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Our History

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1893

Abbott & Co was founded in London by two brothers, Messrs Abbott, in the mid-late 19th century, possibly prior to 1893 however the first recorded company minutes are from this year.

1900

During the period of time since its founding, the company was primarily involved in shipping coal to Ireland, and importing hay from Ireland as fodder for pit ponies, commonly used in mining practices in England and Wales at this time.

1938
By the late 1930s, the company was under the control of Alan Charlton Abbott, grandson of one of the founding brothers. The company was now based at 101 Borough High Street, by London Bridge. The shipping trade had faded, and the company’s main business was merchanting hay, straw and other agricultural produce.
Trading looked a little bit different during the earlier part of the 20th century! Selling was done more centrally through the business with ‘buyers’ (now agents) having to negotiate the price of hayricks with farmers, then taking responsibility for the cutting of the hay from the ricks, hand pressing into trusses and then haulage likely to the nearest railway station for onward transit.
1939-1945
Prior to and during World War II, the company expanded considerably throughout the Home Counties, the West Country and East Anglia  - employing buyers and hay cutters. The business also had a number of contracts at this time supplying the army, police and paper mills.
During this period of time, the majority of Abbott & Co’s trade was for horse feed and bedding, being that horses were widely used in the railway industry, breweries, dairies etc. The paper industry also relied heavily on straw until the end of the 19th century when wood pulp became more widely used.
1940

Due to taxation during the war, a satellite company was formed based in Cardiff called Abbott & Co (Cardiff) Ltd where there was existing strong connections with colliers and paper mills. The running of this was taken over by Alan Abbott’s nephew, Peter Ralston, at the end of his war service.

1946

The company moved from Cardiff to Abberley House in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, the current head office.  

1949

Abbott & Co (Cardiff) Ltd.’s name was formally changed to Abbott & Co (Wessex) Ltd.

1950s
Alan Abbott was still running the main Abbott & Co business from London, however moved the main office to Chelmsford, Essex at some point during the late 1950s.
Post-war, the reliance on horse power declined and farming methods became more intensive, turning the business’s trading attention to the growing farm fodder and bedding market.  
1964

Simon Dee-Shapland became an agent for Abbott & Co (Wessex) Ltd, at the age of 22.

1965

Alan Abbott died suddenly at the age of 65. At the time of his passing, he was in control of a number of regional companies all in the forage industry which incorporated the Abbott name. Upon the subsequent death of his wife a few years later, the companies went into independent ownership based on their respective current directors. All Alan Abbott’s companies have now ceased trading with the exception of Abbott & Co (Wessex) Ltd, which also took control of Abbott Trower & Co Ltd (another of Alan Abbott’s companies) in the early 2000s.

1969

Due to the aforementioned reasons, Peter Ralston, Alan Abbott’s nephew became the owner of Abbott & Co (Wessex) Ltd.

1975

Doug Crockford joined Abbott & Co (Wessex) Ltd as an agent.

1985

Upon Peter Ralston’s retirement, Simon Dee-Shapland and Doug Crockford became equal shareholders of Abbott & Co Wessex Ltd. Both have dedicated their working lives to successfully running and shaping the company into what Abbott & Co is today, evolving it into a national concern and taking over many of the areas originally covered by Abbott & Co and its various satellite businesses during the first half of the 20th century.

From Concorde flyovers to the evolution of farm machinery and practices, Abbott & Co have witnessed many changes…
1998

Tracey Pitts joined Abbott & Co as office manager, becoming the company’s first female director in 2010.

2002

HRH Queen Elizabeth II greeting longstanding agents, Ian Pearman and John Givons at Abbott & Co’s stand at one of the first South Downs Show in West Sussex.

2025

Angus and Rosa McEwen Smith, a husband and wife from Bristol/Gloucestershire bought into Abbott & Co, and will continue to maintain and grow the business as it spans further across three centuries. They look forward to what the future holds for the company!

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