ONE of the biggest employers in Watford looked back on nearly a century of family tradition last month as it celebrated its 90th anniversary, writes Diana Machin.

The prestigious Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington was the ideal venue for the birthday party for Watford Launderers and Cleaners, as the hotel is a distinguished client.

The company has always remained at its premises in Sydney Road, where it was started by the Ross family in 1907.

John Ross founded the company after working at the Watford Steam Company laundry service, based at the old silk mill at the Rookery in Lower High Street since 1884.

Eleven years later the company closed and John bought the premises in West Watford.

He was a qualified engineer and gradually built up the business.

In those days many factories and businesses had to draw on their own water supply, usually from a nearby well, so John arranged for a well to be drilled for the laundry on-site.

Although other wells dried up on other laundry sites in the same road, the water levels of John's well never fluctuated and it still maintains the original water level today.

The company thrived during the 1920's and the premises had to be expanded to cope with demand.

Great-grandson Peter Ross, 48, present owner of Watford Launderers and Cleaners, said: "Unlike today, the company only dealt with domestic laundry. Because people didn't have washing machines they either had to wash their clothes by hand or send them away to be washed.

"This service was so common, it was like having your milk or post delivered."

During the early days the company won a prestigious contract to wash all the clothes at Harrow School.

Mr Ross said: "All the garments were transported by horse and cart and because Harrow was a long distance, the horse always needed the following day off to recover."

Watford was awash with launderers during the first half of the century and at one point there were more than four companies along Whippendell Road alone.

John ran the company until he was 78 years old and left it in the sole hands of son Robert and his wife Edith.

During the 1940's women were expected to take a back seat when it came to the family business, however, Edith was no ordinary women.

She was well ahead of her time and was the first woman to have a seat on what was then known as the Institute of British Launderers.

She ran the company during the Second World War and her sharp business sense made her a formidable and respected figure in the world of commerce.

Eventually the company was handed to Peter's father Michael Ross, who saw it through one of the most difficult transitional periods of the company's history during the 1980's when the age of the washing machine heralded a new era.

New technology in home appliances meant the domestic market was diminishing as scores of launderers in the region went out of business.

However, Watford Launderers survived by converting its machines to cater for the commercial market.

Today the company specialises in the hotel market and services some of the top venues in London including The Grosvenor House, Hyde Park Hotel and The Royal Garden Hotel.

Although the commercial market is the company's bread and butter, it is still commissioned by individuals to provide a laundry service.

Mr Ross has been working for the company for 30 years and took over from his father ten years ago.

He runs Watford Launderers with his wife Penny and, although they have no children, they intend to pass on the family business to their nieces and nephews when they retire.

Mr and Mrs Ross, who live in Rickmansworth, have known each other since they were six years old.

Mrs Ross, 47, said: "We lived opposite in Cassiobury Park Avenue, while we were growing up.

"I also went Northfields School in Watford with his sister.

"Our relationship began when my great-aunt bought his grandmother's house in 1972 and we were married three years later."

Watford Launderers is one of the few companies to retain a collar press.

This type of press has not been made since the 1950's and is so scarce the company receives orders from around the world.

Mrs Ross said: "We have a lot of High Court Judges asking us to clean and press their collars.

"There is a judge, who now lives in New Zealand, who cannot find anyone who can press his collars properly, so he sends them here to be pressed."

The company employs 180 people and is still regarded as one of the biggest employers in the town.

Watford Launderers boasts a good track record for retaining their employees for a long time.

One employee has worked for the company for 51 years and several others for more than 35 years.

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