History
In the latter half of the thirteenth century, it is recorded that a John Halstead was involved in the activity of weaving cloth in the Briercliffe area of Burnley, Lancashire, England. Throughout the centuries, instances of William Halsteads’ descendants and their involvement in textiles in Lancashire are well documented.
In 1875, the centuries of experience culminated in Bradford, Yorkshire, with the founding of William Halstead & Co. Ltd by William Halstead (b.1851 - d.1924) who had moved to the area in 1836 with his family. Late in 1889, after 2 previous moves and with the business expanding rapidly, William built Stanley Mills, to which the company transferred in 1890 and still operates from today. William continued to work at Stanley Mills until he died at work in his office at the mill in 1924, after fifty three years in the business.
Following the death of his father William, Arthur Halstead (b. 1880 - d.1944) managed the company and in turn was succeeded by his younger brother, William Edward (b.1903 - d.1951). Following the early death of his father, Robert Edward (b.1929) the present Chairman and Joint Managing Director took over the running of the business and remains actively involved today. In 1975, his eldest son Peter Robert (b.1953) joined the board as Sales and Marketing Director, followed in 1988 by William Richard (b.1956) initially as Financial Director. During 1997, William became Joint Managing Director with his father.
Today, William Halstead & Co. remains 100% family owned and run, specialising in niche market cloths for apparel wear in both men’s and ladies wear, with the emphasis on natural and luxury fibres. The commitment to providing high quality cloth to superlative standards remains strong and is appreciated in more than 40 countries world-wide.
For more information about the Halstead family, please contact us directly.