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Heywood Boot & Shoe Company – Worcester, MA

Heywood Boot & Shoe Company - Worcester, MA

Heywood Boot & Shoe Company - Worcester, MA

Heywood Boot & Shoe Company - Worcester, MA

Heywood Boot & Shoe Company - Worcester, MA
© Frank H. Jump

According to the Worcester Historical Museum, Heywood Shoe Co. closed in 1953.

Matrix Shoes by Heywood 1948 Ad.

Heywood Boot & Shoe Company - Worcester, MA

This May, 1948 House of Heywood [color ad] Worcester, Mass., Makers of Mens fine Shoes since 1864. Ad states: Outside your foot steps in style, inside our footprint in leather. Picture shows pair of Matrix Shoes and footprint in leather.¹

Heywood Boot & Shoe Company - Worcester, MA

Biography of Walter Chamberlain Porter, former employee.

Another shot of Heywood on Mike Nyman’s blog. 

14 Comments

  1. barbara says:

    I love your blog. It’s so great to see something with truly original content.

  2. fadingad says:

    Thank you Barbara. That is very kind of you to say.

    🙂 Frank

  3. Anne says:

    I am looking for employment records for the Heywood Shoe company. I think my great grandfather and grandfather may have worked there as boot bottomers in 1884 onward. Is there anyone I can contact for this info?
    Thank you!

  4. fadingad says:

    Anne- I would first try the Worcester Historical Museum or perhaps the Chamber of Commerce in Worcester would have some suggestions. I did some more research and added it to the blog. The company closed in 1953- bankruptcy and failure to pay State taxes were the most common reason. The State of Massachusetts should also have corporate employment records in the capital. Best of luck and let me know how you progress.
    Frank

  5. Kristen says:

    Frank-

    I was just in Worcester on Friday shooting pics of old signs and caught several of the ones you’ve posted. I was amused to see that you’ve got same white step van outside of the long Heywood sign (your 4th pic down) that was thwarting me when I tried to get a clean shot of the same sign. I stumbled on your blog looking up Worcester facts and applaud your effort – great stuff here!

  6. fadingad says:

    Hey thanks Kristen. Would love to see what you shot. Provide a link!

    Frank

  7. joanne walker says:

    i have a shoe buttoner from the heywood shoe store, 415 main street, worcester ma. is it worth anything?

  8. My name is Gjorgji Ugrov From Macedonia. l’m shoes ingeneer with 15 years work ehperience in the shoes industry.l was work for meny Holland and Italian company in Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Egypt….My work position is control of shoe qvality in the lasting departmend. In the moment l need a job so pleace if you need me to contact me and l will send to you my C.V.The country and continent is no important for me.King regards.

  9. Cindy S. says:

    I have a pair of Matrix black leather oxfords with cap toe by Heywood that are in quite nice condition for their age, and I was looking for information on the value or desirability of these shoes, but I couldn’t find any Heywood shoes for sale anywhere, either on Ebay or the internet. Are these few and far between?

  10. Glenn Heywood says:

    I have searched my family history and cannot find any relation to the Heywoods that founded this shoe factory. I would welcome any other information though.

  11. Pamela Bennett says:

    Hi. I just came upon these pictures of Heywood Boot and shoe while doing family tree research. Albert Heywood was my great grandfather and I am interested in the information that the factory building still stands.

    1. fadingad says:

      Dear Pamela- It was a few years ago that we took these pictures but I am pretty sure the building is still there. There has been renovation going on in Worcester but on the other end of town. These buildings are as you enter Worcester from the East coming from Boston direction. You can check it out using Google Maps. How exciting that you are doing your family research and you happened to find this posting. Thanks for stopping by. Best, Frank

  12. I am starting a new business in Worcester. I’m really interested in getting any images of Worcester that you have. Please let me know what you have available and what your licensing process is.

    Thanks!!
    Brenna Venkatesh

  13. Julie Dowen says:

    Walter Porter was not an employee of Heywood Boot & Shoe – his first wife, Louise Philips (d.1905), father, was Oscar E. Philips of the Heywood Boot & Shoe Co. Walter Porter’s father owned S Porter Last Company at 25 Union St – for which Walter Porter was the President of when he passed away on the Titanic in 1912. I should know as I researched and wrote the biography that you are linking to! Thanks Julie Dowen