Designer Shoes!
Published: 10 September 2009
/News/ShoePatternWeb)
Cobbler’s lasts were used to hand make shoes that were specific to each customer.
These lasts are made of beech and each is made in two sections to model the shape of the costume’s foot and screwed together to produce a pattern for cutting the leather. Both lasts bear the stamps on the top “11” and “1151”.
These lasts came from a shop in Moy, which belonged to Henry Tohall, who was described as a General Merchant. It is believed that his premises were located on the right hand side going up the hill into Moy and is now a chemist’s. They were donated as part of a collection of around 30 objects presumably at a time when Tohall’s shop was being cleared.
A recent research enquiry regarding shoe related items from the Armagh area uncovered these Cobbler’s lasts. They are particularly interesting and unusual as lasts were often made of iron. They were accessioned by the museum in 1979.
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