John Heathcoat and Co
of Tiverton, Devon, Lace Manufacturers
See John Heathcoat, the inventor of the first machine which ever made a piece of lace.
1808 Factory established in Loughborough
During the Luddite Riots against the use of all machinery, the factory was attacked and the lace machines broken up.
1816 The business was moved to Tiverton
Many patents
c.1850 Started making their own Silk Filatures in Italy. This is the only firm who can claim to produce silk nets in all the various stages of manufacture from the cocoon to the finished article.
1948 John Heathcoat and Co (Sales) Ltd was incorporated as a subsidiary
1969 The business was still owned by family trusts; the textile interests of the company were acquired by Coats Patons who bought c.70 percent of the shares; the non-textile interests, accounting for about 13 percent of profits, remained with the existing shareholders [1].
1991 John Heathcoat and Co (Sales) Ltd was renamed as John Heathcoat and Co Ltd[2]