81/2 inch bridge type raise
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Mr. Abbot's condition started at the age of five when
he contracted tuberculosis which affected his right hip he was then sent
to an isolation hospital in stanmore in 1920.
the treatment as such was very basic as not much was
known about T B at that time, his treatment as such was a long stay in
an open air ward as it was thought that fresh air would clear the lungs
and any airborne particles of the virus would be dispersed and help prevent
the disease spreading.
Eventually he was passed as clear from T B and allowed
to return home to his family home where he lived a very active life despite
having a fused hip joint.
As he grew older and taller his right leg grew slower
than his left, despite this he was a keen sportsman playing football and
cricket, His father and grand father were shoemakers from Northampton and
made all his shoes and football boots which had a 2 inch raise, while playing
football his weak right leg gave way and he fell heavily braking his femur,
this further stunted the growth of his leg but did not stop him doing all
of the things that young boys do he would climb trees and even broke his
leg in two places while pole vaulting due to his fused hip when he reached
the age of 15 he was taught to make his own boots by his father and spent
the rest of his life as a shoe repairer in Stanmore Middlesex until he
retired.
his leg is now 10 inches short and his boot has an
8 1/2 inch raise the remaining 1 1/2 inch shortening has not been added
to the boot to enable him to carry the boot through to walk.
this boot was made in 1970 by him and has had many
repairs over the years.
interestingly as he made all his own boots up until
retirement, he says, that although his adult life he has only ever had
6 pairs and today is wearing a pair of boots that he made.
He also says that his leg has never prevented him
from doing anything during his life because he has had a fused hip from
such an early age he does not know how it would feel to have a normal hip.
when I asked him if he was conscious about the look
of his boot he replied "why should I be you are what your are and as i
have had a built up boot for so long it is a part of me".
I think that is the best way that i have ever heard
a built up described, I hope you enjoy the pictures.
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