Boot and Shoe Repair Shops

There was a repairer on the Foleshill Rd between Cash's Lane and Courtaulds. Used it once or twice when I was at the Climax on the corner of Cash's and Widdrington Rd. No idea what it was called, but yes, memory tells me it was small & dark. Mention of Segs reminds me that I always used to bang a few into the heels of my Goldtop motorcycle boots back in the seventies. The idea was to drag one's heels along the road surface on a dark night. The resultant shower of sparks was quite spectacular viewed in the rear view mirror!

I assume this was the shop near the Foleshill Road Junction with Broad Street. He must have the unique distinction of being the only cobbler in the world to have regularly repaired the running shoes of four different Olympic marathon runners!!!!

Thanks Garlands Joke Shop for finding Sam Ballard's address in the Directory. "Official Olympic Marathon Runner's Shoe Repairer" as well! I have never given it a thought before but I guess your marathon-footwear would require regular attention!!!

Hey Harrier, I have just read these posts again and I don't think the shop that you used was Sam Ballard's. Ballard's was opposite a pub, ohhhh, was it called 'William VI'? I vaguely remember a double-fronted shop in the area you are describing that repaired shoes.

William IV, I think but that was 1047 Foleshill Road, so not opposite 327! No alternative Ballards in Foleshill Road, according to phone books looked at

Well, I think I have found Mr. Ballard's much transformed property, hidden behind the washing machines and carpets! Although I can't see a house number on the old shoe repairer shop, 329 is next door! Ah, just had another look at the Street-view. It was the "Prince William Henry", opposite the row of shops. It's all coming back to me now!! 327 Foleshill Road

Back in the 1970's there was another shoe repairer in Foleshill Road - going out of the city on the right hand side just after the junction with Broad Street.. This shop used to advertise 'Crepe Repairs' across the shop windows - crepe as in the soles for 'brothel creeper' shoes much favoured by the teddy boys in the 1950's (much before my time). I can remember having soft rubbery soles on sandals as a child, so perhaps they were crepe as well. There was also the previously mentioned little cobbler's shop at the corner of Cross Road and Stoney Stanton Road. Regards. Roger

The one on Cross Road corner was called CITY SHOE REPAIRS or words to that effect

City Shoe Repairs was owned by Tom Richardson at one time. He lived in Barnacle. He was a keen motorcyclist and used to go on holiday to France, with his wife Doreen, on his very big motorbike. I can imagine him repairing motor cycle boots as he would know what was needed.

Back in the 60's us lads used to hang around with a lad who had a speech defect. He was very quietly spoken and was known to all and sundry as "whisper". Having said that he was a great lad to know and I remember he worked in a cobblers but I don't know which one. So, if you were picking up repaired shoes or boots and the Cobbler was very quietly spoken he may well have been my friend.

GVB's mate "Whisper", there you go, another nice chap in the trade! We haven't had a mention of a grumpy shoe repairer yet!

I'd forgotten about the Crepe, that was the shop! Not only did he tip the shoes and heel, but he was able to convert an old pair of track spikes into a pair of road running shoes by taking the spike plate off and rebuild the sole using crepe!!

I seem to remember there was also one on Stoney Stanton Road in the row of shops diagonally opposite Falkener House again with a friendly repairer who used to like a chat while you were there. A few doors away was a similarly chatty watch repairer. A visit to the two of them could take anything up to an hour

There was a Cobblers shop on Radford Rd opposite Lydgate Rd, another one at the Radford Rd end of Villa Rd, and yet another one in Jubilee Crescent. My dad used to repair all of the shoes in our house so I didn't use the Cobblers shops very often.

I recall Artful the one in Villa Road, also one in the market and one on Barkers Butts Lane corner of Three Spires Avenue.