Collier & Catchpole

About Collier & Catchpole

Collier & Catchpole is an independent builders’ merchant with three branches, and a vibrant history in East Anglia going back almost 200 years. #BuildWithColliers

In 1880, William Holman Collier decided to leave the family brickmaking business “S & E Collier” in Reading. S & E was opened in the early 1800s. He relocated with his wife Jessie to Stanway. It would have been quite the trip, approx. 110 miles by steam train.

They come across The Marks Tey Brickworks and acquire the site from a Mr Wagstaff. He was a local farmer, who was using the clay and sand available on the land to make bricks.

The Colliers expanded production which provided local people with an alternative form of employment other than farming or railways. W H Collier Ltd is open for business today.

“Our bricks are used in projects ranging from the most prestigious new-build developments to sensitive heritage restorations and self-build projects. Beauty no machine can match. Every brick is hand-thrown using clay from our own quarry.” – W. H Collier Ltd  

Around the same time in the mid-1800s, Edgar Catchpole, a Carpenter from Ipswich, turned his hand to housebuilding. E Catchpole and Sons were responsible for building many houses and factories in Ipswich. Including “The Peoples House” built in 1877/8, still standing at Belstead Road.

Edgar and his team had a yard full of excess materials and it made good business sense to begin selling the materials to other builders in the area. E Catchpole and Sons were also involved in various activities including both clay pipe and brick manufacture.

W H Collier believed that by investing in his team, they would invest in the community around them. Honest trading and good service has always been central to our business, and we carry it with us as we grow.

One of our favourite stories is from around 45 years ago, when Roy Collier moved the Ipswich yard to a new location a few of miles up the road. Bill, our Buyer, didn’t have a driving license and would walk to work, after the move it was quite a bit further.

Bill had worked for E Catchpole and Sons for over 48 years and continued within the business after it was sold to the Colliers. Roy, being the man that he was, felt bad for Bill and bought him a moped so he could get back and forth to the yard.

Bill kept the moped for years and on his retirement; Mr Collier gave him the logbook. In the words of a retired team member Mick Cox – “As far as I know, Bill is the only person that I know EVER that had a “company moped”.

COLLIER & CATCHPOLE TIMELINE

1863

The Marks Tey Brickworks is founded. Mr Wagstaff began making bricks on his farmland from clay and sand available to him from the land

1880 

William Holman Collier moves to the Marks Tey area from Reading with his wife Jessie and acquires The Marks Tey brickworks

1898

W H Collier purchased “Workhouse Fields” (Our Stanway Site) and began extracting sand and gravel. W H Collier’s sons, Ernest Collier and Samuel Collier eventually ran this part of the business as “Collier Bros. Gravel, Lime and Cement Merchants”

1934

W H Collier passes away at 80 years old. Ernest Collier takes control of The Marks Tey Brickworks. Samuel Collier continues to run the gravel works but changes the company name to Collier (Stanway) Limited

1940s

A large section of the Collier Stanway site is compulsory purchased and turned into a tip. Today, this site is the Stanway Rovers football ground (right behind our Colchester branch)

1955

Samuel’s son Roy Collier joins the business as Managing Director. The third generation of Colliers

1963

The gravel works is acquired by St Ives Sand and Gravel but our Colchester site is not included in the sale. Roy Collier continues as a Director of St Ives Sand and Gravel renting the Colchester site to the company until 11 years later, when he gives notice to quit St Ives

1974

Roy Collier purchases E Catchpole & Sons, which had been established in the Suffolk building community for over 100 years

1975

The company begins trading as “Collier & Catchpole” in Stanway. It remains “E Catchpole” in Ipswich

1979

Collier & Catchpole purchases an ex-concrete pipe works in Wherstead Road. The Ipswich branch is relocated to a new site (where our Ipswich team still are today)

1988

The two businesses are amalgamated under the Collier & Catchpole name

1998

Roy Collier passes away, leaving a thriving business with an enviable reputation in the local community. Roy’s son-in-law Kevin Jones takes on the role of Managing Director

2000

Our first major build project is completed. The new Colchester offices are officially opened.

2005

Tim Rowbottom, one of Roy’s sons-in-law, joins the business

2012

Tim Rowbottom becomes Managing Director

2014 

200m2 warehouse is built in the Stanway yard expanding product our offering

2016

Large investment into advanced storage at the Ipswich branch (doubling our indoor storage capacity)

2019

We open our third branch in Lawford. A major milestone for Collier & Catchpole, the first new branch in 44 years

2022

£200,000 investment into our Ipswich branch. A new shop, office space and expanded parking area officially open. Greatly improving our ability to service our customers

2023 

First Summer Bonanza event with 33+ suppliers

The rest is history.

Company culture

The Collier team is friendly, helpful and ready to source the right products to get the job done.

• Committed to maintaining a fleet of the latest generation lorries and cranes
• Enhanced buying power achieved through joining forces with other independent merchants across the UK
• Our reputation for service underpins everything we do

OUR CUSTOMER PROMISE
We value and care about your business
You can trust us to be positive, honest, reliable and consistent
We will strive to solve all your building material problems
We will always offer you the price and service that allows you to succeed
Our people are what makes us different from other merchants, call us or pop in and see for yourself