With hard work and long hours he was eventually able to buy a bicycle and, some years later, a second hand van. Then, in 1923 came the opportunity to open a depot outside the Stanley abattoir. Gradually over the years the business expanded as each of the Stanley meat market shops became available until a row of ten shops were supplying the butchers of Liverpool, Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales.

The family had discussed a move to new, modern premises for some years, recognizing the possibility that the old site of the meat market may one day be redeveloped. It was the site of the old dairy in Cherry Lane where work was started on the construction of the new warehouse in 1990, followed by the offices and showroom which were opened in October 1994. The showroom is open for counter sales and includes butchers and caterer’s supplies, refrigeration, hygiene products and equipment, machinery (vacuum packers, rotisseries etc.), counter displays and a large range of packaging and casings.

W R Wright & Sons also own a company which manufactures plastic knife scabbards, holders for butchers’ boning knives, worn on a belt by abattoir workers and butchers together with the plastic stamp carriers which hold the marking stamps used by health inspectors. The scabbards are sold not only in the United Kingdom but are also exported. Markets include America, Australia, France, Holland and Chile and are marketed under their own brand name Rite Kleen.

Mr W R Wright’s sons eventually joined the business with David becoming Managing Director and John concentrating on outside sales. David’s son, Ian, also plays a prominent part in the running of the business, which now employs over 25 people. In 2006, Ian’s eldest son, David, and in 2008 his younger son Andrew, joined the company which means three generations of the family are currently involved.

It is unlikely that any butcher, sausage manufacturer or food supplier in Liverpool and the surrounding area will not know W R Wright & Sons, probably the oldest butchers’ sundries supplier in the country. Still located in the Stanley Road meat market where they occupy ten shop units, W R Wright now have brand new warehouse and showroom premises in Cherry Lane stocking over 7000 items.

Visiting the modern showroom today, it is difficult to imagine how this successful business began over 90 years ago.

Liverpool at the start of the 20th century was a hard place to earn a living, especially for William Richard Wright, a young boy who had a hard childhood, often having nowhere to sleep at night. Such were the humble beginnings of the man who was to become the founder and namesake of the first butchers’ sundries business in the country. He would walk the streets selling sausage skins to butchers earning enough, on a good day, to buy himself a bed for a shilling at the David Lewis Hostel.