The History

The origins of the company can be traced back to 1815 and although the nature of the business has changed since the early days the ethos, quality and service remains the same. The company has remained privately owned by the founders’ family for seven generations. Since 1815 the business has grown and diversified over the generations, but it was William Moore who was responsible for the business making the far from obvious move from transport into the laundry trade. It is said that he employed a washer woman whose non appearance for work one day in 1919 prompted him to remark “what we could do with around here is a good laundry” and from here the Coggeshall and Kelvedon District Hand Laundry was established in The Hitchin School in Coggeshall. In those early days the business ran beside the bus company Moore Brothers with the buses delivering laundry along the routes.

Gradually the laundry developed in its own right and opening a second laundry in 1933 in Chelmsford known as County Laundry. In 1963 Moore Brothers sold the coaches to Eastern National. By this time Eric Moore’s son Dudley was on board taking a business from the dwindling domestic and competitive contract work into the pioneering days of the linen rental initiative. Over the years that followed the business flourished and Dudley Moore’s sons Jeremy, Tim and Antony joined the business as the seventh generation. The company operated out of Tottenham, Chelmsford and Clacton and at its height enjoyed a turnover of approaching £20m pa – a far cry from the business’ first weekly takings of £2 and ten shillings.

The company encountered great difficulties in 2008 following two major fires that totally destroyed the Chelmsford operation. Dudley Moore, then Chairman, died in 2009 and in 2010 a de-merger within the company took place where the Clacton laundry became Fresh Linen and runs under Antony Moore.

Thankfully, with the great support of the staff, the Chelmsford operation has survived and stabilised now operating out of two factories in Chelmsford and enjoys a turnover in excess of £10m pa.

Tim Moore currently holds the reins with his son Oliver waiting in the wings...