About Us
Collier & Catchpole is an independent builders’ merchant with roots in East Anglia going back almost 200 years.
Well-stocked yards in Colchester, Lawford and Ipswich. To find your nearest branch, type in Collier & Catchpole into Google Maps.
The Collier team is friendly, helpful and ready to source the right products to get the job done.
Committed to maintaining a fleet of the latest generation lorries and cranes.
Enhanced buying power achieved through joining forces with other independent merchants across the UK.
Our reputation for service underpins everything we do.
#BuildWithColliers
OUR CUSTOMER PROMISE
We value and care about your business
You can trust us to be positive, honest, reliable and consistent
We will strive to solve all your building material problems
We will always offer you the price and service that allows you to succeed
Our people are what makes us different from other merchants, call us or pop in and see for yourself.
OUR FOUNDATIONS
Collier & Catchpole is an independent builders’ merchant, with business roots in East Anglia, going back over 150 years.
COLLIER
1863
William Holman (WH) Collier moves to the area from the Collier brick-making business in Reading and founds the Marks Tey brickworks.
1898
W H Collier purchases what was Workhouse Fields (the London Road site) and begins extracting gravel. This part of the business which was eventually run by W H Collier’s sons, Ernest and Samuel, was known as Collier Bros. Gravel, Lime and Cement Merchants.
1934
W H Collier dies (age 80) and the two parts of the business separate with Ernest taking control of the Brick works and Samuel continuing the gravel works changing its name to Collier (Stanway) Limited.
1940S
A large section of the London Road site is compulsory purchased and turned into a municipal tip. This part is now the site of Stanway Rovers football ground.
1955
Samuel’s son Roy joins the business.
1963
The business is acquired by St Ives Sand and Gravel of Huntingdon but the London Road site is not included in the sale. Samuel continues as a Director of St Ives renting the London Road site to the company until he gives them notice to quit 11 years later.
CATCHPOLE
1850s
E Catchpole and Sons was formed and is responsible for building many of the factories and quite a few houses in Ipswich.
Over the years the business had been involved in various activities including clay pipe and brick manufacture. Gradually the company began to establish itself as a builders merchant in Princes Street Ipswich.
1974
Roy Collier purchases E Catchpole & Sons an Ipswich based builders’ merchant.
1975
In 1975 the company begins trading as Collier & Catchpole Limited from the Colchester London Road site; it remains trading as E Catchpole in Ipswich.
1979
Collier & Catchpole purchases an ex concrete pipe works in Wherstead Road and the Ipswich yard relocated to where it can still be found today.
1988
The two businesses are amalgamated under the Collier & Catchpole name. and continued to forge a reputation for having a large range of stock and the service to back it up.
1998
Roy Collier died in 1998 leaving a thriving business with an enviable reputation in the local community. Roy’s son-in-law Kevin Jones takes over the running of the business.
2005
Tim Rowbottom, another of Roy’s sons-in-law, joins the family business as Joint Managing Director.
2012
Tim Rowbottom becomes sole Managing Director.