Mayor of Knowsley Jackie Harris visited the Prescot business, now part of Glen Dimplex Home Appliances, to mark the 100 years since it was founded

Leading Merseyside-based cooking appliance brand Stoves celebrated its centenary with a visit from the Mayor.

Mayor of Knowsley Jackie Harris visited the Prescot business, now part of Glen Dimplex Home Appliances, to mark the 100 years since it was founded. She toured the manufacturing site before enjoying the first of a series of centenary lunches alongside some of Stoves’ longest serving employees.

A number of the Stoves teams have been with the business for more than 50 years. Over two weeks all staff will be invited to a special lunch, each themed by decade, starting with the 1920s.

The brand, which was founded on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1920, began life in Warrington as a manufacturer of gas heaters before recognising the revolution that was happening in British kitchens and beginning to produce gas cookers. It moved to its current manufacturing facility in Rainhill, Prescot in 1925.

From manufacturing munitions for the war effort and developing ‘autokook’ – the first automatic gas oven temperature function – through to launching the first range cooker with an induction hotplate in the UK and, more recently, the first range cooker with Bluetooth connectivity, Stoves has secured its place in British cooking and engineering history.

To commemorate its centenary, Stoves will be working with local museums and historical societies to ensure that the company and its heritage is well represented within the community and staff will be raising money for local charities throughout the year.

Mark Davison, managing director of Glen Dimplex Home Appliances, said: “A century is a significant milestone for any company and reaching it reflects the continuing relevance of Stoves in today’s marketplace.

“We are thrilled that Stoves remains so strong after 100 years and we are keen our celebrations will be focussed within our local area to recognise the role our employees, particularly the long servers, have played in Stoves’ success.

“The fact that the company has been in Prescot for so long means the local community is awash with memories and we hope to revisit some of those over the next few months as we celebrate this landmark anniversary.”

Cllr Harris added: “The company is an important part of Knowsley’s rich history and heritage as well as being a much valued employer in the local area. Congratulations on reaching this milestone.”