Shoe, co-respondent shoe

These fashionable two-tone men's Oxford 'co-respondent ' shoes were made with grey suede and leather uppers between 1925 and 1935. They were stocked in a shop called Rose Shoes at 52 Middlesex Street in London's East End. David Rose was the owner of Rose shoes, and he ran his business from the same location from around 1917 until 1976.

Rose had been born into a Jewish family in Stepney. He lived in the roomsover the shop with his wife Esther and her family. One of Esther’s sisters worked for him, the rest of the family worked in cap making. It was common for Jewish migrants and their descendents to work in the accessories trades, including the fur or leather trades, or the manufacture, sale or repair of shoes, boots, slippers, caps, corsets, umbrellas and other accessories. These trades were largely portable, meaning that migrants could bring skills and tools with them to London and quickly find work. Though there was great demand for labour, the work could be unpredictable and was often undervalued. This made employees vulnerable, and despite their skill and commitment they may have faced periods of financial hardship. East End accessories businesses often required the input of all family members in order to survive.

The Rose Shoes shop was in a prime location on Petticoat Lane (Middlesex Street) in an area famous for the sale of clothes and shoes. Rose sold well-known British brands, French and American imports, and his own lines produced in local factories. Mr Rose’s children did not join the family business, and the shop closed after his death.

A young fashion graduate and previous customer named Alan Flux bought all the remaining stock from one of Rose's sons in the late 1970s. Mr Rose had kept much old stock over his five decades in business. These 1920-1930s men’s shoes were found by Flux once the shop had closed. While elegant, they would have been considered flashy in their time. Flux believed that Rose catered to a colourful mix of East End customers who he described as: ‘street boys […] spivvy people […] people who wanted a very flashy look to their feet.’ Though the shop did not cater primarily to high status customers, the shoes were often of very good quality and fashionable styles.