Two and a quarter centuries after John Smedley and his associate Peter Nightingale founded a small mill at Lea Bridge in Matlock, Derbyshire, this iconic, extraordinary spinner and knitter is still going strong. It was the beginning of the industrial revolution in progressive England and from producing muslin and spinning cotton to send out to local cottages with hand frame looms, John Smedley modernised his mill, brought in and trained his son, also John, in 1819 who quickly and at the age of 24 took over the helm and put all their activities under one roof, as they have been ever since.  OUR SMEDLEY KNITWEAR RANGE

John Smedley 30 gauge luxurious, lightweight ultrafine New Zealand choice merino wool V-neck pullovers made in England. Dove blue, Miss Scarlet, silver, charcoal, black and navy $369

Many of their present workforce are descended from the original workers and the skills and knowledge have been handed down from generation to generation. Young John Smedley took a keen interest in philanthropy, including hydropathy, the treatment of illness with water, and established the Smedley Hydro in Matlock patronised by visitors from all over the world. On John Smedley’s death in 1875 the business was handed on to a third John, a cousin J.T.Marsden Smedley who in turn and at his death entrusted the company to his son, the 4th John B Marsden Smedley who remained chairman for an impressive 70 years virtually bringing the company into the present age. Using luxurious New Zealand merino wool and John Smedley’s own Sea Island cotton, the company manufactures the world’s very finest fully fashioned, mostly 30 gauge pullovers, very rarely produced by other manufacturers.

Once knitted the body panels and sleeves are linked together by hand, stitch by stitch to create the impeccably neat seams which remain one of the hallmarks of true luxury knitwear. After knitting, the garments are scoured or washed using water from John Smedley’s three springs, a crucial stage in finishing which gives them their characteristic ‘soft handle’ and make the garments shrink resistant and machine washable. The company is still based in Lea Mills and extols the family virtues that old John Smedley imprinted on his family from 1784 and which are maintained to the modern day.