Charles Early and Co
of Witney Mills, Oxfordshire.
Makers of Witney blankets.
1674 Business established by Thomas Early
1810 Birth of John Early, Junior in Witney[1]
1829 The firm of John Early, junior, and Company were blanket makers in Witney.[2]
1862 John Early died and his son Charles Early took over his share of the business, running the blanket-making business which became Charles Early and Co in 1864.
1871 Employing 75 men and 67 young persons[3]
1881 Employing 200 hands[4]
1882 Death of John Early (junior) in Witney[5]
1890s The business employed 400 workers.
1910 In June, the company became a private limited company.
1914 Directors: Charles William Early, J.P., James Vanner Early, James Harold Early, and Edward Cole Early.
1921 Company absorbed Edward Early and Co.
WW2 Business was making 700,000 blankets a year.
1951 Company became a public limited company.
1960 Company merged with James Marriott and Sons, another blanket-maker, to form a new company Charles Early and Marriott (Witney).
1981 The company changed its name to Early's of Witney.