Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a shoe.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Flyers c. Shoes.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
c.1750–1882		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1825		Pierce Egan’s Life in London 4 Sept. 253/2: Gybletts [...] made a gyblet pie of red robin, and served him up in prime style [...] He spoilt his walkers; he damaged his flyers; he cut up his upper crust; he trimmed his gizzard; and, by way of a finish, he touched his heart.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.
1862		E. de la Bédollière Londres et les Anglais 314/2: flyers, souliers.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

2. a shoe that has been soled without having been welted.

1861

H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor II 34/1: There is another article called a ‘flyer.’ that is, a shoe soled without having been welted.