Some members of the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers belong to families whose names were once famous within the world of footwear. With the demise of many British companies during the 20th century, we pay tribute to some of them here.
Peal and Co., bootmakers, produced bespoke footwear from 1791 until 1965. The founder, Samuel Peal (1754-1819), was a shoemaker from Wirksworth, Derbyshire and he is the ancestor of the dozen or so Peals who are members of the Cordwainers Company today.
Founded by cousins Thomas Lilley and Bert Skinner in 1881, Lilley and Skinner became one of the best known British footwear retailers of the mid-20th century. Past Master Paddy Skinner traces the history of the family company.
