In the year 1851 Queen Victoria issued a challenge to the royal shoemakers to make a pair of boots minus shoe laces which were constantly getting tangled in her stirrups whilst indulging in her favorite past time of horse riding.

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The first boots were made by J. Sparkes-Hall employing the use of vulcanized rubber (elastic) which allowed Queen Victoria to slip the boots on and off easily. The Queen was delighted and thus this new style of boot was catapulted on the world stage. As the stirrup proved so important in the history of this wonderful and enduring boot, we lovingly embroider a stirrup on all our Classic Chelsea Boots!