History

In 1857, in the time of Florence Nightingale's transformation of healthcare, James Taylor walked to London from his home in Norfolk to start a business in the fashionable Great Portland Street.

James Taylor established a good reputation by the late 19th century for skill in making shoes which where both beautiful and comfortable.

Customers included much of the Royalty of the countries of Europe as well as the Principals of the then newly established department stores in Oxford Street.

The firm was later run by his son, and then two grandsons until 1950 when the company merged with the Orthopaedic Footwear Company Limited under the directorship of Hannes Leo Schweiger.

In 1954 the company moved to its current location in Paddington Street, conveniently located near the Baker Street tube station.

The present Managing Director, Peter Schweiger, is the son of Hannes Leo Schweiger and is the 5th generation of his family producing hand-made shoes.

The craftsmanship and tradition which made the James Taylor name famous continues today - in some families four generations have had their shoes made by James Taylor & Son.