12/09/2025
Boot Jacks were invented as a joke! The story goes that Jack, an elderly but mischievous servant boot boy, invented the boot jack 200 years ago as a present for his master. His entire working life had been removing messy boots by hand from his master and his master’s friends, as well as keeping the boots and room clean and tidy. His master was concerned as to how he would manage removing his boots when Jack retired.
Jack presented a ‘Y’ section cut from oak branches to his master upon his retirement, which delighted him, helping him to remove his boots without sitting down or getting his hands dirty. The story of Jack’s invention soon spread. For Jack, the invention was a practical joke on his leaving service, and the thought of his master and his friends removing their boots kept Jack chuckling until the day he died, knowing that every time they used the invention, they would get dirty socks. His invention became known as a Boot Jack, and over the years the Y section of branch developed into a sturdier device. And yet, for 200 years, every boot jack user has suffered the same problem of wet, dirty socks, which has continued to keep Jack chuckling, albeit from his grave.
But now Jack can take a rest: Flip Jack overcomes the dirty sock problem. And now, there is a new ‘Lite’ Flip Jack option, ideal for keeping in the car. Take a look at Brodswood.co.uk
