Norman Walsh
Norman Walsh was born in Daubhill, Bolton, in 1931; his father, William, was a cobbler. He left school at 14 to start an apprenticeship at J.W. Foster & Sons, and in 1948 Joe and Jeff Foster chose him to make their Fosters De Luxe track spikes. In 1958 he designed the boots Nat Lofthouse wore in the FA Cup Final. In 1961 he left the Fosters to launch his own Walsh brand, making specialist sports shoes by hand to order. In 1970 he and fell runner Pete Bland created the PB, which Walsh calls the first fell-running shoe. Walsh also says Don Ritchie ran 100 km at Crystal Palace in October 1978 wearing its Tornados.
The shoes
Shown here are trainers from Walsh's Bolton line, including the Tornado, the Whirlwind and the PB Elite fell-running shoe. Each listing is one colourway whose own product page gives England as its origin.
£150–£249
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Under £150
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£150–£249
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£150–£249
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£150–£249
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Only the colourways listed here are checked as Made in Britain. Walsh also makes shoes in China, including other colourways of some styles.
Where they're made
Bolton, Greater Manchester
Made in Britain at Walsh's factory in Bolton, Greater Manchester. Walsh also runs a production line in China, and origin can differ between colourways of the same style, so only the colourways listed here are covered.
Made in Britain — how we know
Each colourway listed here is in Walsh's own Made in UK collection, and its product page gives England as the origin, with a Handmade in UK section. A Walsh news post ties its UK production to Bolton. We checked these pages in October 2026.
- Maker’s range page
Checked 7 October 2026Made in UK — Norman Walsh ↗ - Maker’s product page
Checked 6 October 2026Tornado - Red Blue White — Norman Walsh ↗ - Maker’s about page
Checked 6 October 2026Norman Walsh Footwear to Be Showcased in Bolton Museum's Landmark Exhibition — Norman Walsh news (30 Jun 2025) ↗ - Maker’s product page
Checked 6 October 2026PB Elite — Norman Walsh ↗ - Maker’s product page
Checked 6 October 2026Horwich - Red Yellow — Norman Walsh ↗ - Maker’s product page
Checked 6 October 2026Whirlwind - Black Tan — Norman Walsh ↗ - Maker’s product page
Checked 6 October 2026European - Emerald Black — Norman Walsh ↗
Something to add?
Spotted something missing, out of date or wrong? Let us know.