The Boot and Shoe Trades in London and Paris in the Long Eighteenth Century

French shoe wholesalers were exporting their products to British colonies,
without using Britain as their 'trade route'. 20 Only 11 per cent of boots and shoes
imported into Britain from France were re-exported (figure 6.2). Most of these
shoes were men's boots and shoes. 2' While one third of men's shoes imported
from France was re-exported, only 5 per cent of women's shoes were destined to
export and colonial markets. The consistent imports of boot fronts (see
paragraph 6.6.3) were nearly totally for home consumption.22
C
.=
140,000
120,000
100,000
' 80,000
I,
! 60,000
40,000
20,000
0
Figure 6.2 - Home consumption and British re-export of
French boots and shoes in the 1840s
Men's shoes Women's shoes
ORe-Export
0 Home consumption
Source: Command Papers - Accounts and Papers, 1852-53, no. 15, vol. 99, micro. 57.726
20 The Boot and Shoe Maker's Assistant, cit., p. 71.
21 The quantity of men's footwear was however quite small. The boots fronts, constituting the
majority of men's imports were totally for home consumption. As we shall see the difference in
the duty between boots and their parts favoured the import of boot fronts that were sewn in
England. For the colonial market it is unknown how many boots were produced in England with
French uppers and then exported.
22 We do not know, however, the relationship between the import of boot fronts and the export
of finished boots.
257