Thomas Hedley Co.
The Thomas Hedley Co. was a British company based in Newcastle upon Tyne manufacturing soap and candles. It was founded in 1837 by two businessmen, Thomas Hedley and John Green, who set up a manufacturing facility on the city's City Road. Tyneside was able to provide a ready source of sheep, which was a source of the main ingredient (tallow) in the production of both products.
| Type | Limited company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Soap and Candle manufacturing |
| Fate | Acquired by Procter and Gamble |
| Founded | 1837 |
| Defunct | 1930 |
| Headquarters | , United Kingdom |
Thomas Hedley himself died in 1890 and the business was carried on by his son. In 1898 the company became a limited company by issuing shares. In 1917 and 1918 the company expanded by acquiring the soap makers James Dyson & Co. of Elland in Yorkshire, and John Pickering & Sons Limited of Birmingham, Warwickshire.
The company continued to expand its City Road site. At the time City Road was primarily a residential area, and the expansion was a slow process, as Thomas Hedley had to buy a single property at a time. The City Road site continued after the company's acquisition, in 1930,[1] by Procter and Gamble, and Thomas Hedley's Newcastle roots prompted P&G's presence on Tyneside. Other Hedley plants were in Trafford Park, Manchester and West Thurrock, Essex.
References
- Hale, Lionel (1953) Hedley of Newcastle: a profile. Newcastle upon Tyne: Hedley & Co.,