Figure 1.--This photgraph was taken during a camping trip, with friends of mine and their kids, who lives in the south of England during 2002. Image courtesy of James Alcock. |
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No country is more associated with wellies than England. I'm not sure when they fitst appared in England, but believe that it was before World War I (1914-18). We know that they were being worn after the War. Virtually every British boy since that time has worn Wellington boots or "wellies" at they are affectionally calledf some time in his life. Most of us grew up with Christopher Robin and remember his wellies. The heavy and frquent rainfall in Britain, make wellies very practical footwear. They were not specifically made for children, but were worn by adults as well for outdoor activities. They are common at boarding schools where children may wear them outside during the often inclement weather. Masters at the schools find them even more useful in trapesing after mud-spattered children. The wellies of course can be taken off at the door and thus mud is not tracked into the home or school. One HBC reader remembers how he hated the wellies that his mother made him wear as a primary schoolboy in the 1960s. He disliked the bother of having to cary his shoes with him after he had to take off his wellies in the cloakroom. Most of the English wellies we have seen are black, but white and colored wellies were also worn. A reader reports that up until the 1980's, British wellington boots were predominantly all black. However, since then, green wellington boots have become far more popular in Britain. Today, most British people, both adults and children, have green wellington boots which have beige soles. Green wellingtons were apparently made popular by members of the Royal Family in the early 1980's. [Alcock] HBC notes in the 2000s that fashionable children's botiques were offering "lots of colorful wellies" for younger children.
Alcock, James. E-mail, August 28, 2002.
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