Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

Registered UK Charity (No. 115342)

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 165,039 pages of information and 246,458 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Procter and Gamble

From Graces Guide
c1940s/50s. Procter and Gamble staff. 2nd row standing, 4th from right - Leonard Arnold Watts.

William Procter, a candlemaker, and James Gamble, a soapmaker, formed distinct companies. The two men, immigrants to the USA from England and Ireland respectively who had settled earlier in Cincinnati, might never have met, had they not married sisters, Olivia and Elizabeth Norris.

Since both their industries used similar resources, the Panic of 1837 caused intense competition between the two and as a result it led to discord with the family. Alexander Norris, their father-in-law decided to call a meeting where he convinced his new sons-in-law to become business partners. On October 31, 1837, as a result of the suggestion, a new enterprise was born: Procter and Gamble.

1930 Acquisition of the Newcastle upon Tyne based Thomas Hedley and Co (1905). Procter & Gamble maintained a strong link to the North East of England after this acquisition. In addition, numerous new products and brand names were introduced over time, and Procter & Gamble began branching out into new areas.

1931 UK company launched.[1]

1946 Introduced Tide laundry detergent

1950 Introduced Prell shampoo

1955 Commenced selling the first toothpaste to contain fluoride, known as Crest.

1957 Launched Fairy Snow

1957 Purchased Charmin Paper Mills, Wisconsin, and began manufacturing toilet paper and other paper products.

1960 Commenced making Downy fabric softener

1960 Introduced Fairy (Washing-Up Liquid) to the UK market

1961 Test marketed Pampers,

1968 Have factories at Newcastle, Manchester and West Thurrock.[2] These were the sites of Thomas Hedley and Co

1972 Commenced making Bounce fabric softener sheets.

2012 Sold the Pringles product line to Kellogg's

2015 UK premises at Weybridge

See Also

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Sources of Information

  1. Newcastle Daily Chronicle - Friday 10 July 1931
  2. Newcastle Journal - Thursday 27 June 1968