Our founder - Edward Blackley
In the year of 2018, we suffered the loss of our founder Edward James Blackley.
Edward (Ted or Ed to most), founded the business in 1969, in a small ex foundry works in Luton, Bedfordshire, premises rent of £5 per week!
His love of restoration outweighed his interest in the day-to-day job within the printing world, soon to set up as a sole trader in the restoration world of antique arms..
This continued as a successful business for several years, with wife Eileen heading the administration and wax making demands.
Soon son Kevin joined the business, as the business demands and success was in need of more hands on deck.
Years passed and the business grew, facilitating and purchasing new and larger premises along the way, including a relocation to the Norfolk and Suffolk borders.
Following the move Kevins wife Ros joined the force, with the now more elderly Edward and Eileen retiring from the business. Ros taking the reigns from Eileen, also to be prominent in the workshops.
To this day Kevin and Ros run the business from premises in South West Scotland.
The saddest thing in a business sense is that Edward was unable to witness and celebrate the 50 years existance the business had acrued, he was robbed of that particular landmark by only a few months. All of which was born from his very bold snap decision one day to change his course, from what was at the time a very lucrative printing industry.
Edward (Ted or Ed to most), founded the business in 1969, in a small ex foundry works in Luton, Bedfordshire, premises rent of £5 per week!
His love of restoration outweighed his interest in the day-to-day job within the printing world, soon to set up as a sole trader in the restoration world of antique arms..
This continued as a successful business for several years, with wife Eileen heading the administration and wax making demands.
Soon son Kevin joined the business, as the business demands and success was in need of more hands on deck.
Years passed and the business grew, facilitating and purchasing new and larger premises along the way, including a relocation to the Norfolk and Suffolk borders.
Following the move Kevins wife Ros joined the force, with the now more elderly Edward and Eileen retiring from the business. Ros taking the reigns from Eileen, also to be prominent in the workshops.
To this day Kevin and Ros run the business from premises in South West Scotland.
The saddest thing in a business sense is that Edward was unable to witness and celebrate the 50 years existance the business had acrued, he was robbed of that particular landmark by only a few months. All of which was born from his very bold snap decision one day to change his course, from what was at the time a very lucrative printing industry.
