The Story of Clarks – the archive collection
Behind the scenes of Shoemakers Museum is a collection spanning 200-year history of Clarks shoemaking. From its 1825 origins in Street, Somerset to the social, cultural and industrial impact of the family, the community and the business around the world.
The business is interconnected to Street, the family and its quaker origins.
Behind the museum is an extensive stored collection detailing the business history of Clarks, subsidiary and acquired companies; private collections of the extended Clark family; and those of related Street based committees and associations. Spanning four hundred years of family, business and local history these collections provide a rich resource for the study of Street’s development from an agricultural village to what we see today.
The collections include the business archive, footwear, shoemaking machinery and tools, as well as unexpected objects, such as the fossil collection. The Clark family archive introduces key characters in the origin and success of the shoe brand, as well as the family’s Quaker values and its influence in the locality. Material owned and managed by the Trust includes a paper archive, over 31000 single shoes, an extensive advertising, packaging and point of sale collection and 500 shoemaking machines that document the company history since 1825.
Explore the archive collection
Footwear
A history of men’s, women’s and children’s shoes and footwear from the 1860s to the current day. The history of Clarks’ footwear, along with its evolving styles, materials, production techniques and influences can be explored in our collections which includes designs from Clarks and its subsidiaries.
View Footwear
Making Shoes
Tools, machines and shoemaking equipment charting the evolution of shoe production from hand shoemaking to factory production. The collections include innovative technologies developed over the past two centuries, and representations from the foremost British tool and machinery manufacturers.
View Making Shoes
Street
Collections including photographs, maps and plans, document the growth of the village from its roots in agricultural production to its rise as a centre for British footwear manufacturing, and now as the headquarters of a global brand and shopping village, and the communities that made it all possible.
View Street
The Clark Family
A comprehensive view of the Clark family history, their social connections and experiences as active Quakers, campaigners and philanthropists spanning 400 years. Personal letters, diaries, photographs, artwork, travel accounts, autobiographies, and family objects document a four-hundred-year history of the Clark family and kinship connections across Somerset, the UK and internationally.
View The Clark Family
Business History
The Shoemakers Museum’s archive documents the 200-year history of the Clarks shoe company, its subsidiaries, and business acquisitions in the UK and globally. It offers an invaluable insight into international footwear manufacturing, marketing and retail.
View Business History
Fossils
An internationally important collection of Jurassic fossils collected by Alfred Gillett, a member of the Clark family, and members of the 19th century Somerset Archaeological Society.
View Fossils
Behind the scenes tours
When the museum opens it will be possible to book behind the scenes tours of the archive as well as gallery tours and permanent exhibition.
Coming soon