Sherwoods Paints Limited

Sherwoods Paints Ltd. was a paint manufacturing company established in 1777 in Barking, Essex, under the name Gross, Sherwood & Heald. The company produced a range of paints, varnishes, cellulose, distempers and mineral dyes. The paint factory was located alongside the River Thames and had a small quay from which a mobile crane could load and unload goods and materials onto low "spiritsail" barges.



Every kind of paint related product imaginable was stored on the shelves of the storehouse on the top floor of the Sherwoods factory. The tins and jars contained paints and varnish, the barrels probably held gums and resins for the production of paint.

At some point after the Second World War, the company name was changed to Sherwoods Paints Limited. In the 1950s Sherwoods was the first paint company to incorporate silicone as a water repellent into its paints.

Sherwoods Paints Ltd. traded until at least 1955.

by Mark Matlach