20th Century

At the start of the 20th century, despite the death of Queen Victoria, Britain, with its Empire, was in its confident prime. At Pollards in 1901, a new generation of the family having reached adulthood, the business was restructured and reincorporated. Leonard and Herbert Pollard now led the company, with their brother and sisters holding shares. The company flourished despite WWI and the recession. It widened its scope, with offices in London and Bradford, and an impressive new factory in Exeter. However, everything changed during World War II. In 1942, when Exeter was bombed, the factory was completely destroyed. The company faced its second major challenge for survival, and this was compounded by family disagreements. Eventually, Michael and Anne Pollard took over and began to rebuild.

Our History / 20th Century