Business Hour
A long-standing business that was established back in 1854, ESSE is celebrating 170 years
In 1854, a young man called James Smith was shipwrecked in the Atlantic on a return trip from America to Scotland. He survived by floating in a zinc-lined wicker basket until he was rescued three days later.
The very same year, James went on to form a stove company called Smith and Wellstood, which became known as ESSE soon after.
ESSE’s story has continued to be just as full of adventure and innovation in the 170 years since its founding.
Shackleton relied upon an ESSE ‘Mrs Sam’ cooker in his Antarctic expedition hut (where it can still be seen) and Florence Nightingale wrote a letter of thanks to the company for the lifesaving warmth their stoves provided at her Balaclava Hospital.
More recently, top British climber Alan Hinkes, used a specially adapted ESSE to heat his base camp in the Himalayas.
ESSEs have been used everywhere from the prestigious kitchens of the Savoy in London to royal residences and on TV at River Cottage.
The firm is now under the direction of brothers Robert and Peter Ashby the third generation of this family to manage ESSE at its Barnoldswick base, and they believe the adventures are far from over.
“I wouldn’t call ESSE a ‘historic brand’ as such,” says Finance Director Robert. “It’s certainly not stuck in the past. ESSE might even be better described as a modern company with 170 years’ experience.
“There’s no way a British brand could remain successful for more than a century and a half without adapting, evolving and constantly meeting the needs of modern homeowners. That’s what ESSE has consistently done throughout every decade since 1854.”
Throughout the last 170 years ESSE stoves and range cookers have been prized for their clean-burning operation and versatility. While modern stove companies might claim to have invented systems for re-burning smoke particles before the gases reach the flue, the ESSE Pioneer stove was already doing this by 1919.
ESSE’s innovative inset stoves, introduced in the early 1900s, proved incredibly popular as a more efficient alternative to an open fire. They helped British homeowners make the best use of fuel, which was much appreciated during the subsequent war years when purse strings were tight and resources were rationed.
ESSE has evidently continued to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to fuel efficiency and sustainability with the company’s wood-burning stoves currently proving to be some of the most exceptionally clean burning on the market, exceeding all legislation and requirements to the extent that they can even be used in smoke control zones.
“Our 1000 W wood-burning range cooker releases just 0.04 CO emissions and as little as 20mg/mo³ of combustion dust,” explains Production Director Peter.
“But we haven’t compromised on cooking performance in favour of sustainability – it ticks all the boxes at once. It gives dependable cooking performance and room-filling radiant heat, and it’s even available with a domestic hot water boiler. It uses patented catalytic technology to clean the emissions and re-burn smoke particles, just like some of ESSE’s pioneering early models.
“Customers have always appreciated ESSEs for their clean-burning and efficient design. It’s highlighted in adverts from the 1950s and it’s still a key focus now.
“ESSE range cookers are available as efficient electric versions with innovative induction hobs, all without compromising on their capacity for hearty traditional cooking.
“As we head into our 171st year as a leading British master stove maker, we’ll continue to focus on performance and efficiency while maintaining the stunning aesthetics that make ESSEs so recognisable.
“I’m confident that the way we’ll achieve a comparable level of success over the next 170 years, is by displaying the same commitment to British quality and longevity of design that brought ESSE to this point.”
Iconic ESSE models (like the Ironheart) are still in daily use by the River Cottage team, and are a familiar sight more locally – in Ribble Valley venues like the Waddington Arms, Dale House Barn B&B, Holmes Mill, the Higher Buck, Assheton Arms, Barley Mow and the Forest at Fence.
