BW153/6
Charrington, Gardner, Locket Limited
Date
1731-
Reference code
BW153/6
Administrative / Biographical history
Charrington Gardner Locket (London) Ltd were coal and coke merchants. Formed in 1731, the company was headed by five generations of men named John Charrington. The John Charrington born in 1856 was trained with F Green & Company, Shipbrokers. He became the Chairman of Charringtons and of the Association of Private Owners of Railway Rolling Stock. He also held the position of Chairman of the Society of Coal Merchants, London, from 1895-1915 and was Justice of the Peace for Hertfordshire. By the beginning of the 20th century, Charringtons had expanded their coal selling operations into coal transport. Included in their fleet were ships named The Lady Charrington and The John Charrington. Charringtons railroad cars and coal delivery trucks became a common sight in Britain. The company seems to exist today as Charringtons Solid Fuel, owned by a larger conglomerate that keeps the familiar Charringtons name for marketing reasons.