FASHION
The heart and sole
Every night he lies in bed, the softest leathers fill his head. A million shoes are keeping him awake. He thinks of what those shoes could be; a vision of the soles he sees. A million shoes repairing when they break. For he is The Greatest Shoeman of HE Payne and Sons.
At just 24 years old, specialist shoe repairer, Matthew Payne, has become a nationwide sensation in the world of shoe business, being dubbed the Greatest Shoeman for his ability to bring even the sorriest of shoes back to polished perfection. His work is meticulous with exceptional attention to detail; his mantra being no job is impossible. From repairing ladies’ scuffed stiletto heels or designer mirrored soles, to stretching riding boots, or even hand-stitching boxing punch bags and harmonica straps – his natural ability to deliver quality craftsmanship has garnered him repair jobs from people across the country.
Matthew is the fourth-generation shoe repairer in the Payne family’s long-standing business; one which is laced in heritage as timeworn as the original machines he still works on. Together with his sister, Natalie, the perfect pair are building upon 96 years of success to bring the business inline with the modern day. Back in 1923, their great- grandfather, Edgar Payne, opened a shoe repair workshop in his garden shed after moving to Barnsley from the shoe factories of Northamptonshire.
Along with making clogs for miners, Edgar would also repair 100 pairs of soldiers’ boots a week which would be delivered to and from his workshop on a horse and cart.
Edgar trained his son, Harold, who took over the business aged 23 and bought their current premises on Hight Street, Dodworth; a row of charming black and white Tudor cottages that has bags of character. Two of Harold’s four sons, Denys and John, joined their father at the shop, with Denys running the workshop for 60 years until he retired in 2012, while John concentrated on admin, accounts and retail. HE Payne and Sons soon
became recognised for selling quality men’s shoes from Britain’s longest established handmade shoe manufacturers like Tricker’s and Barker, with many of their customers still owning the same pair of brogues or boots many decades later.
The repair shop also continued to flourish, with John’s youngest son, Matthew following in the family footsteps to carry on the trade for a fourth generation.
He first donned his tabard aged 15 and, after Denys retired and John became terminally ill, was handed the keys to the shop in 2014, aged just 19 – the youngest in the family’s history.
While others may have buckled under the pressure at such a young age, Matthew has continued his family’s legacy of quality repair work for all types of footwear and leather accessories, fastened together with good old-fashioned service. Although the ringmaster of the workshop, running the many aspects of the business became a balancing act and so Matthew’s sister, Natalie, left her career in education behind last year to take over the sales and clerical sides of HE Payne and Sons.
Natalie is the first woman to step foot behind the predominantly AFTER
male-driven counter in its almost 100-year history. But she is the perfect fit to take the business into the next 100 years.
One of Natalie’s main influences is the introduction of a new ladies’ section as well as social media accounts to showcase her brother’s work including the new collection of handmade accessories such as leather bags, wallets and belts tailored to your preferences.
BEFORE
Proud to be the oldest stockist of Also BARKER, Cheaney to name just a few
Brogues, moccasins, loafers and boots from modern to classic styles
New ladies’ section with brands including Peter Kaiser, DB Footwear & Cipriata
SPECIALIST SHOE REPAIRS Quality shoes deserve quality repairs
Let us restore your shoes to ‘fresh out the box’ condition with our classic approach
• Renowned for our intricate work on designer footwear including
Christian Louboutin, Jimmy
Choo and Valentino • Heels, soles, zips and stitching • Shoe and boot stretching • Handmade range of accessories
Open Monday to Saturday | 17-21 HIGH ST, DODWORTH, BARNSLEY S75 3RF 01226 284828 |
www.hepaynefootwear.co.uk |
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aroundtownmagazine.co.uk
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