What makes a London company move to the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside? Having moved to five different locations in London between 1921 and 1940, the bombing that came with the Second World War prompted Ernest Bader to consider a relocation out of London.

Ernest searched in the West and Courtney Bryson, the Chief Chemist, explored the North. After months of combing the countryside, Ernest came across a beautiful building in the Cotswolds which he thought ideal. That same weekend Courtney found a Manor House in an almost forgotten village in Northamptonshire, called Wollaston.

Following due diligence, Wollaston was chosen and soon bought to be the new home of Scott Bader & Co Ltd, offering 44 acres of land giving plenty of room for factory buildings whilst retaining the lovely grounds and gardens. The 18th century coach house and stables became the laboratory and the house itself, Wollaston Hall, was large enough to provide offices and living accommodation for Ernest Bader and his family, as well as members of the office staff.

Mid-way through the upheaval of the evacuation to Wollaston a series of blows struck the London sites – the Stratford factory and stores were bombed and completely destroyed in March 1941, followed by the office in Kingsway in April and then most unexpected, the new Wollaston factory was completely gutted by fire. Fortunately, no one was hurt in these disasters, but the setback was huge. By the end of the year, the Wollaston factory had been rebuilt and we were back in production. And here in 2021, Wollaston is still very much our home.