Henry Boot (1851-1931)
1851 Born a farmer’s son in the small village of Heeley just outside Sheffield.
Served a seven-year apprenticeship and worked a total of 20 years with local building firms before he began to work on his own account in 1886. The new business rapidly progressed from jobbing work to larger scale public contracts and housing projects.
1874 Birth of son Charles Boot
Henry had retired before the outbreak of World War I leaving Charles as managing director. As with so many construction business, war expanded the range of contracts.