Directors of Colchester-based building supplies company Kent Blaxill toasted the company’s 175th anniversary when they met for their first board meeting of the year this month.

East Anglian Daily Times: Kent Blaxill directors toast 175 years, left to right: Phillip George, Ben Kent, Simon Blaxill, Kevin Sturdy, Liz Cash, Tony Blaxill and John Ford. (Hugh Blaxill was not present)Kent Blaxill directors toast 175 years, left to right: Phillip George, Ben Kent, Simon Blaxill, Kevin Sturdy, Liz Cash, Tony Blaxill and John Ford. (Hugh Blaxill was not present) (Image: Archant)

Three generations of the Blaxill family, all from different branches of the family, still work at the company today.

Simon Blaxill is managing director, Tony Blaxill is a director, and Ben Blaxill has taken on a project to establish central distribution for the company. From the Kent side of the company, Ben Kent and Elizabeth Cash, née Kent, are directors. Simon Blaxill said: “Although over the centuries the company has grown from a small Colchester shop into a multimillion pound business with branches across East Anglia, it still remains a family-run business.”