Robinson and Sons
of Wheat Bridge Mills, Chesterfield, makers of Surgical Dressings and Sanitary Towels; Lithographers and Printers of Cardboard Boxes; textile and packaging manufacturers.
1839 Business established by John Bradbury Robinson.
1839 Bought Fletcher's box manufacturing business
1860s Developed medical cotton wool
1880s Acquired the patent from Dr Joseph Gamgee for the Gamgee tissue, using cotton wool between gauze layers, which was the basis for modern surgical dressings
1880s Patents were also filed for the manufacture of the first sanitary towels
1884 Holme Brook Works was bought for production of pill boxes
1890 Manufacture of folding boxes was introduced
1892 Printing department opened.
1893 Business converted into a limited company. William Bradbury Robinson , (Chairman). Directors Charles Portland Robinson and his son William Bradbury Robinson II
Makers of the Southall's Sanitary Towels until 1897
1897 Started to manufacture Mena Sanitary Towels.
1893 Incorporated as a Limited Company
By 1914 were manufacturers of Surgical Dressings, &c. Directors: Charles Portland Robinson, William Bradbury Robinson, Charles William Robinson, John Bradbury Robinson.
c.1919 Built a number of houses for their workers on the Dorman, Long and Co steel-framed pattern[1]
1939 The company had a workforce of 3,500 people
1941 Acquired J. J. Blow.[2]
By 1950s Mene and Menex sanitary towels.
1950s Products were surgical dressings, absorbent paper and cardboard boxes.
1959 Acquired Edward Taylor.[2]