Patchett Joinery is a manufacturer of premium timber windows and doors – but did you know that our roots were laid 185 years ago in 1840? To put that into perspective, that’s the same year that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert married!
To celebrate Local History Month, we’ve put together a blog post about the history of Patchett Joinery.
19th Century – the beginning
The history of Patchett Joinery spans nearly 200 years, starting with the establishment of a cabinet maker’s business in 1840. The company was founded by Edmund Patchett on the same site in Queensbury, West Yorkshire.
The firm started by making anything a customer required, from doors and windows to carts and cabinets… and also coffins! This was because at that time, and for many years later, the local joiner and cabinet maker was also the undertaker.
In addition to making coffins, the company were also responsible for transferring the body to its place of rest. Edmund Patchett, Charles’ father, told a tale of him helping to carry a deceased gentleman from his bedroom down a small winding staircase. There was no room for a traditional coffin to pass down the stairs, so the body was tied to a coffin baseboard, but not securely enough! Halfway through the manoeuvre, the ropes slipped and so did the body, right into the arms of Edmund. He remembered being face to face with this chap for the rest of his life, a very close encounter.
Early 20th Century
The firm expanded into house building in the 1920s & 30s The first house was built across the road from our existing offices.
Innovation and enterprise have shaped the company over the years. Robert John Patchett took over the reigns from his father at the age of 19 and whilst keeping the housing and joinery businesses busy, he developed an interest in poultry and egg production. In 1936, we developed a motor-driven cleaning system for poultry cages that took premier awards at both the Great Yorkshire Show and the Royal Lancashire Show. By the 1970s, the company was supplying poultry equipment to farmers around Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Throughout the war years, we made boxes for ammunition, rifles and many other items to be dispatched overseas. This included large packing cases for gliders that were towed carrying invading troops into France.
In post-war Britain, we entered into a ‘National Scheme for the Employment of Disabled Men’, taking on an approved percentage of disabled ex-servicemen.
Post war
The company helped meet the demand for new housing by building in the London suburbs. At the time, the tube network was spreading further into the countryside. We created housing, shops and other amenities (with our own timber windows and doors) for the fast-growing communities that were forming. By the 1950s, the company was a prolific house builder as well as retaining properties under management to provide private rented homes for the post-war housing crisis. Our sister company, Patchett Homes, still manages an extensive portfolio of properties today and has recently started new property development.
2010
At the start of the Tens, we invested in new machinery, including our CNC machine. James, our current Managing Director, undertook the huge task of transforming the older workshops into a modern factory to facilitate the new machinery and introduced renewable energy to improve the business’s green credentials.
Some of our highlight projects from this decade and the early 20s include supplying Sliding Sash windows at Beckenham Palace Park following an arson attack, crafting and installing replacement windows for the Grade I Listed Burley House and handmaking and installing over 100 windows at the Grade II Listed Archbishop Holgate Hospital.
Today
This year we are celebrating 185 years of business! We continue to bring unrivalled expertise and the latest advances in technology into crafting timber windows and doors using the finest materials.
All of our timber windows and doors are still handmade in Britain on the original site in Queensbury, by skilled Yorkshire Craftsmen. From circular windows and Yorkshire Sliders to Bi-fold doors and entrance screens, everything we craft is made to measure to your specifications.
Our customers are highly satisfied with our craftsmanship, attention to detail and a finished product that is installed with care. We currently have a 4.7/5 rating on Google and a 9.49/10 rating on CERTASS.
Workshop tour
If you would like a complimentary tour around our on-site workshop, to see the care and attention to detail that goes into every window and door, get in touch with us on 01274 882 331 or email [email protected]
