Bagnalls 150th anniversary
Stephen Bagnall Fifth generation of the Bagnall family
always been: a family business built on values, craftsmanship and an unwavering commitment to its people and customers.” The Charlestown Railway Bridge was quite a small job in comparison to some of the projects Bagnalls has worked on since. By 1900, the company had secured major contracts across the railway network, and the War Office. In the 1920s the company was commissioned by Sir Robert McAlpine to paint and decorate the British Empire Exhibition using 200 tonnes of paint and enormous quantities of gold leaf. Bagnalls was also commissioned to paint the Empire Stadium, which later became known as Wembley and, in the 1930s, it added the Boots pharmaceutical plant in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, to its portfolio – where it was the first company to use Dulux paint. Over the last 25 years, Bagnalls’ projects have included Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre and Salts Mill, where the artist David Hockney donned a Bagnall’s’ bib and brace. Other notable clients include JCB, Oxfam, Jaguar Land Rover, Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Cadent Gas.
From a small contractor to a national industry leader, Bagnalls has evolved with the changing times while maintaining its core values of safety, integrity, respect and people. In August this year, English rugby union coach and prominent fundraiser for motor neurone disease (MND) Kevin Sinfield CBE opened the company’s new head office. The firm has also received a Princess Royal Training Award for learning and development. It was a proud moment for the firm which launched its apprenticeship programme in 1877, when Alfred recruited his first apprentice, Walter Unwin. Bagnalls has recently been cited in the Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers and named Employer of the Year at the 2025 Yorkshire Business Desk awards. “As we come to the end of our 150th year celebrations,” says Stephen, “I remain committed to safety, quality and long-term family ownership and focused on ensuring the company’s legacy for future generations.”
Alfred Bagnall & Sons Ltd celebrates 150th anniversary In 1875, Alfred Bagnall set up a painting and decorating business. His first contract was to paint the Charlestown Railway Bridge in Shipley. Now 150 years later, the company employs more than 650 people across 14 branches and is safely in the stewardship of the fifth generation of the family, Alfred’s great, great- grandson Stephen Bagnall. “As I reflect on the company’s heritage, I can’t help but wonder what Alfred would make of Bagnalls today?” says Stephen. “Would he have imagined that the business he built with such care, dedication and skill would still be thriving 150 years later? I somehow doubt it. “Alfred’s world was one of horse-drawn carts and handwritten accounts yet, at its core, Bagnalls remains what it has
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