Our story starts in 1822, with the birth of Country Attire co-founder Jenny’s great, great, grandfather John Cheetham. A grocer by trade, John harboured a secret passion for hats. Over the years, his grocery business flourished, and by 1870 he realised a lifelong dream and set up a successful hatting business – a factory and retail emporium in Hyde, Greater Manchester. The business blossomed, and soon over 50 local people were carefully crafting top hats, bowlers and flat caps that travelled all over the British Empire. Over the years – and generations – the hat business evolved, though the family passion for craftsmanship, luxury and quality merchandise lived on, ebbing and flowing, expanding into textiles, design, dressmaking, even pioneering attire for equines! One of the greatest rivals of Mr Cheetham’s hat business was Christys’ – now stocked by Country Attire – so the circle is now complete…
