William West, the shoemaker of Ivinghoe, was the third generation of his family to be in the shoe business. His family had previously worked in Tring and Berkhamsted. He set up first with his brother in Cheddington and moved to Pitstone in 1933. His papers from the first setting up of his shop were left in his desk, and were found when it was acquired by the museum, so we know quite a lot about his life. He had customers from as far away as Luton and often he sold them insurance as well as mending their shoes. He had many interests in life outside his work including wood working and amateur radio equipment. William fought in the First World War and became a special constable in Ivinghoe in the Second War.
All the contents of this room were from Willie West's shop. The contents are as they were when the shop was closed. They were left in his will to the Vicar and Churchwardens of Ivinghoe and are now displayed in the museum.