Pickworth Furnishing

Pickworth Furnishing - Loughborough's oldest established family business was originally founded in 1840 in the Market Place, next to what is now McDonalds, by Thomas Pickworth a draper from Lincolnshire. Thomas was joined by his son Henry who showed an enterprising spirit typical of the Victorian era. Henry was ahead of his time on many retail concepts. When the council demolished the original shop to widen the A6 he refused to be relocated in a modern 2 story building but insisted on being only on the ground floor with no step, even though this resulted in a very odd shaped building. The door was always wide open even in the depths of winter; nothing should ever deter the customers from coming in insisted Henry.

Goatskin rugs became a mainstay of the business in these early years, imported from Mongolia and cured and processed on the premises. Pickworth rugs were sold throughout the country and Europe. The Belgian Royal Family were one of the more famous customers at that time.