The Shoe Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1951 |
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| Dissolved | 27 September 2019 |
| Location | Street, Somerset, England |
The Shoe Museum in Street, England, was a special place. It showed shoes from ancient Roman times all the way to modern days. This museum closed its doors on September 27, 2019.
The museum told the story of the Clark family. They started the famous shoe company C. & J. Clark. It also showed how shoemaking grew in the town of Street.
Contents
The Clark Family and Their Shoes
The Clark family began making shoes in Street in the 1820s. They started with slippers, boots, and other shoes. Their company, C. & J. Clark, grew very quickly.
By the 1860s, they started using machines to make shoes. This made shoemaking faster and easier. The company kept making shoes in Street until after the year 2000. After that, they moved their production to factories in other countries, mostly in Asia.
Helping the Community
In the 1800s, the Clark family believed in helping their town. They were part of a group called the Quakers. Because of their values, they used some of their company's money to help the people of Street.
They built a school so young people could work and learn at the same time. They also opened a theatre called Strode Theatre. A library was built, and even an outdoor swimming pool called Greenbank. They also helped build the town hall.
The C. & J. Clark company still has its main office in Street today. You can see their old clock tower and water tower there. In 1993, some of their old factory buildings were turned into a shopping area called Clarks Village.
About the Museum
The Shoe Museum first opened in 1951. It was made bigger in 1974 to show more items. The museum displayed shoes from 200 years of the company's history.
It also had old machines used to make shoes. Visitors could see old shop display cards from the 1930s, 1950s, and 1960s. They could also watch old television advertisements for shoes.
Museum Closure and Future
The Shoe Museum closed to the public on September 27, 2019. All the items from the museum were moved to a nearby place called the Alfred Gillett Trust.
In September 2023, plans were approved to build a brand new shoe museum. This new museum will be right next to the Alfred Gillett Trust.
See also
- Concealed shoes
