Richard Garrett (1755-1839)

Richard Garrett (12 October 1755 – 20 October 1839) founded Richard Garrett & Sons, the agricultural machinery manufacturing plant in Leiston in the English county of Suffolk. The company was the largest employer in Leiston in the nineteenth century. Part of the works is preserved as the Long Shop Museum in Leiston.

Firstborn of twelve children in Melton, Suffolk, Garrett married Elizabeth Newson on 1 October 1778 and they had six sons and three daughters. When Elizabeth died in 1794, Garrett married Jemima Cottingham. Elizabeth came from Leiston and the couple settled there upon marriage. He became a bladesmith and gunsmith at a High Street forge rented from William Cracey. He was soon employing eight men and by 1830 the works had 60 employees. His son Richard (the third to bear the name) succeeded him as works manager in 1826 and the fourth Richard transformed it into a nationally significant manufacturer of steam engines and traction engines.

Garrett's descendants include Newson Garrett, founder of Snape Maltings, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, first female doctor, and Millicent Garrett Fawcett, women's rights activists.

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