I saved a sole

Hobnail boot soles are very common on the foreshore and so were my first thought when I found this leather sole and saw that it had a nail in it.

As a child of the 70s, my only real reference point for hobnail boots is Constable Goon, Enid Blyton’s perpetually cross village plod, but once I paid attention to its size, I realised it was far too small for Goon or any other working man. It’s just 67mm at the widest point, and even allowing for shrinkage doesn’t seem to be the right shape to be a clompy work boot.

A boy’s or woman’s walking or school/work boot is my best guess at this point, based on the shape and how dainty it is.

Definitely something I’ll be coming back to once I know a bit more!