Woolen cloth maker, of Union Mills, Milnsbridge, Huddersfield
1840 John Crowther established the business
1924 Private limited company
1936 Public company John Crowther and Sons (Milnsbridge) Ltd; the chairman was the grandson of the founder. Acquired half the shares of Cloth Manufacturing Co Ltd, formed in 1932[1]
1940s Cumberland Cloth Co at Workington was a subsidiary
1971 Company acquired by Mr Joe Hyman (who had been chief executive at Viyella)[2] who centralised operations at Huddersfield.
1972 Holding company structure created as John Crowther Group[3]
1985 Acquired the British interests of Carpets International, including Kosset Carpets and Crossley Carpets and Gilt Edge. Acquired Weavercraft, a private carpet business[4]
1986 Acquired MCD Group, carpet wholesaler and distributors and W. W. Group, importer and distributor of textiles and carpets formerly known as Wilkinson Warburton[5]
1988 Coloroll acquired John Crowther[6]. Subsequently Coloroll sold the Crowther clothing operations to its management[7] (which became Response Group)