Orton, George, 1843 - 1924
Biography
George Orton was born at March, Cambridgeshire in 1843. He was a wheelwright and coachbuilder by trade and set up his first business in Measham, Leicestershire, where the family had settled.
By 1875 George had moved to Burton-on-Trent where he set up the Lion Carriage Works, a transport building business focused in Gipsy as well as other types of travelling wagons.
By 1912 George was expanding the business and moved his main premises to Victorian Crescent, where he erected building sheds capable of housing whole fairground ride structures.
George retired in 1910, leaving the business to his sons Tom and Charles, his daughter Rose Anne (Annie) and his business partner Charles Spooner.
George Orton died in December 1924, aged 81.
Found in 1 Collection or Record:
Orton and Spooner Collection
This collection contains a large selection of archives from the Orton and Spooner Company. The collection comprises photographs and cabinet card images showing carved work, structural work and classic painted work, 4 boxes of notes, invoices and clippings, 8 drawers of plans and blueprints, 2 folders of ride specifications and order forms, accounts books and a library of source books showing turn of the century art used by the artists in the company.