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For more than a century the Brighouse factory of J. Blakeborough & Sons was one of Brighouse’s best known industrial landmarks. 

The founder of the business, Joseph Blakeborough was born in Pateley Bridge, Yorkshire on 27th October 1817.

About this same time, several generations of Blakeborough’s  — closely related to the Otley family — were in business as clockmakers and stonemasons.

Joseph became a plumber in Otley and had a shop that sold plumbing fittings.  On 14th April 1841 Joseph married Ann Barker in Otley and they had seven children; Catherine, Robert, Thomas, Francis, John, Peter and Annie.

In 1855 Joseph moved his business to the industrial town of Brighouse, where his son Robert became a driving force in the business. Robert started designing and casting brass fittings in the shop basement and encouraged his father to expand. Soon they moved to a larger site, purchased another company, and registered J. Blakeborough & Son, commonly known as Blakeborough’s or Blakes.

The new company grew rapidly and soon all four sons were involved in managing the business and became a major employer in Brighouse.