To follow our progress over the years, move the slice
of bread along the timeline.
We have come a long way since Thomas and Ellen Warburton began
baking in their small grocery shop in Bolton. They wouldn't recognise todays bakeries
but we hope they would be proud of our achievements.
1870 - Thomas
and Ellen set up a small grocery shop in Blackburn Road, Bolton (Warburtons still
owns this shop, our headquarters is just across the road).
1876 -
Ellen starts baking bread at the rear of the shop following a slump in the grocery
trade. Her first batch sold out within an hour. Within two weeks, Thomas and Ellen
were baking fulltime and the shop is renamed "Warburtons' the Bakers".
1890
- Thomas's nephew Henry joins the business, bringing youth and energy to our bakery
business.
1897 - Business is booming as the "Diamond Jubilee Bakery"
opens near the original Warburtons shop.
1915 - Henry oversees completion
of the family's first-ever purpose-built site: the "Model Bakery".
1921
- The Warburtons company is incorporated, and the first semi-automatic wrapping
machine is installed.
1930 - A respected local figure, Henry Warburton
becomes Mayor of Bolton and chairman of Bolton Wanderers Football Club.
1937
- The "Model Bakery" is becoming outdated, so the installation of a new travelling
over helps to revitalise the business.
1940's - The business continued
to expand with the new "state of the art" bakery equipment, as the fourth generation
takes the reins.
1950 - Warburtons continues to grow through acquisition
of several small bakeries in the North West. Derrick Warburton continues to focus
on producing the best quality products, which has remained with us.
1965
- By the mid-Sixties, the business has grown to four bakeries with continued investment.
The famous Milk Roll is launched (and is still one of our best sellers today).
1970's
- The company continued to thrive in to the decade, consolidating the growth over
the last 20 years and building new bakeries, starting with Burnley.
1975
- New bread plant installed at our Bolton Bakery to increase capacity.
1976
- Warburtons celebrates its centenary.
1984 - Warburtons moved into
Yorkshire with the purchase of a bakery in Wakefield.
1988 - The
fourth generation retire from business.
1989 - Warburtons expand
the business into the North East by opening a bakery in Newcastle.
1991
- The fifth and current generation of the Warburtons family assumes control and,
Ross Warburton is appointed chairman.
1995 - Warburtons expand into
the East Midlands with the building of a bakery in Eastwood (Nottingham).
1998
- Warburtons launches into Scotland with the opening of a bakery in Bellshill.
1999
- An additional bakery is built in Bolton to produce more special handcrafted
style breads.
2000 - Warburtons expands further south with a bakery
opening in Wednesbury, (West Midlands).
2001 - Jonathan warburton
appointed chairman, March 2001.
2001 - The company celebrates its
125th anniversary.
2003 - HRH Duke of Edinburgh opens Warburtons'
eleventh bakery in Enfield, North London.
2004 - Warburtons increase
production in Scotland with completion of Bellshill phase two. Work begins on
the new super bakery in Yorkshire.
2005 - Stockton bakery was purchased
to meet increased demand in the North of England. Warburtons Super Bakery at Tuscany
Park opens and a bakery in Newport, Wales is purchased.
2006 - Robert
Higginson is appointed as Warburtons Managing Director. Brett Warburton starts
his new role as Executive Director.
2007 - Warburtons new depot in Newton Abbot begins distributing Warburtons products in the South West. And Warburtons enters its 131st year!
