Pickfords

Pickfords is a moving company based in the United Kingdom, part of the international firm TEAM Group and a member of the British Association of Removers.

The origins of the business are not entirely clear but is believed it was founded in the 17th century, making it one of the UK's oldest functioning companies. The earliest record is of a William Pickford, a carrier who worked south of Manchester in 1630. In 1646 a north-country yeoman by the name of Thomas Pickford had his lands confiscated by Parliament for gun-running and supporting the Cavaliers during the English Civil War [http://www.pickfords.co.uk/html/about-pickfords-removal-company-uk/aboutpickfords_history2.htm Find Out More About Pickfords From 1630 To 2005, With a Complete History of Pickfords Moving and Storage ] ] .

By 1695 the Pickfords' family were engaged in supplying quarry stone by packhorse for the construction of turnpike roads; instead of the packhorses returning with empty loads, they carried goods for third parties.

In 1756 the company relocated to London and in 1776 it invented the fly wagon which could travel from London to Manchester in the then fast speed of four and a half days. A year later it bought the carrier business of William Bass, a Staffordshire haulier who carried ale for a local brewer. With the funds Bass went on to form a brewery which still bears his name today .

In the 1779 it entered the canal industry as well (from which it withdrew in 1850). In the 19th century, it operated wagons on other companies' railways, but this was contentious, and eventually this service was eliminated.

In 1816 the company was close to bankruptcy after many years of decline. The Pickford family sold out to a number of businessmen led by Joseph Baxendale, whose family become instrumental in running the company for over a century.

In the 20th century the company switched to road haulage. During this time it formed a rivalry with fellow hauliers "Carter Paterson" with whom they merged with (amongst others) in 1912, although both kept their separate names.

In 1920 the company was sold again, to "Hays Wharf Limited", on the back of a burgeoning post-World War One home removals business - Pickfords still continued to operate under that name. In turn Hays Wharf was taken over by the four main British railway companies in 1934 and was subsequently nationalised in 1947 as part of British Road Services and what would become the "National Freight Corporation" in the 1969.

The National Freight Consortium, as it was subsequently re-named, was privatised via a sale to employees in 1982 and Pickfords was sold to the American company Allied Van Lines, eventually becoming part of Sirva in 2002.

In 2008 Sirva hit financial difficulties and the Pickfords business was sold to the Anglo-American company TEAM Group.

References

ee also

*Ballast tractor

External links

* [http://www.pickfords.co.uk/ Pickfords web site]
* [http://www.alliedpickfords.com.au/ Allied Pickfords Australian web site]
* [http://www.pickfords.co.uk/html/about/pickfords_history.htm Pickfords Yesterday (history)]