A short history of Rose Brothers by Reg Ellmore

The Rose Company was founded by William Rose in 1885 following his invention of the first machine to wrap 0.5 ounce of pipe tobacco. By the late 1880’s, machines were being supplied to the USA and many other countries.

It is perhaps interesting to note that the last three up-dated versions of the original tobacco machines were supplied in 1966 (as no other machine would do the job) and for those in the USA, there is a machine in a musum in Durham, North Carolina.

William Rose was a Victorian with ‘a mind alive’ and as more companies wanted packaging by machine instead of by hand, he invented many more types for wrapping soap, razor blades, tins, confectionery, chocolate, powders, tea and coffee, bread biscuits, pies and so on.

Around 1895, the motorcar was evolving and William could not resist becoming involved. He designed and built a car, he name it the National, which he put on the road in 1900. There are photographs and an original engine in a local museum in Lincoln.

In 1929, William Rose died and the complete organisation, comprising five factories and agencies throughout the world, was taken over by his son, Alfred German Rose.

Business was good for Roses especially after World War II, when machines were required to replace those destroyed.

Unfortunately, Alfred G Rose died at an early age in 1957. Considerable death duties plus other factors led to the sale of Rose Bros to Baker Perkins in 1961.

In 1967, Roses was amalgamated with Forgrove of Leeds to become Rose Forgrove Ltd, with a formidable range of over 100 types of processing and packaging machines.

For various reasons business declined and the original Rose Bros factory in Gainsborough was finally closed in 1988. This however, was not the end of the Roses name, for in 1990, A M Packaging Ltd (owner, Alan Mann ) bought the Rose Forgrove stock, most of the drawings and the name Rose from Baker Perkins.

The new name for the company became AMP-Rose and they are still busy supplying new packaging machines, reconditioned machinery and the setting up of complete factories – mainly for confectionary products.

So, after 120 years, packaging machinery is still being made in Gainsborough.

There are thousands of Rose and AMP-Rose machines around the world – some in rather unusual places – like a working attraction in a theme park. Some have been working in factories for many years like a Rose machine in Argentina, which was supplied in 1929 for wrapping confectionary.

There are quite good records and knowledge with the Gainsborough and District Heritage Association.

The Gainsborough and District Heritage Association - helping preserve Gainsborough’s heritage and history for today and tomorrow. Registered Charity: 1077538 Contact us : susan@gainsboroughheritage.com

The Old Post Office, 12, North Street, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 2HS