women could combine working in the factory with continuing their education, a theatre was opened, a library was built, along with an open-air swimming pool and town hall. Playing fields were established for the benefit of all and low-cost housing was provided by the company for its employees. In 1903 the partnership arrangement was discontinued in favour of
2640-678: A scrub. The ladies like that." The shoe was long a staple of fashionable West Indians in New York City but towards the 1990s had fallen out of favor in hip-hop circles who tended to gravitate toward Timberland boots or sneakers. The rebirth of the Clarks Wallabees as a cool staple from mid-late 1990s is linked with New York–based hip-hop group the Wu-Tang Clan . Wu members ( RZA , GZA , Method Man , Raekwon , Ghostface Killah , Inspectah Deck , U-God , Masta Killa , and
2772-404: A single channel. Periodic flooding, which shortened the life of many buildings in the lowest part of the city, was normal until major flood control works were completed in the 1970s. Kensington Meadows is an area of mixed woodland and open meadow next to the river which has been designated as a local nature reserve . Water bubbling up from the ground as geothermal springs originates as rain on
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#17327913700732904-543: A suitable candidate experienced in the American factory system that they might bring to Street. John Walter Bostock from Lynn, Massachusetts was recruited in 1904. The implementation was a resounding success and Bostock was made a director of the company in 1928. A London Office, opened in the West End in 1908, supplemented the shoemaking knowledge with style information. A reputation for high-quality goods available in
3036-482: A vertical series, and would fall onto the stop wires with the desired letter opposite the window for the word. Clark described his machine as an illustration of a theory of “ kaleidoscopic evolution” whereby the Latin verse is “conceived in the mind of the machine” then mechanically produced and displayed. Clark can be regarded as a pioneer of cognitive science and computational creativity. After Clark’s death in 1853,
3168-495: A well-respected men's dress shoe brand, adding 25 more shop locations as well as entry into 70 leased stores and discounting outlets. Responsibility for Clarks Canada and Clarks of England was transferred to the C&;J Clarks HQ in Street in 1986. Clarks of England and Clarks Canada officially merged in 1987 to provide more operational efficiencies and more consistency of product offering for North America. Bob Infantino became CEO of
3300-682: A £84.4 million loss. In November 2020, it was announced that Clarks would be rescued by the Hong Kong -based private equity firm LionRock Capital, and would enter a company voluntary arrangement . The deal meant the company would be out of the Clark family's control for the first time in its history. In February 2023, LionRock Capital sold its remaining indirect stake in Clarks to Viva China Holdings Limited. Origins of C. & J. Clark can be traced back to 1821 when Cyrus Clark (1801–1866) entered into
3432-543: Is also elected. The coat of arms includes a depiction of the city wall , and two silver stripes representing the River Avon and the hot springs. The sword of St. Paul is a link to Bath Abbey. The supporters, a lion and a bear, stand on a bed of acorns , a link to Bladud , the subject of the Legend of Bath. The knight's helmet indicates a municipality and the crown is that of King Edgar (referencing his coronation at
3564-516: Is the popularity of the Clarks shoes in Jamaica and the association with the Jamaican " rude boys " movement. According to DJ, producer and cultural historian Al Fingers in his book, Clarks in Jamaica , this trend started in the late 1960s when the emerging youth culture of the recently independent Jamaica adopted the Clarks shoes as part of their "uniform." "The original gangster rude boy dem,
3696-560: Is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, and June to August have the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the southwest. Bath is fully enclosed by green belt as a part of a wider environmental and planning policy first designated in the late 1950s, and this extends into much of the surrounding district and beyond, helping to maintain local green space, prevent further urban sprawl and unplanned expansion towards Bristol and Bradford-on-Avon , as well as protecting smaller villages in between. Suburbs of
3828-581: Is widely credited with popularising them in Europe during the 1960s. The Desert Boot have been manufactured at Shepton Mallet, small scale production having initially occurred at Street. During the course of time, Whitecross factory in Weston-super-Mare was subcontracted to relieve Shepton factory of the manufacture of the Desert Boot, before the Bushacre factory at Locking Road, Weston-Super-Mare
3960-634: The 1968 riots. The Clarks Desert Boots carried on through to the Mod Revival era of the Seventies and Eighties becoming a true Retro Mod Classic. They famously featured quite heavily in the 1979 " Quadrophenia ", Franc Roddam 's film adaptation of the Who 's rock opera influencing in turn the Britpop movement of the 1990s. The Clarks Wallabees in particular were adopted in recent times by
4092-815: The 2017 general election and retained her seat at the 2019 general election. Howlett had replaced the retiring Liberal Democrat Don Foster at the 2015 general election . Foster's election was a notable result of the 1992 general election , as Chris Patten , the previous Member (and Cabinet Minister ) played a major part, as Chairman of the Conservative Party , in re-electing the government of John Major , but failed to defend his marginal seat. The fifteen electoral wards of Bath are: Bathwick , Combe Down , Kingsmead , Lambridge, Lansdown , Moorlands, Newbridge , Odd Down , Oldfield Park, Southdown, Twerton , Walcot , Westmoreland , Weston and Widcombe & Lyncombe . These wards are co-extensive with
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4224-745: The Bath Blitz , more than 400 people were killed, and more than 19,000 buildings damaged or destroyed. Houses in Royal Crescent , Circus and Paragon were burnt out along with the Assembly Rooms . A 500-kilogram (1,100 lb) high explosive bomb landed on the east side of Queen Square , resulting in houses on the south side being damaged and the Francis Hotel losing 24 metres (79 ft) of its frontage. The buildings have all been restored although there are still signs of
4356-576: The Elizabethan era , when the city experienced a revival as a spa . The baths were improved and the city began to attract the aristocracy. A Royal charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1590 confirmed city status . James Montagu, Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1608, spent considerable sums in restoring Bath Abbey and actively supported the Baths themselves, aware that the 'towne liveth wholly by them'. In 1613, perhaps at his behest, Queen Anne visited
4488-608: The Hwicce , perhaps using the walled area as its precinct. Nennius , a 9th-century historian, mentions a "Hot Lake" in the land of the Hwicce along the River Severn , and adds "It is surrounded by a wall, made of brick and stone, and men may go there to bathe at any time, and every man can have the kind of bath he likes. If he wants, it will be a cold bath; and if he wants a hot bath, it will be hot". Bede described hot baths in
4620-480: The Mendip Hills . The rain percolates through limestone aquifers to a depth of between 9,000 to 14,000 ft (2,700 to 4,300 m) where geothermal energy raises the water's temperature to between 64 and 96 °C (approximately 147–205 °F). Under pressure, the heated water rises to the surface along fissures and faults in the limestone. Hot water at a temperature of 46 °C (115 °F) rises here at
4752-487: The Raheem Sterling x Clarks Originals is said to include a nod to Sterling's roots in Jamaica , with an Est 1962 badge included on the design, said to be an acknowledgement of Kingston , the capital of Jamaica, which was founded in 1962. Sterling featured in the companies Back to School campaign in 2023 to launch the "Goal" shoe, a school shoe aimed primarily at primary school children, in an attempt to "capture
4884-593: The Stothert & Pitt factory site, and the riverside Bath Quays office and business development. In 2021, Bath become part of a second UNESCO World Heritage Site, a group of spa towns across Europe known as the " Great Spas of Europe ". This makes it one of the only places to be formally recognised twice as a World Heritage site. Since 1996, the city has had a single tier of local government — Bath and North East Somerset Council . Bath had long been an ancient borough , having that status since 878 when it became
5016-529: The Stuart period, and more building took place during Georgian times in response to the increasing number of visitors who required accommodation. Architects John Wood the Elder and his son laid out the new quarters in streets and squares, the identical façades of which gave an impression of palatial scale and classical decorum. Much of the creamy gold Bath stone , a type of limestone used for construction in
5148-822: The Theatre Royal , as well as several museums including the Museum of Bath Architecture , the Victoria Art Gallery , the Museum of East Asian Art , the Herschel Museum of Astronomy , Fashion Museum , and the Holburne Museum . The city has two universities – the University of Bath and Bath Spa University – with Bath College providing further education . Sporting clubs from the city include Bath Rugby and Bath City . The hills in
5280-588: The Wansdyke district and therefore includes a wider area than the city (the 'North East Somerset' element) including Keynsham which is home to many of the council's offices, though the council meets at the Guildhall in Bath. Bath was returned to the ceremonial county of Somerset in 1996, though as B&NES is a unitary authority, it is not part of the area covered by Somerset County Council. Bath City Council
5412-416: The non-metropolitan county was created in 1974, resulting in its abolition as a county borough, and instead became a non-metropolitan district with borough status . With the abolition of Avon in 1996, the non-metropolitan district and borough were abolished too, and Bath has since been part of the unitary authority district of Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES). The unitary district included also
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5544-456: The unreformed House of Commons , as an ancient parliamentary borough. From 1832 until 1918 it elected two MPs and then was reduced to one. Historically the constituency covered only the city of Bath; however, it was enlarged into some outlying areas between 1997 and 2010. The constituency since 2010 once again covers exactly the city of Bath and is currently represented by Liberal Democrat Wera Hobhouse who beat Conservative Ben Howlett at
5676-415: The 'Act Your Shoe Size Not Your Age' Campaign in 1997, which contributed to a freshening of the brand. Completion of the transition from manufacturing to a wholesaling and branded retailing business was conducted by Parker's successor, Peter Bolliger, who became CEO in 2002. Closure of the company's remaining manufacturing interests meant that the last Clarks UK factory ceased production in 2005 followed by
5808-414: The 13th century. Around 1200, the first mayor was appointed. By the 15th century, Bath's abbey church was dilapidated and Oliver King , Bishop of Bath and Wells, decided to rebuild it on a smaller scale in 1500. The new church was completed just a few years before Bath Priory was dissolved in 1539 by Henry VIII . The abbey church became derelict before being restored as the city's parish church in
5940-712: The 20th century, Clarks established a reputation for quality children's footwear. The crepe rubber soled Joyance T-bar sandal for both boys and girls was one of their most popular designs. Launched in 1933, it continued in production until 1972. In 1952, Clarks claimed to be selling more than one million pairs of children's sandals in sixty countries. The company's best-known product is the Desert Boot —a distinctive ankle height boot with crepe sole usually made out of calf suede leather traditionally supplied by Charles F Stead & Co tannery in Leeds. Officially launched in 1950
6072-750: The Abbey). A mural crown , indicating a city , is alternatively used instead of the helmet and Edgar's crown. The Arms bear the motto "Aqvae Svlis", the Roman name for Bath in Latin script; although not on the Arms, the motto "Floreat Bathon" is sometimes used ("may Bath flourish" in Latin). Bath and North East Somerset Council has established the Bath City Forum, comprising B&NES councillors representing wards in Bath and up to 13 co-opted members drawn from
6204-590: The Alfred Gillet Trust in 2021, who have since announced their intention to open a public museum at The Grange in 2025. Bath, Somerset Bath ( RP : / b ɑː θ / ; local pronunciation: [ba(ː)θ] ) is a city in Somerset , England, known for and named after its Roman-built baths . At the 2021 Census, the population was 94,092. Bath is in the valley of the River Avon , 97 miles (156 km) west of London and 11 miles (18 km) southeast of Bristol . The city became
6336-479: The Alfred Gillett Trust was established to care for the archives and collections of C&J Clark Ltd and the Clark family. Working closely with The Shoe Museum, the trust's collections include family and business archives, catalogues and sale materials, artwork and furniture, costume, film and sound archives, historic shoes and shoe making machinery. The trust is named after Alfred Gillett, a cousin of
6468-455: The American rapper community. Their appeal can be traced to a wave of Jamaican immigrants who came to New York in the 1970s and paired Clarks shoes with suits. "African-Americans saw it as an alternative to sneakers and jeans and incorporated it into their look," said Slick Rick , a rapper, whose parents were born in Jamaica and later moved to the Bronx . "It's a way to be casual but not look like
6600-547: The Asia Pacific. The company also sells through third-party distribution. The Clarks brand is best known for its Desert Boot and Wallabee shoes, as well as its collection of school shoes, particularly for children aged 4–12 years. Clarks manufactured its products in the United Kingdom until 2005, when it began moving some production to the Far East . The company closed its last domestic factory in 2019 as it reported
6732-539: The Bath area or knows it very well. He has also been linked to the unsolved murder of Melanie Hall , which occurred in the city in 1996. Although the offender's DNA is known and several thousand men in Bath were DNA tested, the attacker continues to evade police. Since 2000, major developments have included the Thermae Bath Spa , the SouthGate shopping centre, the residential Western Riverside project on
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#17327913700736864-710: The Chicago Shoe Fair in 1949. He gave them substantial editorial credits with colour photographs in Esquire in early 1950. Bronson Davies subsequently saw these articles and applied to represent the company in selling them across the US, long before they were available in the UK. The Desert Boot was initially sold in Britain through shops in Regent Street , featuring a Union Jack sewn into the label, targeted at tourists. Lance Clark
6996-405: The Desert Boot was consolidated by advertising that targeted the 'campus trade' of Berkeley , Cornell , Harvard , North Carolina and Yale Universities through ads in Esquire and college magazines. A young salesman named Robert (Bob) Cullerton followed Bronson Davis at the lead in America. Appointed President in April 1961, he inherited a business focussed on the provision of men's casuals and
7128-597: The Desert Boot was designed by Nathan Clark (great-grandson of James Clark). Nathan Clark was an officer in the Royal Army Service Corps posted to Burma in 1941 with orders to help establish a supply route from Rangoon to the Chinese forces at Chongqing whilst also launching a series of offensives throughout South East Asia. Before leaving home his brother Bancroft had given him the mission to gather any information on footwear that might be of use to
7260-607: The Desert Boot. He appointed designer Nancy Knox to create a new range advertised via Playboy and Gentlemen's Quarterly . In parallel with American developments, C&J Clark Ltd. acquired the Blachford Shoe Manufacturing Co. Ltd. of Toronto in 1952, establishing a foothold in Canada led by Hugh Woods and Harold Hughes. Similarities between the businesses in Canada and North America meant Cullerton, Woods and Hughes quickly collaborated. They developed
7392-448: The EGM convened on 7 May 1993 it was also decided to move away from direct family management to professional managers, who would rationalise the business, and would be more comfortable with making the changes needed for its recovery. The appointment of Tim Parker as CEO in 1996 was made on the initiation of the newly elected chairman, Roger Pedder. Clarks format was radically changed with
7524-525: The Harlem Spin shoes. In 2017, a particular style of Mary Jane shoes called "Dolly Babe" was compared unfavourably to Clarks' own "Leader" school shoe for boys, with parents and ministers both accusing the company of sexism and gender stereotypes —the Mary Janes in question being viewed as flimsy and stereotypically feminine with a heart-print insole and a heart-shaped charm on the toe box while
7656-663: The Lance Clark who had seen a Zwartjes version of the shoe on the feet of artist Sonja Landweer in the late 1960s. An artist in residence at the Kilkenny Design Workshops, where she had come into contact with Lance Clark, Landweer's shoes became the basis for production of the Trek which was first attempted at Clarks factory in Dundalk . This was more attuned to the construction of stitch-down footwear. The shoe
7788-468: The North American operations in 1992, taking a key role in consolidating the manufacturing, retailing, and wholesaling activities in America into one company: Clarks Companies North America (CCNA) from 1995. By 1998, CCNA became principally a wholesaling business, serving 170 owned retail locations and 3,600 third party wholesale accounts, representing 14,200 retail outlets. Sales increased by 57 per cent from 1995 to 2001, profits rose five-fold. Infantino left
7920-412: The South West and South East of England and South Wales meant that the company's volume market share in the UK increased from 1.1 per cent in 1945 to 9 per cent by 1970. Foreign manufacturing was also sought through agreements with existing domestic manufacturers: Ireland in the 1930s with Australia, Canada and South Africa added in the 1940s and 1950s. Nathan Clark (younger brother of Bancroft) negotiated
8052-433: The UK. Three of the springs feed the thermal baths. Along with the rest of South West England , Bath has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the country. The annual mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50.0 °F). Seasonal temperature variation is less extreme than most of the United Kingdom because of the adjacent sea temperatures. The summer months of July and August are
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#17327913700738184-402: The West Coast. Wholesaling interests were complemented with retail from the late 1970s through the acquisition of Hanover Shoes Inc. who owned 220 retail shops. At the same time C&J Clark decided to bring together its North American interests under one corporation to operate Hanover, Clarks of England and Clarks Canada. The business grew further in 1979 through the acquisition of Bostonian,
8316-458: The abolition of Abbey ward, the merger of Lyncombe and Widcombe wards, the creation of Moorlands ward, and the replacement of Oldfield with Oldfield Park, as well as considerable changes to boundaries affecting all wards. Bath is in the Avon Valley and is surrounded by limestone hills as it is near the southern edge of the Cotswolds , a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , and the Mendip Hills rise around 7 miles (11 km) south of
8448-433: The agreement of landlords, who would receive a percentage of turnover as rent, and creditors. In January 2021, Viva China Holdings has agreed to acquire 51 per cent of LionRock Capital Partners QiLe Limited, the private equity firm which will own the Clarks brand, for £51 million. The majority owner of Viva China Holdings is entrepreneur Li Ning , a former Olympic gold medal winner for China. This resulted in Victor Herrero,
8580-440: The appearance of parliamentary forces the gates were thrown open and the city surrendered. It became a significant post for the Western Association army under William Waller . Bath was retaken by the royalists in July 1643 following the Battle of Lansdowne and occupied for two years until 1645. Luckily, the city was spared the destruction of property and starvation of its inhabitants unlike nearby Bristol and Gloucester . During
8712-412: The attention, consideration, and affection of Millennial parents". The advertisement campaign was said to "create scenarios based on familiar primary school situations with authentic interactions between real schoolchildren and teachers". The Raheem Sterling range of school shoes feature a football on the bottom soles, with each shoe featuring half a football which, when both shoes are placed together, form
8844-461: The beginning of their business and continue to occupy the site upon which Cyrus started to this very day. By 1828, as the business had grown, Cyrus appointed his younger brother James (1811–1906) as an apprentice. Educated away from Street, James was meant to be apprentice to a chemist in Bath , but successfully pleaded with his parents to let him stay in Street and help Cyrus. In 1828 to 1829, whilst serving this apprenticeship, James began utilising
8976-474: The bishop's palace beside it. New baths were built around the three springs. Later bishops returned the episcopal seat to Wells while retaining the name Bath in the title, Bishop of Bath and Wells . St John's Hospital was founded around 1180 by Bishop Reginald Fitz Jocelin and is among the oldest almshouses in England. The 'hospital of the baths' was built beside the hot springs of the Cross Bath , for their health-giving properties and to provide shelter for
9108-458: The bombing. A postwar review of inadequate housing led to the clearance and redevelopment of areas of the city in a postwar style, often at variance with the local Georgian style. In the 1950s, the nearby villages of Combe Down , Twerton and Weston were incorporated into the city to enable the development of housing, much of it council housing . In 1965, town planner Colin Buchanan published Bath: A Planning and Transport Study , which to
9240-480: The boys' shoe was seen as sturdier. The company soon apologised over the matter and withdrew the shoe from sale. Clarks also issued a statement saying it would commit to designing " gender-neutral " footwear following customer feedback. In March 2018, two pupils from Kearsley Academy were sent home from school due to their school shoes, both purchased from Clarks, for "looking too much like trainers". The shoes in question were both purchased from Clarks' Bootleg range,
9372-403: The business to the brink of bankruptcy in 1863. The local Quaker community stepped in and part of the bailout deal was the nomination of James' eldest son, William Stephens Clark (1839–1925) to the helm of C. & J. Clark. William Clark put in place an accelerated repayment plan that saw indebtedness drop considerably to 1873 when he became a partner in the business with his father James. For
9504-516: The care of the Alfred Gillett Trust. Cyrus Clark C. & J. Clark International Limited (trading as Clarks ) is a British footwear manufacturer and retailer founded in 1825 by Cyrus Clark in Street , Somerset , where its headquarters remain. As of October 2023, the brand has 320 stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and hundreds of franchises located in the Americas, Europe and
9636-634: The city bordering the green belt include Batheaston , Bathford , Bathampton , the University of Bath campus, Ensleigh, Twerton , Upper Weston , Odd Down , and Combe Down . Parts of the Cotswolds AONB southern extent overlap the green belt north of the city, with other nearby landscape features and facilities within the green belt including the River Avon, Kennet and Avon Canal, Bath Racecourse , Bath Golf Club, Bathampton Down , Bathampton Meadow Nature Reserve, Bristol and Bath Railway Path,
9768-452: The city's social life from 1704 until his death in 1761, drew up a code of behaviour for public entertainments. Bath had become perhaps the most fashionable of the rapidly developing British spa towns, attracting many notable visitors such as the wealthy London bookseller Andrew Millar and his wife, who both made long visits. In 1816, it was described as "a seat of amusement and dissipation", where "scenes of extravagance in this receptacle of
9900-525: The city's social life from 1705 until his death in 1761. Many of the streets and squares were laid out by John Wood, the Elder , and in the 18th century the city became fashionable and the population grew. Jane Austen lived in Bath in the early 19th century. Further building was undertaken in the 19th century and following the Bath Blitz in World War II. Bath became part of the county of Avon in 1974, and, following Avon's abolition in 1996, has been
10032-524: The city, except that Newbridge includes also two parishes beyond the city boundary. These wards return a total of 28 councillors to Bath and North East Somerset Council ; all except two wards return two councillors (Moorlands and Oldfield Park return one each). The most recent elections were held on 4 May 2023 and all wards returned Liberal Democrats except for Lambridge and Westmoreland which returned Green Party and independent councillors respectively. Boundary changes enacted from 2 May 2019 included
10164-527: The city, was obtained from the Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines owned by Ralph Allen (1694–1764). Allen, to advertise the quality of his quarried limestone, commissioned the elder John Wood to build a country house on his Prior Park estate between the city and the mines. Allen was responsible for improving and expanding the postal service in western England, for which he held the contract for more than forty years. Although not fond of politics, Allen
10296-615: The city. The hills that surround and make up the city have a maximum altitude of 781 feet (238 metres) on the Lansdown plateau. Bath has an area of 11 square miles (28 square kilometres). The floodplain of the Avon has an altitude of about 59 ft (18 m) above sea level , although the city centre is at an elevation of around 25 metres (82 ft) above sea level. The river, once an unnavigable series of braided streams broken up by swamps and ponds, has been managed by weirs into
10428-726: The communities of the city. The first meeting of the Forum was held on 13 October 2015, at the Guildhall, where the first chair and vice-chair were elected. In 2021, this was re-launched as the Bath Area Forum. Bath is one of the oldest extant parliamentary constituencies in the United Kingdom, being in continuous existence since the Model Parliament of 1295. Before the Reform Act 1832 , Bath elected two members to
10560-640: The company announced that this unit was to be closed, after failing to meet production targets. Produced by Clarks from 1967 and based on a moccasin called the Grasshopper, launched in 1964, by the German company Sioux, the Wallabee brand was manufactured at the Padmore and Barnes factory based in Kilkenny , Ireland, which Clarks had acquired in 1963 and continued to operate until its closure in 1987, when it
10692-619: The company in 2010, replaced by Jim Salzano who was at the helm of the North American business until 2013, when CCNA officially became the Americas Region, one of the four regions resulting as part of the re-organization initiated by Melissa Potter. Since March 2016 Gary Champion has led the Americas Region as president, also serving on the Global Leadership Team. In the United Kingdom, Clarks has long been
10824-599: The company whilst he was travelling the world. The Desert Boot was the result of this mission. His discovery of the Desert Boot was made either at Staff College in 1944 or on leave in Kashmir where three divisions of the old Eighth Army (transferred to the Far East from North Africa) were wearing ankle-high suede boots manufactured in the bazaars of Cairo . Nathan sent sketches and rough patterns back to Bancroft, but no trials were made until after he returned to Street and cut
10956-399: The company's founders and an amateur paleontologist ; some of his fossils are included in the trust's collection. The trust is based at The Grange, a Grade II listed building close to the museum in Street. In September 2019, it was announced that The Shoe Museum would close and the collection would be transferred to the Alfred Gillett Trust's archive. The collection was finally purchased by
11088-460: The cover of his 1996 " Ironman " album. His 2008 compilation album was also called " The Wallabee Champ ". In the TV series, Breaking Bad , lead character Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston ) transforms from a high school chemistry teacher into a powerful drug kingpin with pork pie hat, black sunglasses and goatee, but he still wears Wallabees, the only shoe he wears from the beginning of
11220-478: The electoral wards that cover Bath ( see below ) are the trustees, and they elect one of their number as their chair and mayor. The mayor holds office for one municipal year and in modern times the mayor begins their term in office on the first Saturday in June, at a ceremony at Bath Abbey with a civic procession from and to the Guildhall. The 794th mayor, who began her office on 6 May 2021, is June Player. A deputy mayor
11352-476: The extent that the Deputy Head Teacher of Mangotsfield School said that should the shoes be worn the following school day then the pupil would be asked to remove them and forced to wear shoes from lost property. This is despite the fact that the Harlem Spin shoes were advertised by Clarks as being school shoes—Clarks did not give a statement in regards to the incident and questions over the design of
11484-614: The findings the company launched its new children's ranges in 1945 with a choice of four width fittings, simultaneously with the new Clarks foot gauge that acted as a scientific measuring instrument to aid the shop assistant. Expansion of the business post-war was largely initiated by fourth-generation family members: Bancroft Clark, appointed managing director and chairman in 1942 and his cousins, Anthony Clark and Peter Clothier, accountable for Sales/Marketing and Manufacturing respectively. The start-up or acquisition of additional manufacturing facilities (peaking at 17 domestic factories) across
11616-413: The first decade of the 5th century, the baths fell into disrepair and were eventually lost as a result of rising water levels and silting. In March 2012, a hoard of 30,000 silver Roman coins, one of the largest discovered in Britain, was unearthed in an archaeological dig. The coins, believed to date from the 3rd century, were found about 150 m (490 ft) from the Roman baths. Bath may have been
11748-483: The first time in Britain, William mechanised the shoemaking process and went on to establish C. & J. Clark both as a pioneer of new technology and as a champion of footwear innovation. James withdrew from the partnership in 1889, to be replaced by his son Francis, William's younger brother. In line with the family's Quaker values, the capital was also extended beyond the factory to benefit social initiatives in Street:
11880-405: The five-season series until its completion. The Shoe Museum was established in 1950 by Laurence Barber at 40 High Street near the Clarks' headquarters in Street, Somerset. The museum displayed some 1,500 shoes as well as related exhibits, describing the development of shoes from Roman times and especially detailing the growth of Clarks shoes and shoemaking in Somerset. In 2002, a charity called
12012-670: The front. As it prepared each new verse, the machine would play the National Anthem , becoming silent after about a minute, when the verse was complete. The verses created by the Eureka were gloomy and oracular hexameters , created to a single format, which allowed for many combinations, all metrically sound and (more or less) meaningful. Verses output from the machine included horrida spona reis promittunt tempora densa ("horrible brides promise tough times") and sontia tela bonis causabunt agmina crebra ("good weapons will cause frequent raids"). This method of verse creation
12144-598: The geographical introduction to the Ecclesiastical History in terms very similar to those of Nennius. King Offa of Mercia gained control of the monastery in 781 and rebuilt the church, which was dedicated to St. Peter . According to the Victorian churchman Edward Churton , during the Anglo-Saxon era Bath was known as Acemannesceastre ('Akemanchester'), or 'aching men's city', on account of
12276-525: The last "K" factory in 2006. Production was relocated off-shore, using third party factories, predominantly located in Asia. Transformation of retail and investment to modernise company infrastructure and systems was also completed. Street consequently remains the epicentre for company operations, a distribution facility having been constructed in the village in 2005 with the capacity to process 1 million pairs of shoes per week. Former CEO, Melissa Potter, who
12408-564: The late Ol' Dirty Bastard ) and in particular Raekwon and Ghostface Killah wore Wallabees because not only they found them aesthetically pleasing but also since no other rapper was wearing them, they showed that they weren't victims of the trends. They even featured the name of the shoe in the lyrics of several songs, engendering a revival of the Wallabees as a hip-hop staple by the mid-late 1990s. This justified Ghostface Killah to call himself Wally Champ and feature custom-dyed Wallabee shoes on
12540-500: The latest fashions, was established in the early 1910s, and remained until the Second World War. A premium quality 'Tor' range was produced on the principles of standard lines, followed by a range of affordable fashionable footwear called 'Wessex'. The company had its first national press advertisement in 1934 and entered formally into retailing in 1937 through the acquisition of Abbotts chain of shops based around London and
12672-465: The latest in robot technology and create 80 jobs and produce over 300,000 pairs of Desert Shoes per year. In November 2020, Clarks announced a rescue plan through a £100 million investment by the Hong Kong–based private equity firm LionRock Capital after a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), a form of insolvency, in which the Clarks family will lose overall control of the company. The CVA requires
12804-613: The locality such as Bathampton Down saw human activity from the Mesolithic period. Several Bronze Age round barrows were opened by John Skinner in the 18th century. A long barrow site believed to be from the Early Bronze Age Beaker people was flattened to make way for RAF Charmy Down . Solsbury Hill overlooking the current city was an Iron Age hill fort and the adjacent Bathampton Camp may also have been one. Archaeological evidence shows that
12936-624: The machine passed first to his nephew and then to his cousins Cyrus and James Clark. After it was repaired in 1950 after a period of neglect, it was housed in the Records Office of Clarks’ factory in Street, Somerset . It was later moved to the company's Shoe Museum , but was put into storage in 1996 when it was no longer working. It was renovated in 2015. Since the Shoe Museum closed, the Latin Verse Machine has been in
13068-415: The mud to provide a stable foundation, and surrounded the spring with an irregular stone chamber lined with lead. In the 2nd century, the spring was enclosed within a wooden barrel-vaulted structure that housed the caldarium (hot bath), tepidarium (warm bath), and frigidarium (cold bath). The town was later given defensive walls , probably in the 3rd century. After the failure of Roman authority in
13200-483: The occupation, the finances of the Bath City Council took a drubbing with council spending, rents and grants all falling. The billeting of soldiers in private houses also contributed to disorder and vandalism. Normality to the city quickly recovered after the war when the city council achieved a healthy budget surplus. Thomas Guidott , a student of chemistry and medicine at Wadham College, Oxford , set up
13332-399: The offcuts that were too short for making rugs to produce slippers (known as Brown Petersburgs). The slippers were made using outworkers who collected materials from the factory, assembled footwear in workshops at home and returned the finished product for payment. This trade rapidly evolved, providing James with a legitimate claim to an equal partnership in the business when his apprenticeship
13464-555: The past. Some of the most famous songs written about the Clarks shoes in Jamaica are Little John's "Clarks Booty" and Vybz Kartel 's "Clarks" (over 2.6 million hits on YouTube ). While the Clarks Desert Boots became fashionable in the Beatnik Culture in the US, they became popular with youth in the UK after being adopted by Sixties Mods who wore them as part of both smart and casual clothing outfits. While
13596-445: The patterns himself. The Desert Boot was cut on the men's Guernsey Sandal last and sampled in a neutral beige-grey 2 mm chrome bend split suede . The company's Stock Committee reacted badly to the sample and dismissed the idea as it 'would never sell'. It was only in his capacity as Overseas Development Manager that Nathan had any success with the shoe after introducing it to Oskar Schoefler (Fashion Editor, Esquire Magazine ) at
13728-537: The poor infirm. Administrative systems fell within the hundreds . The Bath Hundred had various names including the Hundred of Le Buri. The Bath Foreign Hundred or Forinsecum covered the area outside the city and was later combined into the Bath Forum Hundred. Wealthy merchants had no status within the hundred courts and formed guilds to gain influence. They built the first guildhall probably in
13860-571: The principal centre of Bath and North East Somerset . Bath has over 6 million yearly visitors, making it one of ten English cities visited most by overseas tourists . Attractions include the spas, canal boat tours, Royal Crescent, Bath Skyline , Parade Gardens and Royal Victoria Park which hosts carnivals and seasonal events. Shopping areas include SouthGate shopping centre , the Corridor arcade and artisan shops at Walcot , Milsom , Stall and York Streets. There are theatres, including
13992-449: The provinces. "Peter Lord" was created by Hugh Bryan Clark as a retail brand to avoid alarming agents or alerting competitors to the company's activities. It steadily evolved into a national network of stores. Growing awareness that 'bad feet' were the product of ill-fitting shoes determined Bostock to devise a new shoe fitting system based on the detailed analysis of thousands of foot measurements taken from local school children. In line with
14124-519: The rate of 1,170,000 litres (257,364 imp gal) daily, from the Pennyquick geological fault . In 1983, a new spa-water bore-hole was sunk, providing a clean and safe supply for drinking in the Pump Room. There is no universal definition to distinguish a hot spring from a geothermal spring, although, by several definitions , the Bath springs can be considered the only hot springs in
14256-456: The reason, as well as Clarks school shoes being long-lasting and durable, parents have opted for them as most of Clarks school shoes meet the standards set by most primary and secondary school uniform policies. From the mid-2010s, Clarks mire relaxed shoe designs and stricter school uniform policies has resulted in some schools judging that some models of Clarks school shoes do not comply with its school uniform policy. In 2016, nationwide attention
14388-430: The regional average of 1,600 hours. In December 1998 there were 20 days without sun recorded at Yeovilton. Most of the rainfall in the south-west is caused by Atlantic depressions or by convection . In summer, a large proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun heating the ground, leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms. Average rainfall is around 700 mm (28 in). About 8–15 days of snowfall
14520-561: The reign of Edward the Elder coins were minted in Bath based on a design from the Winchester mint but with 'BAD' on the obverse relating to the Anglo-Saxon name for the town, Baðum, Baðan or Baðon, meaning "at the baths", and this was the source of the present name. Edgar of England was crowned king of England in Bath Abbey in 973, in a ceremony that formed the basis of all future English coronations . William Rufus granted
14652-485: The reputation these springs had for healing the sick. By the 9th century, the old Roman street pattern was lost and Bath was a royal possession. King Alfred laid out the town afresh, leaving its south-eastern quadrant as the abbey precinct. In the Burghal Hidage , Bath is recorded as a burh (borough) and is described as having walls of 1,375 yards (1,257 m) and was allocated 1000 men for defence. During
14784-454: The sacred spring by archaeologists. The tablets were written in Latin , and laid curses on personal enemies. For example, if a citizen had his clothes stolen at the baths, he might write a curse against the suspects on a tablet to be read by the goddess. A temple was constructed in AD ;60–70, and a bathing complex was built up over the next 300 years. Engineers drove oak piles into
14916-527: The same year, whereupon he quickly learnt that the trademark Grasshopper had been licensed. In conjunction with Jack Rose-Smith (Clarks Overseas Shoes Export Manager), Bob Cullerton (the President for Clarks in America/Clarks of England), Hugh Woods (managing director of Clarks Canada), Roberts trademarked the name Wallabee. In New Zealand, they were marketed as Nomads. Another style associated with
15048-524: The shoes are appropriate for a unisex look, they were particularly popular with male mods who wore them with military parkas , tailor-made suits with narrow lapels (sometimes made of mohair), thin ties, button-down collar shirts, and wool or cashmere jumpers. The joint influences of the Beatniks and Mods made the Clarks Desert Boots ("Les Clarks") popular among the Parisian students who wore them during
15180-623: The site of the Battle of Badon ( c. 500 AD), in which Arthur , the hero of later legends, is said to have defeated the Anglo-Saxons . The town was captured by the West Saxons in 577 after the Battle of Deorham ; the Anglo-Saxon poem The Ruin may describe the appearance of the Roman site about this time. A monastery was founded at an early date – reputedly by Saint David although more probably in 675 by Osric , King of
15312-585: The site of the Roman baths' main spring may have been treated as a shrine by the Britons , and was dedicated to the goddess Sulis , whom the Romans identified with Minerva ; the name Sulis continued to be used after the Roman invasion, appearing in the town's Roman name , Aquae Sulis (literally, "the waters of Sulis"). Messages to her scratched onto metal, known as curse tablets , have been recovered from
15444-526: The top. Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia spent four years in exile, from 1936 to 1940, at Fairfield House in Bath. During World War II , between the evening of 25 April and the early morning of 27 April 1942, Bath suffered three air raids in reprisal for RAF raids on the German cities of Lübeck and Rostock , part of the Luftwaffe campaign popularly known as the Baedeker Blitz . During
15576-528: The town to take the waters: the Queen's Bath was named after her. The cue for the visit may have been the completion of the restoration work to Bath Abbey, the last instalment of which had been paid for two years previously. Anne of Denmark came to Bath in 1613 and 1615. During the English Civil War , the city was garrisoned for Charles I . Seven thousand pounds was spent on fortifications, but on
15708-462: The town, abbey and mint to a royal physician, John of Tours , who became Bishop of Wells and Abbot of Bath, following the sacking of the town during the Rebellion of 1088 . It was papal policy for bishops to move to more urban seats, and John of Tours translated his own from Wells to Bath. The bishop planned and began a much larger church as his cathedral, to which was attached a priory, with
15840-460: The warmest, with mean daily maxima of approximately 21 °C (69.8 °F). In winter, mean minimum temperatures of 1 or 2 °C (33.8 or 35.6 °F) are common. In the summer, the Azores high pressure affects the south-west of England bringing fair weather; however, convective cloud sometimes forms inland, reducing the number of hours of sunshine. Annual sunshine rates are slightly less than
15972-558: The wealthy and the idle, the weak and designing" were habitual. The population of the city was 40,020 at the 1801 census, making it one of the largest cities in Britain. William Thomas Beckford bought a house in Lansdown Crescent in 1822, and subsequently two adjacent houses to form his residence. Having acquired all the land between his home and the top of Lansdown Hill , he created a garden more than 1 ⁄ 2 mile (800 m) in length and built Beckford's Tower at
16104-609: Was a civic-minded man and a member of Bath Corporation for many years. He was elected mayor for a single term in 1742. In the early 18th century, Bath acquired its first purpose-built theatre, the Old Orchard Street Theatre . It was rebuilt as the Theatre Royal , along with the Grand Pump Room attached to the Roman Baths and assembly rooms . Master of ceremonies Beau Nash , who presided over
16236-472: Was abolished in 1996, along with the district of Bath, and there is no longer a parish council for the city. The City of Bath's ceremonial functions, including its formal status as a city, its twinning arrangements, the mayoralty of Bath – which can be traced back to 1230 – and control of the city's coat of arms , are maintained by the charter trustees of the City of Bath. The councillors elected by
16368-401: Was appointed as the new CEO. Then following Shearwood's resignation in June 2018, Stella David was announced as interim CEO. In February 2019, Giorgio Presca was announced as the new CEO, and David returned to her role on the board. In May 2018, the company announced that it would build a new production plant next to its headquarters in Street, Somerset. The £3 million factory would see
16500-545: Was appointed in 2010, re-organized the business in four regions Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland (from February 2013), the re-launch in China, the move into India, the launch of the online business and the increased focus on building a global brand. Melissa Potter stepped down as CEO in September 2015. Non-executive chairman Thomas O’Neill lead the business until 2017 when Mike Shearwood
16632-551: Was constructed in 1958. The Desert Boot was manufactured there until the closure of the factory in 2001. Clarks announced in July 2017, it was restarting manufacturing Desert Boots, using a new manufacturing unit featuring "robot-assisted" technology, at its headquarters in Street, Somerset. Up to 300,000 pairs a year of desert boots were to be made at the unit, creating up to eighty technical and managerial jobs. However, in January 2019
16764-493: Was founded in the 7th century and became a religious centre; the building was rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries. In the 17th century, claims were made for the curative properties of water from the springs, and Bath became popular as a spa town in the Georgian era . Georgian architecture , crafted from Bath stone , includes the Royal Crescent , Circus , Pump Room , and the Assembly Rooms , where Beau Nash presided over
16896-431: Was gathered after 12-year-old Alfie Ingerfeild from Bristol was sent home from school at the beginning of the new school term in September after wearing a pair of Harlem Spin shoes from Clarks' Bootleg school shoe range. The school, Mangotsfield School , claimed that the Harlem Spin design was "too much like trainers" and therefore classed them as unacceptable and not complying with the school uniform policy, so much so to
17028-645: Was initially launched in North America in 1971 as Trek, before featuring in the UK range in 1972 where it was renamed Hike, owing to an existing footwear trademark. The 'Trek man' that first featured on the shoe was drafted by Lance Clark and refined by the advertising manager in Dundalk, Bob Patten. Some Clarks styles (particularly the Desert Boot, Wallabee & Desert Trek) were widely adopted as cultural icons by different subcultures and featured in songs as well as popular films and TV series. The most referenced
17160-551: Was not Clark’s invention: already in 1677 a John Peter had published a work, " Artificial Versifying, A New Way to Make Latin Verses ". Clark’s contribution was to fully automate this process. The mechanism was a series of six drums turning at different rates within the cabinet. The words were not simply printed on the drums, but encoded as rows of stop wires of different lengths, onto which wooden staves would be dropped. The staves had any letters that might be needed printed on them in
17292-520: Was served in 1833. Thereafter, it traded as C. & J. Clark. The brothers developed national and international trade (Ireland in the 1820s, Canada by the 1830s, Australia in the 1850s) and were notably innovative, winning the gold medal at the Great Exhibition in 1851 for their gutta percha elongated galosh. A couple of bad years that combined volatile market conditions, a certain lack of financial rigour and questionable planning brought
17424-530: Was the subject of a management buy-out. Managed by Lance Clark who was responsible for having negotiated the licence to produce the shoes in Kilkenny and arranged for the factory staff to be trained in the production of moccasin shoes, the product took off once the decision was taken to market it in North America in 1968. As General Manager of the factory, Paddy Roberts took the shoe to a trade fair in New York in
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