Mather and Platt Limited 1845 - 1978

occupation:
Manufacturer
Nationality:
British
born in:
Salford, Salford, Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom

Mather and Platt was established in 1852 when Colin Mather entered into a partnership with William Mather. Prior to this, Colin Mather had established a partnership with his brother William, trading as William & Colin Mather from Brown Street, Salford, in 1836. The brothers later leased part of the Salford Iron Works from John Platt in 1845 and entered into partnership with him. John Platt died in 1847, and his son William continued in the partnership with William and Colin Mather. In 1851, the partnership between William and Colin Mather was dissolved and the following year Colin Mather formed the partnership with William Platt that created Mather and Platt. Colin Mather's brother William died in 1858, and his son, also called William, became assistant manager of the company the same year. In 1863, William Mather joined the partnership with his uncle Colin Mather and William Platt. Colin Mather and William Platt retired around 1868, and William Platt's son John joined the company. He became a partner with William Mather in 1878. Following expansion of the company in the latter decades of the 19th century, the company became a private limited company, Mather and Platt Limited, in 1892. In 1900, land was purchased in Newton Heath and the purpose built Park Works was established. Manufacturing transferred from the Salford Iron Works site. Following the expiration of the manufacturing rights for Grinnell sprinklers during the 1970s, the company went into decline, and in 1978 was taken over by the Australian-based company Wormald International. Although Mather and Platt Limited ceased to exist as a trading company at that point, an Indian company continues to manufacture pumps under the Mather and Platt name today as a subsidiary of the German multinational Wilo AG.