THE HUNTER STORY

A symbol of British country life

In 1856Mr Henry Lee Norris, an American entrepreneur, landed on Scottish soil in search of a home for his boot making company. Having acquired a block of buildings in Edinburgh, known as the Castle Silk Mills, the North British Rubber Company (which much later became known as Hunter Boot Ltd) was registered as a limited liability company in September 1856. In the beginning there were only four people working for the company, by 1875 the team had grown to 600 members of staff.

Production of wellington boots were dramatically boosted with the advent of World War I when the company was asked by the War Office to construct a sturdy boot suitable for the conditions in flooded trenches. The mills ran day and night to produce immense quantities of these trench boots. In total, 1,185,036 pairs were made to cope with the Army's demands. The fashionable boot was now a functionalnecessity.

For WWII they were once again called upon to supply vast quantities of wellingtons and thigh boots. 80% of production was for war materials - from ground sheets to life belts and gas masks.

After WWII boot making had to move to a larger factory in Heathhall Dumfries, where the company has been based since, to deal with the rise in demand.

Hunter's most famous welly, the original Green wellington, was made over 50 years ago in the winter of 1955. It was the first orthopedic boot that we made and was launched alongside the Royal Hunter - another boot that remains in Hunter's range today.       

In 1977, having continued to supply wellies to the Royal Households, Hunter was awarded a Royal Warrant from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. This was shortly followed, in 1986, by a Royal Warrant from HM The Queen.  Providing great recognition for their work in keeping some very important feet dry!

Hunter enjoyed a record season in summer 2007 but, despite this, remained faced with major financial challenges regarding production. High manufacturing and fuel costs that contributed to the company's move into administration in 2006 remained prominent and, like many UK manufacturing businesses, Hunter was forced to consider whether it was commercially viable to keep making boots in the UK. The company also had to negotiate a volatile relationship with its landlord and an expensive and inefficient 96-year-old factory. Eventually, alternative supply sources were sought and developed in Europe and the Far East and plans were made to exit the Dumfries plant and relocate the company HQ to Edinburgh. This move was finally made in September 2008.

Today, Hunter remains the preferred welly brand for those who like to work hard and play hard - there's a great range of boots to suit welly wearers all over the world - from the Royal Family to festival-goers, working farmers and landed gentry alike. 

HUNTER TIMELINE

1800s

1817

The Duke of Wellington requested a new style of boot from his shoemaker to be worn in battle and for evening wear beneath the new fashion long trousers. A leather boot was designed and became known as The Wellington Boot. He started a fashion...

1855

Mr Henry Lee Norris arrives in Scotland from America in search of a home for his new rubber footwear factory.

1856

The North British Rubber Company was registered a limited company in September. It acquired premises in Edinburgh's Castle Silk Mills buildings and had four people working for it. The company not only made rubber boots - production included tyres, conveyors, combs, golf balls, hot water bottles and rubber flooring.

1858

The company branched out into manufacturing rubber hose and belting alongside footwear.

1870

Traction engines were introduced to the capital by R W Thomson.

1875              

The North British Rubber Company manufactured solid rubber tyres for the traction engines. With the first set fitted and tested on roads between the factory and Balerno. The Company has now grown to 600 members of staff.

1900s

1914             

Rubber boot production was boosted by World War I when the War Office commissioned The North British Rubber Company to construct a sturdy boot suitable for the flooded trenches. During the war 1,185,036 pairs of trench boots were made, with mills running 24 hours a day to keep up with the Army's demand. The fashionable boot was now a functional necessity.

1939             

At the outbreak of World War II in September, 80% of the North British Rubber Company's production was for war materials - from ground sheets to life belts and gas masks. In Holland, forces were working in flooded conditions which demanded Wellingtons and tight boots in vast supplies.

By the end of the war the Wellington had become popular among men and women for wet weather, the boot had become roomier with a thick sole. Also, due to rationing in the war labourers began to wear the rubber boot for everyday work.

1946             

The North British Rubber Company moved to a larger factory in Dumfriesshire to deal with the rise in demand. This factory, known as Heathall, had been built in 1912 to manufacturer car and aeronautical engines.

1955       

The winter saw the introduction of two new boots, and the first orthopaedic boots to be produced by the company - the Green Hunter (now known as the Original Hunter) and the Royal Hunter. Reaction from trade was slow with an order of 36 pairs considered an achievement.

1966              

North British Rubber was bought by Uniroyal Limited.

1977

Hunter is awarded a Royal Warrant from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.

1980's         

A pair of Hunters has become an essential item for those guided in upmarket country fashion. By the end of the 1980's they were synonymous with the much caricatured figures of The Sloane Ranger Handbook.

1981

A pair of Hunter Originals is worn by Lady Diana Spencer in her engagement photographs, sparking a fashion spurge.

1986

Hunter is awarded a Royal Warrant from HM The Queen.

Uniroyal Limited is bought by Gates Rubber Company Limited of Denver, Colorado. From 1987 the company is known under its new name.

1990s          

Hunter enters the dry diving suit market, becoming at its peak the number two producers in the market with a 35% market share.

1996

The Gates Rubber Company is taken over by Tomkins PLC of London.

1999

Tomkins PLC sell the Consumer and Industrial Division of The Gates Rubber Company to Interfloor, the country's largest carpet underlay manufacturer.

2000s

2004             

The management of Hunter buy the footwear part of the company from Interfloor for £1.98m establishing the company independently as Hunter, for the first time ever.

Hunter celebrates 50 years of the Original Hunter Green Welly with an exciting charitable initiative - Giving Welly.

2005

Hunter launches into the USA. 

Hunter launched several extensions to the Wellington range. Along with developing boots under licence for the Royal Horticultural Society. The new Lady N boot is also launched.

2006

Hunter Rubber Company is placed into administration due to cash flow problems

A Private consortium (led by Lord Marland of Odstock and comprising Peter Mullen (ex CEO of Thomas Pink) and Julian Taylor all of whom were previous shareholders in Hunter Rubber Company) supported by the Pentland Group PLC buy Hunter out of administration and Hunter Boot Ltd and the Dumfries Rubber Company are born.

After rapid re-structuring of the company, new supply routes and distribution partners found in the UK and USA and the Hunter portfolio was rationalised to core products exhibiting the key skills and tradition of this well established Scottish company.

Hunter re-establishes itself as a major player in the traditional country and leisure footwear market in the UK and positions itself as a strong contender in the USA opening showrooms on 7th Avenue in New York and Carnaby Street in London.

A new management team is put in place retaining much of the existing skill and experience base from Hunter Rubber.

2007

A new international sales director is recruited to develop new Hunter ranges and to increase existing sales in new markets.

The relationship with the Royal Horticultural Society is strengthened further with a launch of new RHS wellies at the Chelsea Flower Show in London.

The ‘Century' Division is set up to handle the safety range globally and to develop new products in this sector.

During the summer a new website is developed improving Hunters web-presence and further strengthening the brand's global perception.

Hunter Boot Ltd enjoys a record season announcing, in August, an 85% sales increase, against the same period in 2006.

2008

Hunter's official website is launched.

The summer will see the launch of the Hunter Festival range and the new Balmoral range. Along with a new charity partnership with WaterAid, launching at the Glastonbury Festival.

Hunter Boot Ltd make a historic move from their base in Dumfries to new offices in Scotland's capital, Edinburgh.

Hunter Pictures