Designed in England
Since 1796.
We’ve been in the business for over 220 years — so, in some ways, this makes us pretty traditional. However, it’s safe to say that our past is shaping our future — not dictating it. Even now, we’re still working with wool that’s reared and sheared just a few miles from our factory. And each and every Peregrine garment is designed and the majority manufactured right here in the UK.
Our History
It all began with a man named Thomas Glover back in 1796. Fast-forward eight generations and there’s a new Tom Glover at the helm. Read the full run-down of how Peregrine came to be - including a brief history of our founder’s family tree.
17 96
In 1796, our founder, Thomas Glover, made the move to Wigston Magma (just outside Leicester) where he went into business as a hand frame knitter.
His first son, also named Thomas, took over the business in 1824.
18 28
Every Friday, Thomas would travel into Leicester on a horse and cart to collect the spun wool from Montfort knitting mill. He’d take the wool back to Magma, knit it into jumpers and sell them.
18 60
In 1821, Thomas’s son, Samuel Glover was born. He worked in the family business from an early age, and by the time he’d taken over the business from his father in the late 1860s, he was employing over 26 people in the Moat Street factory.
Samuel’s son, Joseph Glover (born 1846), started working for his father at 14. The pair worked side-by-side right up until the late 19th century and grew the business rapidly.
19 01
When Joseph’s son, John George Glover, joined the business back in 1878, the knitting industry was booming in Leicestershire.
Following a few successful years, and substantial investment in the business, John George Glover established J. G. Glover & Co Ltd. in 1901.
19 10
In the early 20th century, J. G. Glover started supplying the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) with socks.
The factory continued manufacturing clothing for the military throughout WWI.
19 20
By 1920, J. G. Glover was employing over 300 people and had started to export products all over the world.
19 25
In 1925, following John George’s two-week boat journey across the Atlantic, J.G Glover began trading with the USA. John George’s son, Donald Glover, joined the business shortly afterwards in 1927.
When John George died during WWII, Donald returned from five years of active service to take over the family business.
19 56
Donald Glover spent several years at the helm. In 1956, he established the new brand name - Peregrine Clothing. And, in the early 1960s, following a boom in the wholesale market, the business moved to a larger, purpose-built factory on Gloucester Crescent, Wigston.
19 71
In 1971, after graduating from the Leicester School of Knitting, John Glover (born 1947) took the reins and became managing director.
Throughout the 1970s, chain stores dominated production with the introduction of the “private label”. Technology also improved dramatically during this period, and Peregrine began manufacturing clothing for BHS and other large department stores.
19 80
By the late 1980s, the UK manufacturing industry was under pressure. Department stores were searching for cheaper products overseas. And so in 1987, Peregrine moved to a smaller manufacturing plant and concentrated on quality English-made products that were exported overseas.
20 03
After graduating in Design in 2003, Tom Glover (born 1980) joined the business. Tom rebranded Peregrine shortly after, giving the business a fresh, new look and feel.
As the brand became more fashion-led, Peregrine began to appear on catwalks around the world.
20 22
Peregrine is now stocked in over 80 different retailers across the UK. You can also find us in shops in Germany, Iceland, Canada and the USA.
While our factory is still based in Manchester, our newest HQ can be found in Montpelier, Bristol, where we are constantly looking to design new high-quality knitwear.
Our Factories
