David Shuttleworth passes away
David Shuttleworth, former head of the International School of Footwear at Leicester College, UK, died on June 8 just three days short of his 93rd birthday.
Between 1939 and 1945, he was an RAF Instructor, at what was then known as the Leicester Colleges of Art and Technology. He taught shoe repairing skills to service personnel. In 1947, Mr Shuttleworth joined the fulltime staff of the School of Footwear. He was a lecturer until 1971, when he was appointed head of the School of Footwear, at what was then known as South Fields College, until his retirement in 1981. He was a fellow of the Clothing and Footwear Institute (now absorbed into the Textile Institute) and was awarded the Lemkin Medal for services to footwear education.
According to one of Mr Shuttleworth’s former students Roger Beeby, who later became head of the International School of Footwear at Leicester College, it was his initiative that helped to create the international reputation of the School of Footwear at Leicester College, a tradition that continues to this day.
Mr Beeby says he will be remembered with affection by ex-students all over the world for his good humour and comprehensive lecture notes on all aspects of shoemaking, and for his great skill as a teacher of hand-sewn shoemaking.
