Joseph Cheaney & Sons

The company survived two world wars by manufacturing military officers' boots and underwent significant ownership changes, including acquisition by Church's English Shoes in 1964, subsequent sale to Prada in 1999, and a 2009 management buyout by cousins William and Jonathan Church. Today, Cheaney employs 120 expert craftspeople producing approximately 1,000 pairs weekly while maintaining exclusive use of Goodyear welt construction methods.

Joseph Cheaney founded J. Cheaney, Boot & Shoemakers in 1886 after previously serving as factory manager of B. Riley. The business initially operated from small premises in Station Road, Desborough, located in the Northamptonshire region renowned for quality English shoemaking. At the time, approximately seven shoe factories operated in Desborough.

In 1890, Arthur Cheaney joined his father's company. The business relocated in 1896 to a purpose-built factory designed to house all aspects of shoemaking, from leather cutting to final polishing. The company changed its name to J. Cheaney & Sons in 1903 after Cheaney's two sons joined the business.

Joseph Cheaney served as a local councillor with involvement in the Church and was known for his interest in local children's welfare, keeping them supplied with oranges. The company survived both World Wars by manufacturing boots for military officers.

In 1964, the Cheaney family decided to sell the business to Church's English Shoes. The transaction was completed in 1966 when Cheaney was sold to Church & Company plc. Church's operated Cheaney as its own brand until 1999, when the Prada Group acquired the entire Church's group, including Cheaney. During this period, Cheaney had become primarily a private label house for the Church's group.

In August 2009, cousins William and Jonathan Church conducted a management buyout of Cheaney from Church & Co., then a wholly owned subsidiary of Prada. William Church, the great-great grandson of one of the founders of the Church brand, and his third cousin Jonathan Church left their roles at Church to focus on expanding Cheaney's wholesale and retail presence as joint managing directors.

Cheaney footwear production requires approximately eight weeks per pair, involving over 200 separate hand or hand-tooled operations. The factory employs 120 expert craftspeople, and the entire process from clicking (leather cutting) through final polishing takes place under one roof at the Desborough facility. All footwear carries the designation "Purely Made in England."

The manufacturing process progresses through distinct stages. The Pattern Room hosts pattern technologists who work with designers to develop new styles. The Clicking Room processes approximately 1,000 pairs weekly, where skilled workers cut leather components. The Closing Room handles skiving, punching, staining raw edges, hand-sewing specialty saddles, and machine-stitching pattern sections to assemble the upper.

The Making Room hosts the Goodyear welting process essential for durability. Each pair is hand-stamped with "Made in England," with the size and last details handwritten on the quarter.

Cheaney uses Goodyear welt construction exclusively for all footwear. This method, developed in 1869 when Charles Goodyear Jr. invented the welting machinery, involves joining a material rib to the insole, then applying the welt through the upper. The upper is tacked and pulled onto the last, followed by a rest period of two to three weeks.

The Goodyear welt construction allows the sole to be stitched to the upper, enabling sole replacement up to three times through Cheaney's refurbishment process. This construction method is considered the most durable in shoemaking, allowing shoes to last for years with proper maintenance.

Cheaney's product range includes brogues, semi-brogues, brogue boots, and loafers. The last, a three-dimensional form on which shoes are constructed, determines the proportion, shape, fit, width, and character of each style.

The Broad II model is built on Last 11028 with a Fit F (Average) sizing, featuring a prolonged shape, close fit, and contemporary almond toe. The Hythe R model uses Last 175 with Fit F (Average) sizing and a Dainite sole, available in mahogany grain leather. The Tweed Country Boot is a six-inch boot with a Dainite sole, Goodyear welted with an all-round leather storm welt, built on Last 12508.

Sole types are indicated by letters in style names (B, C, D, R, GV), ranging from traditional leather to rubber options. Cheaney sources high-grade leather from tanneries in the UK and internationally. The decorative brogue hole detailing, historically designed to let water drain from shoes, now serves purely ornamental purposes.