The Halstead family are very sad to announce the death on 22 August 2024 of Geoffrey Halstead, Life President of James Halstead Plc, aged 94.
Geoffrey Halstead joined the company shortly prior to its flotation on the London Stock exchange in
1948 and was employed for 70 years. For 55 years he was a director of the Group and for 17 years,
until 1 December 2017, Chairman. Since then until his passing Geoffrey Halstead had been honorary
life president.
Born 3 February 1930 in Radcliffe hospital to John Halstead and Elizabeth (nee Valentine) who had
resided in a two up two down terraced house on Suthers Street, Radcliffe close to the factory
entrance.
Geoffrey’s grandfather (James) had founded the textile business that bears his name some 15 years
prior to Geoffrey’s birth and in 1922 bought a parcel of land from Lord Derby surrounding his textile
business. The stables from that land were converted to a family home and this and the adjoining
property remain as the family residence. The foresight of James Halstead was such that the head
office and main factory in Radcliffe still occupy this land – a 20-acre site.
Geoffrey joined the firm in 1947 as the business moved away from textiles into new ventures, one of
which was Poly-Flor resilient sheet. By the late 1950s the core of the Group was Poly-Flor and
Belstaff, the latter having been a major customer of James Halstead since 1924 was acquired in 1948
on the flotation of the company.
Geoffrey Halstead led the expansion of vinyl sheet flooring from the beginnings of the Poly-Flor brand
and by the early 1960s Poly-Flor had become the significant part of the group and received a glowing
review in the August 1961 issue of the Consumer Association magazine (“Which”) confirming the
products status in the UK. Geoffrey was heavily involved in the exports of the flooring and travelled
extensively across South Africa, Australia and the Middle East promoting the product and expanding
sales.
During the “oil crisis” of 1974 the company was heavily indebted and Geoffrey, with the support of
shareholders took the helm as Chief Executive to return the group to solid foundations and to clear
the debt. It is from this date that the company can trace its unbroken chain of increased dividends
(49 years so far).
Always generous in his praise of the management and workforce during his tenure as CEO and
Chairman he watched the business expand as it concentrated on its core business of flooring. James
Halstead plc has been a multiple recipient of the Queen’s Award (twice for export and once for
innovation).
He is survived by his wife Evelyn (nee Lawrence), whom he married in 1954, and his children Mark
and Gayle.