DESCENDANTS of First World War flying ace Baron von Richthofen settled his shoe bill in Oxford decades after he left it unpaid, it has emerged.

World-famous shoemaker Ducker & Son in Turl Street is closing as managers Bob and Isobel Avery are retiring.

As a result the fixtures and fittings are being sold and historic ledgers showing customer records are to be sold at auction on Wednesday, February 8 by Mallams.

An entry in the ledger for 1914 shows a ‘not paid’ note on the Baron’s bill for a pair of shoes for 9s 10d.

It is thought he left Lincoln College in a hurry to return to his homeland to fight in the war.

But Mr Avery said the outstanding bill had actually been settled by the fighter pilot’s descendants in the late 1970s.

Mr Avery added: “Descendants of the family came in and the bill was mentioned in a joke and it was paid then.

“A few weeks ago some other family members came in and they recalled how the bill had been paid.

“It’s all part of the legend of Ducker & Son and that is going to continue.”

The 11 volumes revealing customer records cover the years 1910 to 1958 and are expected to be sold for between £4,000 and £6,000.

The ledgers also show how JRR Tolkien bought a pair of football boots in 1913 when he was a student at Exeter College, before he fought in the war.

Mr and Mrs Avery have been saying goodbye to their customers and expect to close for good at the end of February before Oxford Wine Company moves in.