James Coate established his first brush works in London in 1847 relocating in 1883, opening factories in Axminster, Devon and Chard, Somerset. In 1941 another shaving brush manufacturer, A Simpson lost their London factory, as a result of enemy bombing and in the spirit of wartime co-operation shared Coate�s production facilities in Somerset. This partnership proved so successful that the two companies continued to work under this arrangement until production ceased in1990, as a result of a period of financial difficulty.
The companies were rescued by friends David Carter and Francis Woodhouse who continued the manufacture of Simpson�s shaving brushes using the traditional handmade techniques and also Coate�s brand shaving creams. In 2008 the Simpson shaving brush part of the business was sold to another UK manufacturer, who continue to ensure the high standards of production. www.coates1847.com
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