Company established by James Baxter in 1836 as an agency dealing in cotton goods in Manchester. His brother Frederick took over the running of the company on the retirement of James he was joined by Robert Woodhouse and John Taylor. When Frederick retired John Taylor took over as Managing Director and the company from then on became known as Baxter Woodhouse & Taylor.

During the Second World War the company manufactured a buoyant flying suit which included the Windak electro thermal heating system. It later went on to produce The Taylor Partial Pressure Helmet Type E used by the Royal Air Force for pilots of jet fighters.

It was eventually acquired by Senior plc in 1999 and became known as Senior Aerospace BWT.