Beesley and Fildes Ltd

Beesley & Fildes were established in 1820, and it has taken nearly two hundred years to turn the once small firm into the large enterprise that it is today. In the early 1800's it was common practice for a son to follow his fathers footsteps with regards to his chosen profession. This was not the case for 21 year old Robert Beesley. What made his decision even more unusual was that his ancestors were all professional beer tasters! Robert Beesley decided that a beer tasters life was not for him, and in the 1820's set himself up as a master painter, plumber, and glazier with a shop in Prescot. In 1841 Robert Beesley's son James joined him. After operating from the same premises for almost fifty years, James decided to move the business. The extra space allowed James to expand his range, and also began to sell to other tradesmen in the area. On his death in 1887, James passed the running of the business over to his sons, Joseph and William. After WWI William's son William-Joseph who was injured whilst in service, asked his brother-in-law, expert craftsman and grainer James Fildes to join him. The pair pooled their gratuity money to expand the business, and as a result the Beesley & Fildes name came into being.