Hargreaves Brothers and Co
of New George Street, Hull, makers of black lead, blue, furniture cream, floor polish, metal polish and tints.
of Gipsyville, Hull.
of Ocean Works, Kent Street, Hull
1867/8 Established as makers of blue and black lead[1] by Theophilus Lessey Hargreaves and Matthew Henry Hargreaves
1905 Started acquiring other companies. Took over John Johnson and Co., Ltd., Liverpool[2], later moving the business to Hull
1906 Incorporated as a Private Limited Company.
1908 Absorbed the business of Stephenson, Mager and Co., owing to death of Edmund Mager. Also acquired a small business manufacturing Laundry Blue, in Liverpool.
1907 Acquired ten acres acquired outside the city of Hull. Erected a "Model Factory" at Gipsyville.
By 1920 had acquired or taken controlling interest in more than 20 other companies in London, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Birkenhead, Edinburgh and Montreal.
1920 Capital issue of shares in a company of the same name to acquire the current business; associated companies (through substantial shareholdings) included:[3].
- Day and Martin
- W. G. Nixey
- Radium Polishes of Manchester
- Aladdin Polish Co
- Zog of London
- Zetterquist and Harvey of London
- Mitre Polish Co of Liverpool
- Midas Polishes of Liverpool
- King, Sons and Co of Bristol
and some companies in Canada
1922 Reckitt and Sons, blue starch makers, took over Hargreaves Brothers and Co due to the losses the company was making[4]. Mr Hargreaves undertook not to enter any similar trade for 20 years.