Foster and Son was founded by boot and shoemaker Charles Chester in 1840 and run by the same family for 150 years. Chester's descendent, also dubbed "Charles", adopted the Foster name when a Second World War incendiary bomb destroyed his workshop near Waterloo Bridge, killing Mrs. Chester. By coincidence fellow shoemaker Mr. Foster was killed by another bomb at Waterloo station, leaving his widow ill equipped to continue. An enterprising leather supplier persuaded Mrs. Foster to join forces with Chester, who moved into her premises at 5 Eagle Place, St. James's, bringing with him a 56 pound iron weight: the only thing to survive the bombing and still in use today.
With the Foster and Son shingle over the door, Chester re-built a successful bespoke business, moving to Duke of York Street, St. James and then to 83 Jermyn Street in 1966, where the firm thrives today, still in private hands.
Chester was credited as being the first bespoke shoemaker to create a collection of high quality ready-to-wear shoes and also built our reputation for leather luggage and cases. In 1999 the business and subsequently Henry Maxwell, the famous boot and shoe-maker- were acquired by Nicolas Adlam, the late Husband of the current Managing Director, Sarah Adlam, and both firms now trade from our Jermyn Street premises.
Terry Moore, our senior last-maker, who supervises the making of all our shoes and boots and has personally trained our makers, began his career with Peal and co, the famous boot and shoemakers of 487 Oxford Street.
Peal and Co were founded in 1565 and were the oldest-established and most successful makers in the World, employing up to 200 staff. The firm was established in Durham and moved to Derby in 1765, reaching London in 1791. In 1953 Peal bought their Oxford Street neighbours, Bartley and Son, inheriting their Boot and Fox emblem and moved to Wigmore Street in 1958. The business closed early in 1965, when the family decided that lack of family succession, a declining trade and shortage of skilled staff made closure their best option. The closure of Peal and Co was very helpful to the remaining shoemakers in London including Foster and Son, who acquired two important assets, the boot and fox emblem and Terry Moore.
The Peal family had an excellent reputation as innovators, and developed a semi-mechanised production method (not used by us) by which a last hand-made by Terry and his colleagues could be duplicated up to 8 times on a copying lathe. The pattern-cutting was done by hand, but the making itself was done in a large works in Shepherds Bush to increase productivity. The unique Peal "easy exit" last was very suitable for riding boots and slippers. Terry brought many of the Peal lasts with him to 83 Jermyn Street and today our collection of old Peal lasts are retained as a valuable reference point for certain styles of riding boots and slippers for which they where particularly suited.
Terry has been with us for 41 years and every one of our lasts is made under his supervision. He insists that all our shoes are made "our way" , which incorporates centuries of handed down skills from Peal and Co. The Fosters last shape that he regards as the best in the World is still influenced by the centuries-old Peal tradition.
It is a source of great satisfaction to us that Terry's teaching skills and love of his craft means that his experience is being passed down over the years to a new generation. Terry has trained several makers and we are lucky to have his pupils, Emiko Matsuda and Emma Lakin in our team at 83 Jermyn Street.