The business was managed for almost 200 years by a family who took a characteristically paternalistic view towards their employees that was not unusual for its time and who seemingly went to great lengths to look after them.

The sense of ‘Family’ is very strong amongst us – it is one of the key attributes of the extended Simonds family today and is also one of the key drivers behind my desire to make the wonderful archives that I am currently safeguarding for ‘the next generation’ more accessible to all. I believe that there is something to be learned from them that can usefully be applied to our current very different lives.

I am trying to develop family orientated biographies on some of the historical characters in the family who helped to sustain and shape its destiny, illustrated and supported where possible with archive material.  I have also shown some of the other family members about whom I have information that may be of interest. [If you can contribute – please get in touch] Over time I hope to add more, so do come back to check again, if you find these interesting.  Since I have no claims to be a historian, I am sure that there will be errors and omissions, so I welcome constructive comment through the contact page below please.

Each person listed here should be shown on the Family Tree in the Genealogy pages.