Lawrence Batley
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Batley was an entrepreneur and philanthropist who was born in the town of Huddersfield
, in the English
county of Yorkshire
. He pioneered the wholesale cash and carry
business in UK, and supported local endeavours in arts, education and sports.
Leaving school at the age of 14, Lawrence Batley worked in a solicitor’s
office, the insurance
business, the Royal Air Force
, and the pharmaceuticals business. His biggest contribution to business was when he founded "Batley’s Cash and Carry"; he was the first to use the phrase and the concept of "cash and carry", and his idea became popular, bringing a whole new way of working to retailers across the UK.
In later life Lawrence Batley sponsored the Lawrence Batley Seniors Tournament (a veterans golf competition), the Lawrence Batley Stand at the Galpharm Stadium
for its first 10 years, the Lawrence Batley Theatre
and the National Arts Education Archive at Bretton Hall College (now part of the University of Leeds
).
The business has now been taken over by his only child, Rita Firth. Helped by her husband, Bruce Firth, they have sold Batley's Cash and Carry and also sold L.Batley Pet Products, one of the leading pet food distributors in the UK, which the family started after Cash and Carry was sold.
He died in August 2002.
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. He pioneered the wholesale cash and carry
Cash and carry (wholesale)
Cash and carry wholesale represents a type of operation within the wholesale sector. Its main features are summarized best by the following definitions:...
business in UK, and supported local endeavours in arts, education and sports.
Leaving school at the age of 14, Lawrence Batley worked in a solicitor’s
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
office, the insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
business, the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, and the pharmaceuticals business. His biggest contribution to business was when he founded "Batley’s Cash and Carry"; he was the first to use the phrase and the concept of "cash and carry", and his idea became popular, bringing a whole new way of working to retailers across the UK.
In later life Lawrence Batley sponsored the Lawrence Batley Seniors Tournament (a veterans golf competition), the Lawrence Batley Stand at the Galpharm Stadium
Galpharm Stadium
The Galpharm Stadium, formerly the Alfred McAlpine Stadium, is a multi-use sports in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England. Since 1994, it has been the home ground of Huddersfield Town and Super League side, Huddersfield Giants.-The Stadium:...
for its first 10 years, the Lawrence Batley Theatre
Lawrence Batley Theatre
The Lawrence Batley Theatre is a theatre in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England which offers drama, music, dance and comedy.The theatre is named after Lawrence Batley, a local entrepreneur and philanthropist, who founded a nationwide cash and carry chain....
and the National Arts Education Archive at Bretton Hall College (now part of the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
).
The business has now been taken over by his only child, Rita Firth. Helped by her husband, Bruce Firth, they have sold Batley's Cash and Carry and also sold L.Batley Pet Products, one of the leading pet food distributors in the UK, which the family started after Cash and Carry was sold.
He died in August 2002.