The history of K Darlington & Son, Tarmac®, surfacing and lining contractors

David Darlington

Born in 1919, left school in 1934 at the age of 15 and got a job at ICI in Northwich. Joined the Navy in the late 1940s where he became a Petty Officer and was discharged 2 years later after contracting Rheumatic fever. When he regained his fitness he started a company doing various types of civil engineering works including tarmacadam, concrete and fencing etc. His main customers where ICI, Northwich Council and sub-contracting work for The Northwest Construction Company. He worked all over the country staying in lodgings until the job was complete.

In 1955 David’s youngest brother Ken left the army and started working with David. After 2 years they formed a partnership, purchased two tarmacadam trucks (one red and one grey) which they nicknamed the red devil and the old grey mare. David and Ken had many happy times working together all over the North of England on various sites. David retired due to a heart complaint but continued to help and advise Ken. David died in 1995.

Ken Darlington

Born in 1935 Ken left school at the age of 15 and started work in a local butcher in Northwich called Burkhills. In 1953, when he turned 18, he did National Service for two years in the Royal Signals and was stationed in Germany. Once Ken finished his National Service in 1955 he commenced work with his older brother David learning the skills of civil engineering and surfacing.

In 1956 Ken met his wife to be Joan and later moved to Horwich and got married in October 1959.

David (Ken’s brother) had to retire due to ill health in the early 1960s so Ken concentrated his efforts to carry on surfacing works nearer to his new home in Horwich. Ken’s mother in law lent him £250 to buy a tarmacadam truck and a roller which he repaid over two years. Ken’s business and family started to grow he had a daughter (Sue) in 1961 and a son (Mark) in 1970.

By now Ken was doing quite a lot of work for Bolton Metro including school playgrounds, shops and small privately owned car parks and driveways. In 1986 Mark left school and was employed by his father Ken and in 1991 went on to form a partnership. As the business began to grow it became clear that they would need to invest in a tarmacadam laying machine rather than hiring one in order to compete for larger works and so the workload and the workforce increased. Ken retired in March 2000 when he reached the age of 65. After spending a couple of months at home he decided he would like to come back to work for a couple of days a week which he enjoyed as he could pick and choose his days. Ken died suddenly in November 2005 at the age of 70.