Today, 5th December, we celebrate our Founder’s Day.
John Redmayne, a Yorkshire Bank clerk, set up a stockbroking firm then known as Redmayne & Co in 1875. The first ledger dates back to 5th December, marking Redmayne Bentley's Founder's Day, which we are still celebrating 148 years later.
Leeds was then a city that was becoming a centre for the newest, most adventurous stock of the times - rail stocks.
Over the years Redmayne Bentley has changed and evolved into the business it is today with over 25 offices across the UK. As the firm marks its 148th birthday, we look back on some of the changes, innovations and people who have helped to ensure Redmayne Bentley remains as relevant today as it did all those years ago.
Timeline: A look at key dates
More has happened over our 148-year history than we could ever summarise. Here are some notable events we have seen over the years:
- 1875 – John Redmayne set up stockbroking firm Redmayne Bentley in Leeds.
- 1900 – Our first regional office was opened in Harrogate.
- 1960s – Redmayne & Co, merged with FW Bentley & Co and JW Granger & Co.
- 1973 – Major developments in technology meant local stock exchanges were no longer needed and everything centralised back to London.
- 1980s – The era of major share offers including British Gas and BT.
- 1986 – The “Big Bang,” when the City was deregulated, changed the face of trading as commission rules were no longer set, and small firms would have to compete with bigger companies and banks were now allowed to trade.
- 1998 – Redmayne Bentley first named Stockbroker of the Year by the Investors’ Chronicle, which we also received in 2011, 2018 and 2022.
- Late 1990s/early 2000s – Saw the dot-com bubble when online tech companies attracted considerable interest from investors.
- 2021 – Announced the launch of our first digital-only investment service, our Managed Portfolio Service (MPS).
- 2022 – Saw the launch of our Financial Planning Service.
Staying true to our values
Today we are one of the largest, independent investment management and stockbroking firms in the UK with offices nationwide in areas as far afield as London, Grampian, Belfast, York, Manchester, and Exeter.
As we have grown, our priorities remain unchanged - to provide a personal service to clients and a friendly, inclusive environment for our colleagues. Our core values of excellence, integrity, responsibility, respect and teamwork at the heart of everything we do.
The last 18 months have brought more awards success, with the firm receiving: Wealth Manager of the Year; Stockbroker of the Year; Self-Select ISA of the Year and Investor Champion of the Year at the
2022 Investors’ Chronicle Celebration of Investment Awards.
At the
2023 City of London Wealth Management Awards, Redmayne Bentley was awarded ‘The ShareGift Award for Best Charity Investment Service.’
We are looking forward to what 2024 and our 149th year brings.