We are proud of the fact that our business dates back almost 200 years; and in honour of World Entrepreneurs’ Day, we take a look at the life of William Colton.
William Colton was born in December 1829, the son of a draper and grandson of William Cooper, a rope and twine maker in the Belgrave Gate area of Leicester. When his parents emigrated to Baltimore in the USA in 1840, William was left in the care of his maternal grandparents.
From a young age, he worked in his grandfather’s business, Cooper, Jackon and Woodhouse. They made ropes, twines, tarpaulins, sacks and wool sheets sharing premises in the High Street. William Cooper died in 1846 and although his widow continued the family business, it is unclear exactly when William established his own separate activity, but he had married Ann Sharpe from a wealthy family and it is believed that their support enabled William to work as a twine and sack maker from about 1849.
In 1863, William bought 53 Belgrave Gate which was at first used as a works with sheds in the rear, partly as a warehouse and as a residence. In 1866, he built an open ropewalk with 20 houses in front on land known as “The Cricket Field”, the new street being know as Crafton Street. By 1871, the ropewalks had become buildings and the one on the north side survived as the family business premises until 1972. The activities expanded to the extent that by 1881, there were 17 men employed along with 14 boys. William was a town councillor and served on the committee which oversaw the creation of the Abbey Park, which opened in 1882. His first wife died in 1886. William re-married and went on to have seven children in later life, his youngest, John born when William was 75. Their two lives spanned over 150 years.
Having built a large family house in Aylestone, 53 Belgrave Gate remained as the firm’s offices as the business thrived during the late Victorian era and into the twentieth century.
William died in 1906 and his firm remains as a legacy 120 years later, having evolved into a packaging distributor under the guardianship of his sons, grandson, great-grandson and great-great granddaughter.
Do you want to partner with a family-owned packaging business built on centuries of expertise? Get in touch with our team to discuss your next project.
