Tikumu’s letter

Press, 28 August 1979, Page 14

Tikumu’s letter

“Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe. Get it done by half-past two; Half-past tico is much too late, Get it done by half-past eight. ”

Dear Readers, The cobblers of today could not fulfil such an order because there are so few of them to repair so many shoes. “The Press” tells us that cobbling may be a dying trade because school-lea-vers are not interested in talcing apprenticeships in shoe-repairing. The above rhyme which we know as a folk dance, dates back nearly 400 years to the days of the Stuart Kings, when shoemaking was a highly skilled craft, and footwear was made to r easure in the workshop of the craftsman. In these days footwear is no longer made by hand, but shoerepairing is still a skilled trade, and an essential one. Cobblers are legendary figures in history. During the third century two brothers, Crispin and Crispian, princes of a noble Roman family, left Italy to settle in France. They worked among the people as shoemakers, at the same time preaching the gospel of Christianity, which was banned by the Emperor of France. In due course the brothers were caught, and pvt to death. Much later, during the ninth century, Crispin became the patron saint of shoemakers. In England St Crispin is honoured by a special service held each year at St Crispins-with-Christchurch, Bermondsey, which is in the leatherproducing area of London. On uiat day th church is decorated with leather, and leather-making tools are blessed at the altar. A pair of ancient shoes is hoisted to the top of the church steeple. Customs and superstitutions associated with shoes still linger. Some people think it is unlucky to put shoes on a table. The sound of creaking shoes will sometimes give rise to a joking remark that the shoes have not been paid for. At AngloSaxon weddings it used to be a custom for the father of the bride to give one of his daughter’s shoes to the

bridegroom as a symbol of the transfer of ownership. Evidence of a past belief in old shoes as symbols of good luck still remains. Occasionally one may see a pair of shoes tied to the car of a newlymarried couple. In days gone by it was the custom for well-wishers to throw old shoes after ships leaving port; and after the bride and bridegroom as they left the wedding reception to start their new life together. Cobblers have their place in the fairy tales of the past. A Sicilian folk story tells about a poor shoemaker who had to leave his home in the country to earn money in the city to buy food for his wife and family. When he was returning to his home well-pleased with the money he had earned, he was set upon by robbers. The cobbler tricked them and escaned with the money he needed so badly. Angry at having been tricked, the robbers tracked him down to have their revenge, but the cobbler outwitted them several times, and finally freed himself and his neighbours of these unwanted villains by luring them to their deaths in a ridiculous pursuit of gold that was supposed to lie at the bottom of the sea. The robbers tied rocks around their necks to take them down to the gold — and there were no oxygen masks in those days. The fairy story, “The Shoe Maker and the Elves,” is a well-known favourite, and there was a singing cobbler in “Chu Chin Chow,” the famous musical story composed by Oscar Ashe. The customs, superstitions and stories surrounding shoes and the hardworking cobblers, show us how important they have been to people through the ages. We still need shoes, and we must still need the cobblers because the few who are in the trade are working so hard, but who will take their place in the years to come?

Starting today is a new feature for children. The cartoonist. Kim Gabara, will regularly provide colouring-in drawings. Occasionally “The Press” will hold competitions for various age groups, with special prizes for the outstanding contributions. This week,

however, the drawing is provided just for fun. Monty Maggot invites you all to put some bright colours into his life. Perhaps when you have finished colouring In this drawing you can ask your parents to mark it out of ten.