In Praise of Wellies

The wellington boot is 150 years old this year. Styled after a leather boot originally made for the 1st Duke of Wellington, the wellington was first made in rubber in 1856 by Henry Lee Norris at The North British Rubber Company. Wellington boots are made from rubber and are waterproof and usually come to the knee. They are very useful to Farm-workers, nature lovers, gardeners and anyone who needs to keep their feet dry, warm and mud free when walking on wet ground. They once were only available in black but since the ubiquitous green wellingtons first made their appearance, they come in all colours of the rainbow, sometimes decorated with all sort of designs.

Affectionately known as wellies, these useful boots are not just sensible, they can be fun too. Generations of children have been afforded the utter joy of being able to jump in puddles by the humble wellie. In some parts of the UK light hearted wellie wangling or throwing competitions are held. The scottish comedian Billy Connolly adopted The Welly Boot Song as his theme tune and it still remains the most popular of his songs.

Wellington boots are a necessary, if humble, part of British life, given the climate, so three cheers for wellies.