Business History Explorer Supported by the Business Archives Council

Boulton, Matthew, and Boulton & Fothergill

Other Business Names:

  • Soho Manufactory
  • Fothergill, John
  • Soho Mint
  • Boulton & Watt
  • Boulton, M, Button Co
  • Boulton & Scale
  • Boulton & Smith

Locations city-town / local authority / county1974 / region-state / country:

  • Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, West Midlands, England
  • Smethwick, Sandwell, West Midlands, West Midlands, England

Sectors:

  • Wearing apparel & footwear production Button & other clothing fasteners & accessories production
  • Mechanical engineering Engine & turbine production exc transport
  • Luxury / consumer goods production Goldsmithing & silversmithing
  • Luxury / consumer goods production Jewellery, decorative objects, etc, production

Notes:

Matthew Boulton, 1728-1809, traced his business interests to those of his father, Matthew Boulton, d1759, manufacturer of small metal products, especially buttons, other clothing accessories such as sword hilts, and toys, who set up in business in early 18th century. Matthew joined his father in partnership in 1749. He later achieved very considerable fame in partnership from 1775 with James Watt, as Boulton & Watt, steam engine manufacturers of major international importance. Outside his Boulton & Watt interests, he expanded his family's business, moving it to the advanced Soho Manufactory in the early 1760s and diversifying into Sheffield plate, ormolu and other decorative objects. Much of this was done in partnership with John Fothergill, as Boulton & Fothergill, from 1762 to c1781. This business continued to 1809, variously known as M Boulton Button Co, Boulton & Scale and Boulton & Smith. Matthew Boulton also developed important interests in manufacturing coin minting machinery and in minting coins at the Soho Mint

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