Company Profile

In 1840 William Wright commenced gold beating on his own account in the City of London. At this time the majority of the larger towns and cities numbered at least on gold beater among their many craftsmen.

Somewhere around 1870 the business was transferred to premises in 19 Bridge Street, Manchester. Here the work was carried out in a cellar and passers-by were able to watch the activity through a grille in the pavement.

At the beginning of this 20th century, Frank Wright and his brother William Wright, sons of the founder, came to reside in Lymm in a shed housed in the garden of “Ash Villa” the home of William Wright and decided to employ girls and young women to carry out lighter work of cutting, transferring and packing the Gold Leaf. Work continued in the shed at “Ash Villa” until 1912, when due to increased business, the firm was moved a few hundred yards away to premises in Grove Avenue. Here three men were employed as beaters, assisted by two boys and three girls. The firm became a private limited company, with Frank Wright as managing director.

A few years after 1914-1918 War, they began to sell various sign writing brushes in addition to gilding accessories and other decorators’ requisites. Wrights of Lymm became a household name in the decorating, sign writing and monumental trades following this diversification of product.

Upon Frank Wrights death in 1933, his nephew, Harold Wright succeeded him. William Fleming, son-in-law of Frank Wright joined the firm and became managing director on the death of Harold Wright 1950. He continued in this position until his sudden death in 1959 when his son, Douglas William Fleming (great-grandson of the founder) succeeded him.

The Stonehouse family have been beating gold leaf since 1936, with Eric Stonehouse being the first family member to work at his uncles firm – Smiths the Goldbeaters of Bridge Street, Manchester, both before and after the Second World War. He later worked for Cecil Whileys in Livingston, Scotland, as their Works Manager before returning to Cheshire to form the company C.F.Stonehouse & Sons with his wife Alice and his two sons Clive and Noel Stonehouse.

In 1980 Douglas Fleming sold the company of Wrights of Lymm Ltd to the Stonehouse family which enabled them to expand their business, having experienced goldbeaters and cutters on board.

Therefore from its origins in 1840 until this present day Wrights of Lymm Ltd T/A C.F.Stonehouse & Sons have gained a wealth of experience and attained an excellent reputation within the Industry.