Hunter - The Original

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100% waterproof, extremely durable and with a grippy calendered outsole, The Hunter Original is suitable for all terrains and weather conditions. It also has a cushioned footbed for added comfort, making this a truly wonderful working welly.

A practical and traditional rubber Wellington boot. Ideal for wet days and muddy fields, this waterproof knee-length wellington from Hunter will ensure your feet and calves stay dry whatever the conditions.

Made from a blended natural rubber, this working boot is extremely strong, supple and hard-wearing.

It has a cushioned footbed to ensure your comfort and has a thick, grippy sole that is excellent for all types of terrain to help to prevent slipping.

The Hunter Original Wellington is available in a variety of colours, featuring attractive nickel buckles and the iconic Hunter logo. A quintessentially British wellington boot!

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Hunter Wellington boots the rise of the welly

Hunter Wellington boots are part of many people's way of life in the UK and all over the world. These distinctive wellies are worn by people from a whole range of backgrounds, from farmers and fishermen to fashion icons such as Madonna and Angelina Jolie.

Just starting out

The story of how Hunter Wellington boots came about starts in 1856 with a Mr Henry Lee Norris, an American entrepreneur. He had watched the popularity of the welly grow following its invention by Arthur Wellesley and his bootmaker almost 50 years previously and decided he would set up business in Scotland producing rubber boots. He called his business the North British Rubber Company.

In 1856 Henry Lee Norris bought the premises at Castle Silk Mills in Edinburgh that was to house his business for the next 90 years. He had machinery across from America shipped to him accompanied by four skilled rubber workers. These workers were to go on to both make the Wellington boots and pass on their skills to other employees.

The rubber boots were being made through a new process of vulcanising rubber, which was quite revolutionary. As well as wellies, the company also made tyres, golf balls, combs, hot water bottles, and rubber flooring amongst other things.

Helping with the war

This is much the way the company stayed until the onset of the First World War, when they were drafted in to help with the war effort. They were asked to produce thousands upon thousands of welly boots to protect the feet of soldiers in the trenches from mud and water. In the end almost 1.2 million pairs of Wellingtons were manufactured for this purpose.

In 1939 they started to make rubber products for the Second World War, including ground sheets, life belts, bomb covers, gas masks, and wellies. These goods accounted for 80% of the North British Rubber Company's production during this period.

The rise of the welly

Through its use in the World Wars, the humble rubber boot was growing in popularity with the public and demand was increasing. In 1946, an ex-car manufacturing plant in Heathall, near Dumfries was bought by the company to cope with the extra work.

This was to be the site at which the legendary Green Hunter and Royal Hunter Wellington boots were born in 1954. Although orders were slow to start with, the rubber boots were marketed at country shows and slowly became favoured by game keepers and well-to-do folk alike. By the mid 1960s they were taking hold of upper class Britain.

It was not until 1980 that the Hunter Wellington boot really took off and this was due to a picture of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in which she was wearing her Hunter wellies. Sales rocketed and although the number of wellies being produced had increased, the fine quality that set them apart from the crowd remained ingrained in the boots.

Since then, the popularity of Hunter Wellington boots has grown until such a stage that they have become seen as a mainstay of rural British life. An example of this could be seen in 2004 when the Countryside Alliance was dubbed "the green welly brigade" when protesting in London over the issue of fox hunting.

If you wish to find out more about Hunter wellies, you can also read about:

the business of making Hunter boots

the Giving Welly campaign

Hunter Wellington boots - the ultimate in rubber footwear

At Dogwood, we are proud to offer an exclusive range of Hunter Wellington boots. Hand-crafted to a unique design that makes them incredibly strong yet comfortable, these wonderful waterproof rubber boots are ideal whether you are walking, mucking out your horse or going shooting. Our selection of Hunter wellies includes the Classic, the Original, the Sovereign, the Abernathy, and the Original for children, as well as many more.

As well as Hunter Wellington boots, we also have a beautiful collection of outdoor clothing which includes premium jumpers, waxed jackets, shirts, trousers, and body warmers.