Workers were in for a surprise when carrying out improvements to a school building at Kirkstead Junior Academy in Pinxton, after they unearthed a pair of historic shoes, buried beneath floorboards.
Likely left there by superstitious builders or the original property owner, the shoes may date back as far as the 1820’s, when the building, formerly part of a boarding school, was first erected.
Located near a fireplace, the shoes could have been deposited as a form of good luck charm to ward off evil spirits, much like an early form of insurance policy for the building. Many items, including children’s shoes, have been found deliberately buried in old properties throughout the UK, and historians still debate aspects of the ritual’s meaning.
Anne Ingle is Headteacher of the Pinxton Village Academies, comprising Longwood Infant Academy, John King Infants Academy, and Kirkstead Junior Academy. All three schools have undergone transformational improvements in recent years, highly praised during their Ofsted inspections, and all three sites have enjoyed recent school building improvements and investment. It was during such building renovations earlier in the summer when the shoes were discovered by workers.
Anne said, “We are very surprised by the find, and children have been particularly inspired by them to discuss and enrich their local history studies. It is a fantastic insight into the community and possible beliefs and superstitions of the people of Pinxton in times gone by.”
Anne says staff and children have all had their own ideas about their age and origin. “We estimate the shoes are probably around a size 5 or 6 in modern terms, and we have discussed the idea of them belonging to a builder who worked on the building in 1820. We intend to share our find with the local museum and historical society for further inspection and hopefully they may be able to give us more answers. The children are keen to know as much about the find as possible!”
Before the 1790’s, shoes were routinely designed to be worn on either foot, but the Pinxton shoes, show a definite left and right shoe, are heavily worn, and still have metal lace holes and a variety of repairs and modifications. They also appear to have some machine stitching, although sewing machines were already in use by the time the building was erected. The soles are heavily deteriorated, and possibly once featured ‘irons’ such as might be seen on wooden soles or clogs.
Children at Kirkstead Junior School have used the rare find to inform and inspire learning about the history of their school and community.
Teddy, year 6, said, “I think the boots are very interesting because you can see the stitching and the holes where laces went. In some ways they are very different to modern shoes, there’s no rubber, and they look uncomfortable! I think if they did have wooden soles, or stiff leather, they would have been heavy to wear, and difficult to walk in.”
Betsy, year 2 said, “All of the shoe is worn, and the leather is damaged. They are very old shoes, and they look like it would be hard to walk in them. I think they are very interesting!”
Photograph: Anne Ingle (2nd left) with children from the three Pinxton Village Academies of Longwood Infant Academy, John King Infant Academy and Kirkstead Junior Academy in front of the building where the mysterious shoes were found. (Photo: Lou Brimble)
