A FOURTH generation family business has celebrated 125 years in business.

Gill’s Leeming Bar was founded in Danby by John Henry Gill, the great grandfather of the current proprietor Michael Blanchard. They moved to Leeming Bar after taking over Mattison’s foundry in 1912.

The family is now believed to be the longest-standing trade exhibitor at the Great Yorkshire Show, occupying the same spot on the showground that Michael remembers from when he first attended as a child at primary school.

Gill’s originally manufactured agricultural machinery and was for many years a large tractor dealership, diversifying in 2000 to its current business with lawn mowers, All Terrain Vehicles and quad bikes and, particularly during the pandemic, bicycles.

Michael’s grandfather, who is now 105, has shared many memories both about the business and the show with the family but Michael’s own favourite memory of the show was ringing his father, Alan, to tell him to get himself to the stand quick because the Duke of Edinburgh was on his way. Michael said the Duke was very interested in where different pieces of machinery were manufactured, and the stand appeared on television again recently as part of the coverage of the Duke’s death in April.

This year’s stand is featuring Yamaha ATV's and Logic accessories. Michael said: “We are a friendly family firm and this is the first time we have been able to get out to meet people in two years so it is brilliant to have had that opportunity.”