Back in 1934, two brothers promised to make the ‘hard yards’ a little easier for hard-working New Zealanders. Having learnt their trade in Auckland, the Daisleys opened their own boot making factory on Khyber Pass Road in Auckland. With farming and industry booming, people needed footwear that could handle the rugged country and harsh conditions.
And that’s just what the Daisleys delivered, boots that were made for New Zealand’s kind of grit and that were built to last. It wasn’t long before the high quality of their footwear was becoming well known across the country, says Hayley Isherwood, New Zealand sales manager for John Bull.
“So much so that the brothers were tasked with supplying boots to our armed forces in World War II.”
When peace came, the Government opened tracts of land for retired servicemen and thousands packed their bags and went to work the land in their John Bulls.
“It was a busy time, with rural communities establishing all over the country. And as the people toiled away, the Daisley family business grew. By the 1950s, the John Bull brand had been cemented as a true New Zealand icon.”
Isherwood says that the Government then began embarking on major civil projects, building power stations and boring tunnels through mountainsides. “Each project took boots on the ground, and John Bull supplied them.”
As worksites evolved, so did the footwear. The brothers added steel toe caps and moulded soles, making our products safer and more comfortable. They installed a PVC soling machine, as well as rubber vulcanising machines alongside the traditional stitched and screwed boot construction.
“One generation after the next, their boots were tried, tested and proven.” Just like the hard-working people who wear them. The business continued to flourish and was handed down through the generations. In the 1990s the mantle was passed onto a new family, but the company’s commitment never changed.
“Today, we’re proud to be New Zealand’s most loved safety boot. The footwear we produce is tougher than ever, but with new technologies that make them easier to wear. We’re always researching new ways to improve comfort, protection and performance. To give you a boot that looks great, fits great and offers great value,” says Isherwood.
“Because the promise made 90 years ago still stands, we’re here to keep New Zealanders stepping up and taking the bull by the horns. John Bull – 90 years tough.”