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Lambert Whilby took to the trade of shoemaking back in 1962, after he was forced to stay home because he had no shoes to tread eight miles to and from school.

"I remember one man work on a pair of shoes for me three months when I was going to school and I had to stop, because I needed the shoes and my parents never have money to buy anymore, just to show you how hard life was. My mother and father did have a lot of children, so them couldn't buy no more," he said.

Whilby realised that being a shoemaker could spare him such trauma while saving him money, so he took up the trade.

"When I want a shoes at the time, me couldn't buy one; but at least when I know the trade, I can patch up what I have until I can make one, and make for my family as well," he told THE STAR.

Learn the trade

The 72-year-old has since been creating and repairing shoes for a livelihood.

"I learn the trade from a man name Mr Walters. Him did have a shoe shop and me just go there and learn, with him working; learn a few things off my own knowledge; and ask God to give me the wisdom," Whilby said. "Believe me, from I learn the trade, my daughters never out of a pair of slippers yet, and I have to love shoemaking, because I use it to school all my children until them big and gone on their own now."

Whilby currently operates from his home in Clydesdale, St Ann.

"A mostly people in the community buy the slippers, so they just come here to the shop," he said. "They will tell a friend about it too, and once a while somebody will call me and ask me to drop off one for them."

However, business has declined over the years, as various stores and shops sell slippers cheaper.

"I sell a slippers for $800, but they will run and buy the $300 one, which is not as good," he said. "Even now, it worse for me since the virus (COVID-19). From Government talk about the first case, is the same Saturday me close the shop. So from that time me nuh do no selling," he said

Whilby is no longer able to source the materials needed to make his products.

"Kingston me go and buy, so I get different rubbers for the bottom and a variety of pattern cloth for the straps. But now me lock in. I can't go on the road. A weeks now I don't sell nothing, so there is really no business for shoemakers right now," he said.