Princess Royal visits Barnsby Saddlery headquarters in Aldridge

Princess Anne flew in by helicopter to the new premises of Jabez Cliff & Co Ltd, makers of Barnsby saddlery.

As well as unveiling a commemorative plaque last week, the Princess Royal toured the workshops in Aldridge in the West Midlands.

On Tuesday 21 September, the Princess Royal met the 48-strong staff and guests before, as President of the Riding for the Disabled Association, she was presented a special custom-made saddle for the charity to mark the occasion.

Guests included para-dressage rider Lee Pearson — who is holder of 13 world and Olympic titles and is sponsored by the company — the Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands and the Mayor and Mayoress of Walsall.

Jabez Cliff & Co is a seventh generation family-owned and managed company that occupied the same site in Walsall from the turn of the 20th century until June last year when it moved to its new premises in Aldridge.

It can trace its ancestry in the leather trade directly back to 1793 and is believed to be the oldest saddlery company in the world.

The core business is high-end saddlery and bridle work for the equestrian world manufactured under the Barnsby brand name. It exports globally.

The company sponsors five-times Olympic event rider Mary King and holds the royal warrant as supplier of saddlery to the Queen.

It provides goods to the Household Cavalry Regiment of Knightsbridge and the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery of St John’s Wood, and mounted sections of the British and overseas police and military forces.

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