The Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, invented wellington boots for the British cavalry. He noticed that the riders’ legs were not protected from gunfire. His shoemaker George Hoby designed a strong boot for riding, but smart enough to wear in the evening.

The style became popular after his victories in the Napoleonic Wars (1803-15) as men wanted to copy him. Rubber wellingtons were first made in the 1850s and used in huge numbers for the wet trenches of World War 1. They became a practical item, rather than a fashion statement for the rich.