Wolsey is a heritage British clothing brand founded in 1755, making it one of the oldest existing textile companies in the world. The brand sells men's clothing and accessories, including a range of knitwear, socks, underwear and scarves. The company holds a Royal Warrant and is based in

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...

, England, where it was originally established. The company name, adopted in 1920 when R Walker & Sons merged with W Tyler and Sons, is a reference to

Cardinal Wolsey Thomas Wolsey ( – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic bishop. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and by 1514 he had become the controlling figur ...

. 'Wolsey' is a registered trademark.

History

The earliest records relating to the Wolsey business show that Henry Wood was trading in Leicester as a

hosier Hosiery, also referred to as legwear, describes garments worn directly on the feet and legs. The term originated as the collective term for products of which a maker or seller is termed a hosier; and those products are also known generically as h ...

in 1744. Several years later, in 1748 he went into partnership with a man named Job Middleton and they were later joined by John Wrightman in 1750. Around 1755 Henry Wood dissolved the partnership as he wished to start his own business. Wood died in 1768 and the business was carried on by his widow, and later by his sons and grandsons, under the name of Ann Wood & Sons. In 1842, after the retirement of the last Wood family member, the name was changed to R Walker & Sons. In 1920, R Walker & Sons merged with W Tyler and Sons. As the business was situated near to

Leicester Abbey The Abbey of Saint Mary de Pratis, more commonly known as Leicester Abbey, was an Augustinian religious house in the city of Leicester, in the East Midlands of England. The abbey was founded in the 12th century by the Robert de Beaumont, 2nd ...

, the burial place of

, the business established the trading name of 'Wolsey' and as such became one of the first brand names. The company began to trade directly with retailers rather than through a wholesale network, the standard business pattern at the time. It also employed travelling salesmen to service retail accounts and advertised its products across the world. As a result, Wolsey became a household name and in 1935 the Company was awarded its first Royal Warrant. In the 1960s the company was forced to seek a merger as a result of massive changes in the retail world and became part of

Courtauld Courtauld is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Adam Courtauld Butler or Adam Butler (British politician), DL (1931–2008), British Conservative Party politician and MP * Augustine Courtauld (1904–1959), often called August Co ...

s. After leaving the Courtauld group, the company was taken over by the

Matalan Matalan is a British fashion and homeware retailer based in Knowsley, Merseyside. It was established by John Hargreaves in 1985, and is still owned by the Hargreaves family. , the company employed over 13,000, and had 230 stores in the United K ...

group in 2002. Fergus Patterson was appointed managing director in January 2009.

Products

The company mainly manufactures menswear clothing such as underwear, socks, knitwear and shirts.

References

Further reading Bramwell G Rudd COURTAULDS and the HOSIERY & KNITWEAR INDUSTRY (Carnegie Publishing Ltd) (2014, ISBN softback 978-1-905472-06-2, hardback 978-1-905472-18-5)

External links

* {{British Royal Warrant holders 1755 establishments in England Textile companies of the United Kingdom British Royal Warrant holders Clothing companies of England Knitwear manufacturers Manufacturing companies established in 1755 British companies established in 1755