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I assumed the symmetrical shape was meant to represent a shoe. Tangentially, if you’ve ever read the biography of Otto Kretschmer, the WW II U-boat ace, you’ll believe it should be the other way up

I'm a bit slower than the rest of you today. Hints on 17d please "Something to chew over, $100 in previous taxes" (9) with an extra letter in the wordplay. I have SU-C--S--.

remember that one down clue is wordplay only. Cows chew the "something"; $100 is the usual abbreviation, in an archaic word for taxes.

Thanks Buddy, that's cleared up the bottom half. A hint for
12a, "Tenants start to seek backing in the absence of opposition" (6) should help me finish the top, although I'm lacking a lot of extra letters from the acrosses.

absence of opposition is nemco(n) ...reverse it add the s(seek starter)

Thanks Xwordfan, I'd just got there by guesswork but that explains it nicely.
I've found all the theme words but frustratingly have one blank cell left. For 3d I have CAM-E, and nothing seems to fit. Have I got something wrong?

Sloth, your C is wrong.

Almost a complete grid but 1a has me head-scratching. (I'd assumed the last 3 letters are unclued but...).

Having a real slog finding the extra letters, only have the 4th name, so help with eg 39a and 11a would be appreciated. (I have the answers).

Thanks.

1a slang for Birmingham going east ..B is extra .....last 3 letters are unclued (see preamble...)
sound of water is the defn

Thanks Xwordfan. Brum crossed my mind but I kept telling myself, 'that's West Midlands!'.