2790: Plimsoll Aug 10, 2024

The term ‘plimsoll’, referring to a type of lightweight, rubber-soled shoe popular in the UK, has its origins in maritime history. It is named after the Plimsoll line, a safety mark on ships introduced by British politician Samuel Plimsoll in the 1870s to prevent overloading, when a common practice was to deliberately overload ships to get more cargo, backed by often inflated insurance claims in the event they sank. This line marked the maximum safe loading level, ensuring that ships remained stable and buoyant. The design of early plimsoll shoes featured a horizontal band between the canvas upper and the rubber sole, resembling the Plimsoll line. This similarity in appearance and function, as both aimed to keep water out, led to the shoes being colloquially known as ‘plimsolls’.

Plimsolls gained popularity in the early 20th century, particularly in British schools and sports, due to their simplicity, comfort, and especially affordability, cementing the name as now predominantly related to footwear.