In 1880, a unique footwear brand was created in the quaint village of Earls Barton in Northamptonshire, within the modest cottage of Arthur Barker, a man who wasn't only a skilled craftsman, but someone who had numerous innovation ideas for the footwear industry. Most noticeably was his design of the peg-sole boots, something that once invented became hard sought by many.

The peg-sole boot was an ingenious waterproof creation that involved the peg of the sole of the shoe absorbing and swelling with water, leaving the rest of the sole of the shoe completely waterproof. The high demand for his peg-sole boots, meant that Barker had to begin employing other members of his village to help in his craftsmanship. And, under his watchful eye, his high-quality boots were produced to meet growing demands. As time entered the 1900's, Barker finally secured himself a factory, and this purchase proved to be far more worthwhile than he might have initially thought.

During World War I, Barker was contracted to manufacture army boots for the British Army, allowing his expansion to lead even further. Thus, after the first world war, it was clear that the Barker footwear brand was going from strength to strength, which is when Arthur Barker turned to his sons for the continuance of his company. Seeing the potential, all three of Arthur's sons joined the family business, which subsequently lead to the exploration of further fashion markets and niches. Within the third generation of Barkers, Albert Barker appeared to have obtained Arthur Barkers flair for design and innovation and it was his own additions to the original brand philosophies that allowed it to become what it is today.

Albert recognised that the traditional shoe that they were now internationally renown for, didn't necessarily mean their footwear had to be an old-fashioned shoe. Determined to continue to excel in the footwear market, Albert incorporated original craftsmanship with innovative new styles. Furthermore, his evident determination to promote the brand evermore can be seen with his use of the footwear's profits being re-channelled into advertising for three years in a row. During this time Albert Barker became an internationally known and respected footwear designer.

Hence, continuing the diversification, the year of 1947 saw the Barker brand penetrate the world of women's shoes, with a new factory constructed in Earls Barton for such purposes. Just three years later, in 1950, and the success of the company was soaring, which required them to establish a sales company that was separate to the factory in order to increase their sales into independent retailers.

The Barker footwear brand has continued to remain true to its roots, including with location. In 1986 a new factory was built in Earls Barton, occupying 4.5 acres of land not far from where the original 1880 site was. It is with the same dedication that Barker shoes are created today, maintaining the skilled craftsmanship and exquisite designs that have been in production over one hundred years. Hand produced, Barker continue to manufacture around 20,000 pairs of Barker shoes a year, continuing to employ the local skilled craftsmen as Arthur Barker himself did.