DR. MARTENS & THE GRIGGS FAMILY

GRIGGS FAMILY: THE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE FOOTWEAR  INDUSTRY

Since the 13th century, the county of Northamptonshire has been synonymous with shoemaking.

By the 20th century, the village of Wollaston was known to produce durable footwear for the army, miners, and labourers.

The Griggs family was one of the local manufacturers, crafting footwear at the Cobbs Lane site since 1901. By the 1950s the footwear industry was changing, and Bill Griggs was looking for new opportunities to expand his family business R. Griggs & Co. Ltd. That’s when he became aware of the German doctors' air-cushioned sole.