We love a good gumboot fact here at Merry People — so much so that we once sent our newsletter subscribers a round of gumboot trivia (and gave away a pair of Merry People Bobbi rain boots to one lucky fan!). If you’d like to be in the loop for future giveaways and fun updates, sign up to our newsletter here.
We had so much fun putting it together that it inspired us to share some FUN FACTS ABOUT GUMBOOTS with everyone!
So grab a tea, make yourself comfy, and get ready to learn some random trivia about rain boots — or gumboots as we call them in Australia!
1. Gumboots were invented in the early 1800’s by Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington.
Prior to the gumboot, the Duke (well known in history for his victory at the Battle of Waterloo) wore soft calfskin boots called Hessians to battle. These were about calf high with tassels and a short heel. In the early-1800s, the Duke asked his shoemaker in St. James, London to modify the Hessian boot to increase its versatility. The cobbler removed the tassel, raised the boot to knee high for better protection, and waxed the leather for increased weatherproofing. These modifications made the Hessian boot suitable for battle and informal evening wear. So even at its earliest form, the gumboot was a quintessential everyday boot!
People loved this versatility and the new boot — Wellingtons — caught on quickly, becoming a popular shoe of the aristocracy.
2. Gumboots were originally made of leather. Rubber wasn’t introduced until 1852.
In 1852, Charles Goodyear (of Goodyear tyres) invented the sulfur vulcanization process for natural rubber to make it mouldable. He then licensed this process to Hiram Hutchinson, an American-born industrialist. Hutchinson took this process back to France where he set up a mill to produce rubber Wellington boots. The farmers in the surrounding area had been working in wooden clogs, so (as you can imagine!), waterproof rubber boots were a hit and wellies soon became a go-to staple shoe!
Read More: The Difference Between Natural Rubber and PVC Rain Boots
3. Gumboots, gummies, rain boots, wellies, muck boots, Bluchers… gumboots have many names!
Originally only called Wellingtons, the nickname “gumboots” comes from the natural rubber — or “gum rubber” — that rain boots are made from.
4. Gumboots were only available in one colour, Black, until 1956.
Now, rain boots like our best-selling Bobbi boot, come in an array of colours like our sunny Mustard Yellow and vibrant Dusty Lilac. What’s your favourite colour?
5. Gumboot Day is a real holiday!
Not just one we made up because we love gumboots! Gumboot Day is held every year on the Tuesday after Easter in Taihape, New Zealand.
6. And Gumboot Throwing is a real sport!
Also known as welly hoying and boot throwing, gumboot throwing is a sport in which competitors are required to throw a Wellington boot as far as possible. Originally from the UK, it is also popular in Taihape and you can compete during Gumboot Day!
7. The current world record for gumboot throwing is 209.9ft (63.98 metres).
Do you think you can break that record?
8. The World’s Largest Gumboot is 26 feet tall.
The Golden Gumboot can be found in Tully, Far North Queensland. It was built to commemorate the record 311 inches of rainfall the town received in 1950.
9. Gumboot dancing is an expressive form of South African dance where dancers perform in wellies embellished with bells.
Also known as Isicathulo, gumboot dancing started in the gold mines of South Africa. Mine owners often forbade conversation among workers, so they in turn developed gumboot dancing as a means of coded conversation. By placing bells on their boots, they could sound out conversation to a person a short distance away.
10. Gumboots are so versatile that there is a special song about the many ways to wear them!
Gumboots Versus Rainboots
At Merry People, our mission is to transform the humble gumboot from a practical necessity to your go-to, everyday boot. While beautiful design and high-quality engineering can make a product essential, knowing that the gumboot has such a FUN and rich history makes it even more merry to us!
Thinking about buying a pair of Aussie-style gumboots, but unsure how they compare to the rainboots you’re used to? We’ll let you in on a secret (which you might have realized from trivia fact three!): they’re exactly the same thing.
However, there might be a subtle contrast because waterproof boots can be made from all sorts of materials, as we touched on in our very quick-fire summary of gumboots fashion history and the evolution of gumboots.
Rainboots can be made from synthetic rubber or PVC, whereas an authentic gumboot is made from rubber. This is because rubber is also called ‘gum rubber,’ and the trees it’s extracted from are gum trees, hence the word ‘gumboots.’
Gum rubber is a superhero natural, all-vegan product that is waterproof, flexible, and earth-kind. This is why Australians call their rainboots ‘gumboots’ or ‘gummies,’ whereas in the US, they’re known as ‘rainboots,’ and, of course, our UK friends call them ‘wellies’ as a nod to the Duke of Wellington himself!
Whichever word you prefer, we promise that our gumboots won’t mind one bit.
Put Your New Rainboot Knowledge Into Action
We hope you’ve loved learning about the surprisingly cool history of the rainboot as much as we’ve enjoyed sharing all these weird and wonderful insights!
Interested in trying out gumboots for yourself?
