In 1876 Charles Wicksteed (1847-1931) founded an engineering company in Kettering, Charles Wicksteed and Company, which prospered such that Wicksteed became a wealthy businessman.
In 1913 he bought a parcel of agricultural land south-east of Kettering and formed the Wicksteed Village Trust.
His intention was to provide a model village for the working classes at below-average rents, offering generous gardens and a large open public space for recreation and play.
Charles realised the importance of play in children’s lives and by 1918, his . rm was making vast quantities of playground equipment not just for his park, but also to sell commercially, manufacturing and installing play equipment to public parks and schools across the UK and around the world.
Over decades they made a dazzling array of equipment, from pioneering metal slides, the plank swing or ‘jazz’ (an ingenious cross between a swing and a see-saw), to the Ocean Wave (a ring-shaped platform on which a group of children sat or stood to revolve around a central pole) And of course, let’s not forget the beloved Wicksteed Rocking Horse on which, from the 1930s onwards, children were able to ride.
When we think of today’s most innovative companies, we often list those that are less than a decade old and have recently gone public.
More impressive, however, are the companies that have been around for not just 10 years, but 10-plus decades and were established before the internet, let alone television, air travel, the Great Depression and the end of the 1st World War.These companies haven’t just scraped by, they’ve reinvented themselves multiple times and remained at the forefront of branding and marketing and have evolved and adapted to stay current.
Reaching this landmark is an exciting time for Wicksteed, to re. ect on its incredible heritage but also to look forward to what will continue to be offered in the world of outdoor play, sport and . tness for the next century.
As part of its centenary celebrations the company’s logo has been re-designed and a number of signi. cant events will be held over the year including the re-creation of an old Wicksteed favourite.
