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COROMANDEL LIFE
SPRING/HOLIDAY 2016
Talolo Boots, a UK company,
markets these gumboots
with style, “Original Festival
CowboyWelly”.
DOORSTOP:
Fill a boot with pebbles.
BIRDHOUSE:
Hang an old boot upside down outdoors and
it won’t be long before silvereyes, swallows, or thrushes
build a nest in the toe.
UMBRELLASTAND:
Weight the bottom of an attractive
boot with pebbles or marbles and place near your home’s
front or back door.
MAKESAGREATPLANTER
when nailed on top of post.
Drill or cut couple drain holes. Inch or two of gravel in
bottom to help drainage.
IFYOUAREASINGLEWOMANLIVINGALONE,
it’s always a good idea to make it look like there is a
man in the house by leaving an old pair of gumboots
(the bigger the better!) outside your door!
Other uses for gumboots
“Kiwi inventions don’t
always involve #8 wire...”
Our humble gumboot actually had royal
beginnings – Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke
of Wellington, designed the ‘Wellington boot’
in the early 19th century. Modified from the
Hessian boots worn by the military of his time,
they became
incredibly popular and
a staple
of hunting and outdoor wear for the British
aristocracy.
The first rubber Wellington was made in 1853
by Hiram Hutchinson, an American industrialist
of British origin that founded a rubber
company in France after acquiring patent
rights to the vulcanisation of rubber from
American inventor Charles Goodyear.
In NZ, Wellingtons are most often referred
to as “gumboots”, wellies” or “Redbands”
(after the popular brand), and have long
been considered essential for everyone, but
especially the farmers. The term ‘gum boot’
may have originated from the 19th-century
kauri-gum diggers, who also wore them, or
because the boots were made from gum
rubber.
Often abbreviated to “gummies”, Kiwi
comedian John Clarke paid tribute to our
iconic footwear in his song “Gumboots”
through his comedy character Fred Dagg (see
next page).
Clarke hailed from t
he farming
town of Taihape in the North Island aka
“Gumboot Capital of the World” that hosts an
annual Gumboot Day.
Most gumboots are black, but those worn
by abattoir workers, butchers, fishermen and
hospital theatre staff are white.
Although the
gumboot has long been known for protecting
your feet from the muck on the farm, they’re
now becoming quite fashionable. Coming in
many styles and colours for
all ages, NZ wellies seem
to have ventured from
the countryside to the
bright city lights!
After having one of the wettest
Coromandel Winters on
record, we had to laughwhen
we saw ‘Gumboot Drainage’
making its way around
Facebook. It inspired us to find
out more about this popular
rubber footwear ...