The Stannah business was founded in London by Joseph Stannah in 1867. Joseph Stannah was the son of Solomon Stannah, a linen merchant in Worcester. An accomplished engineer, Joseph started the Stannah business in Southwark, London, providing cranes and hoists to unload cargo in the docks. He turned his hand to numerous problems and accumulated a raft of patents throughout his career. Among his designs for cranes and hoists are drawings for stuffing boxes, locomotives, pendulum pumps and there is even a tantalising reference to him having designed a car although we can find no firm confirmation of that.

However, we do know for certain that Joseph knew a thing or two about creating a public profile and was a regular contributor to the publication ‘The Engineer’, writing letters and publishing information about his patent devices.

Next in line was Leslie Stannah, also known as Pop, father to Brian and Alan, and grandfather to Jon, Patrick, Nick, Alastair and Helen. Born in 1901 to Albert Stannah and his wife Edith, he was a genuine character, known for his discipline on the one hand but real concern and kindness to his staff on the other. It was Pop who essentially rebuilt the Stannah business from scratch after the devastation of the Second World War.

As a young man Pop was an avid motorcycle enthusiast, retained by the iconic British motorcycle firm Ariel as a competitive rider and he won many events while riding for them. Pop didn’t join the family business on leaving education but went to work for other lift companies to gain experience. In fact, he still hadn’t joined the family firm by the outbreak of war in 1939 when he joined the Royal Navy.

After commendable service in the Royal Navy, Pop returned to London and to the ruins of the Stannah factory which had been hit by a bomb. By this time his father AJ was 77 and the business had ceased trading. With his demob suit, £300, and a bombsite where once a factory had stood, Leslie set out to rebuild the business. With incredible determination Pop started small and grew the business, manufacturing as many components of his lifts as possible. By the 1950s the business was on firm foundations and Brian and Alan were taking up apprenticeships in the industry ready for their ultimate entry into the business. Pop retired from the business in the 1960s and died at the age of 77 in 1979.

The 1970s were a transformative yet challenging decade, characterised by a biting recession, the three-day work week, and a fuel crisis. Despite these headwinds, Brian and Alan continued to diversify the business. Building on the success of the commercial Maxilift and the newly established Microlift division, the brothers sought a solution for homeowners struggling with stairs. After visiting a Dutch company, Jan Harmer, Brian purchased their designs, and the brothers began prototyping Stannah’s first stairlift. Manufacturing started in London in early 1975, and despite initial technical difficulties, they persevered to refine the engineering, selling 66 units in the first year alone.

As production processes improved, the operation quickly outgrew its London base, prompting a move to a purpose-built facility in Andover, Hampshire, where the business flourished. The stairlift was marketed not just as a mobility aid, but as an innovative alternative to moving house, endorsed by medical pioneers like Dr. Christian Barnard. To support this rapid growth in both the commercial and domestic sectors, Stannah established a dedicated service branch network starting in Manchester, Birmingham, and London. By 1979, the company had begun exporting to Germany, laying the foundation for a global presence that today spans over 40 countries.

By the mid-90s, the gamble on the domestic stairlift market had paid off in spectacular fashion, with the company celebrating the manufacture of its 100,000th unit in 1994. This exponential growth in production was matched by critical acclaim, as the company’s success in taking British engineering to the world was recognised with two separate Queen’s Awards for Export Achievement during the decade. These accolades cemented Stannah’s reputation not just as a UK manufacturer, but as a global leader in the mobility sector.

To support this booming international demand, the business moved beyond simple exporting to establishing a physical presence in key markets. The 1990s saw the launch of wholly-owned subsidiaries in the United States (1992) and Italy (1995), followed by further expansion into Europe. This strategic shift allowed Stannah to control the quality of service and installation worldwide, ensuring that the family ethos remained intact even as the business spanned multiple continents.

The modern era has been defined by a dual focus on celebrating heritage and strengthening commercial capability. In 2017, the company marked its 150th anniversary, a testament to its evolution from Victorian hoists to a major force in the global lift industry. While the production of the one millionth stairlift in October 2024 was a historic headline, it was matched by significant investment in commercial infrastructure. The opening of the new manufacturing facility in Andover was a strategic move to boost engineering capacity across the board, supporting the production of the advanced passenger and platform lifts that are now essential to accessibility in public buildings.

Leadership now rests with the fifth generation – Jon, Patrick, Nick, Alastair, and Helen -who are actively driving the commercial division to meet rigorous modern accessibility standards. Beyond manufacturing, they oversee a comprehensive service network that maintains thousands of lifts across the UK, ensuring the reliability that business clients demand. Under their stewardship, Stannah has reinforced its position not just as a home mobility provider, but as a premier partner for architects and construction firms, delivering sophisticated vertical transport solutions alongside their domestic products.