Wood & Son(s) (Ltd)

Wood & Sons was originally founded by Absalom Wood and his son, Thomas Francis Wood in 1865. They were originally based at the Trent and New Wharf Potteries in Burslem, Staffordshire.

Thomas Wood built Wood & Sons into one of the largest companies in the area. When his son, Harry Wood, took over the company in 1921 it continued to grow.

In the 1930s, the company subsumed H. J. Wood (Ltd); this company was started by Thomas Wood’s brother Henry, and both Thomas and Absalom had been partners.

The company started trading as Wood & Sons (Holdings) Ltd in 1954, although Wood & Sons Ltd continued as the main concern.

There were two unsuccessful takeover bids in the 1970s, but the cost of fighting these financially weakened the company and by 1982 the bank had taken control and they had called in the receivers.

Two former employees acquired the business, Edmund Yorke and his nephew Norman Edmund Yorke. They continued the business under the Wood & Sons name until 2005 when it closed.