Thomas Hedley and Co
Thomas Hedley and Co, of Fairy Soap Works, City Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, manufacturer of soap and candles.
1837 The company was founded by two businessmen, Thomas Hedley and John Green, who set up a manufacturing facility in City Road. Tyneside was able to provide a ready source of sheep, which was a main ingredient in the production of both products.
1861 Employing 28 men and 6 boys.[1]
1871 Employing 28 men and 8 boys.[2]
1890 Thomas Hedley died; the business was carried on by his son Armorer Hedley.
1897 Partnership change. '...the Partnership between Edward Armorer Hedley and Armorer Hedley, as Soap Manufacturers, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, under the style of Thomas Hedley and Company, has been dissolved, by mutual consent, as from the 30th September 1897, the said Edward Armorer Hedley retiring from the business. All accounts owing to the firm will be received by, and all debts owing by the firm will be paid by, the said Armorer Hedley, who will continue to carry on the business in the name of Thomas Hedley and Company...'[3]
1898 the company became a limited company; issue of shares.
1905 Thomas Hedley and Co (1905) was registered on 1 March, in reconstruction of a company of almost similar title to acquire the business of soap makers. [4]
1917 the company expanded by acquiring the soap makers James Dyson and Co of Elland in Yorkshire.
1918 Acquired John Pickering and Sons of Birmingham.
The company continued to expand its City Road site, which was in a residential area, so the expansion was a time consuming process as they had to buy single properties one at a time.
1930 Procter and Gamble bought the company. Other Thomas Hedley plants were in Trafford Park, Manchester and West Thurrock, Essex.
1931 The 10 acre Trafford Park site was leased to Hedley in 1931 and later purchased outright. Production started in 1933.
Extensions which will add 69,000 feet of floor space.to their factory in City Road, Newcastle, are projected by the famous old firm of Thomas Hedley and Co., Ltd., who are the makers of Fairy soap.[5]
1936 A further 5 acres at Trafford Park were bought in 1936, after which the factory was substantially extended. A pipe bridge was constructed to bring oil from ships berthed on the north side of the Manchester Ship Canal.[6]
1937 Land purchased near Purfleet for new factory.[7]
1937 W. T. Calderwood, managing director of Messrs Thomas Hedley and Co.[8]
1947 'Thomas Hedley and Co., Ltd., soap makers, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, plan to build offices at Gosforth, Northumber. land, to employ about 400'[9]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ 1861 Census
- ↑ 1871 Census
- ↑ The London Gazette Publication date:2 November 1897 Issue:26906 Page:6022
- ↑ The Stock Exchange Year Book 1908
- ↑ Newcastle Daily Chronicle - Thursday 05 March 1931
- ↑ 'Trafford Park - The First Hundred Years' by Robert Nicholls, Phillimore, 1996
- ↑ Chelmsford Chronicle - Friday 09 July 1937
- ↑ Newcastle Journal - Saturday 25 September 1937
- ↑ Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 18 November 1947
- [1] Wikipedia