Thomas Hedley Co.

The Thomas Hedley Co was a 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 main ingredient in the production of both products.

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.

The company continued to expand it's City Road site. At the time City Road was primarily a residential area, and the expansion was a timely 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 [Hedley of Newcastle, a profile by Lionel Hale, Hedley & Co, 1953] , by Procter and Gamble, and Thomas Hedley's Newcastle roots prompted P&Gs presence on Tyneside. Other Hedley plants were in Manchester and West Thurrock, Essex.

References

*Hedley of Newcastle; a profile by Lionel Hale, Hedley & Co, 1953.