Cook, Williams and Company

Dates: before 1876 until after 1882

Location: Bank Quay, Warrington

Specialities: manufacturing and galvanising wire

Like many of the wire companies in Warrington, Cook Williams and Company owe their existence to N. Greening and Sons. When the founder Nathaniel Greening retired in 1851 he left his sons Timothy, Noah and John in charge but Timothy Greening left the partnership in 1854 to set up his own wire drawing company with a man called Robert Cook in Fraghall Lane called Messrs Timothy Greening and Company.

Unfortunately the company only lasted a couple of years before Timothy emigrated to Canada with his stepbrother Benjamin Greening to found the B. Greening Wire Company. Abandoned by his business partner, Robert Cook went into partnership with Josiah Williams to form Cook, Williams and Company.

Cook, Williams and Company manufactured and galvanised wire at their Bank Quay Wire Mills for a variety of uses such as fencing, wire weaving, wire rope and signal cord (used in telegraph wire).

Advert for Cook, William & Co. (Graces Guide)

This article was written for the Wire Works Project 2020-2021, a National Lottery Heritage funded project aiming to highlight and celebrate the legacy left by the wire industry, which dominated Warrington’s employment structure for over 170 years, putting the town at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution.