HISTORY
Wooldridge & Simpson was originally founded in 1906 by John Wooldridge & George Simpson.
The original foundations of the business, in undertaking high quality construction projects, in and around Oxford, remain at the heart of the business today.
At the end of 2013, following the retirement of David Simpson, the company changed ownership.
These are exciting times for Wooldridge & Simpson as we enter a new chapter in the company’s history.
As we continue to grow we welcome new talented, ambitious staff.
The Rhodes Building at Oriel College, Oxford in 1909.
“The site of the new building was occupied by a picturesque assortment of re-fronted tenements and (at the rear) by parts of the Gothic Principal’s house of c.1833, projecting well into the current area of St Mary’s Quad (Fig. 1).8 The building contract was let to John Wooldridge and George William Simpson of Frenchay Road, Oxford, in July 1909.”
Published in Oxoniensia 2011, (c) Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society
William Baker House, Waterstones Book Store, Oxford in 1914
“The erection of important business premises has been commenced at the corner of Broad Street and Cornmarket Street which upon completion will provide extensive show rooms, etc., for Messrs. William Baker & Co., of Broad Street. Accommodation has also been arranged for Messrs Martyr’s hairdressing establishment. The buildings will take a curved line uniting the street improvement scheme, and will be in Ancaster stone with Stonesfield slating to the fronts. The elevation will be divided into six bays with coupled columns to the height of the first and second floors, above polished Ancaster stone piers on the ground floor; and enriched cornice occurs over the third-floor windows, above which the roof will spring.”
It was designed by Messrs N. W. and G. A. Harrison, architects of Oxford, and built by Messrs Wooldridge & Simpson.
Published The Oxford Chronicle of 9 October 1914.
The Sir William Dunn School of Pathology Building, Oxford in 1927
“Trustee Charles D Seligman, handed the new building over from developers Wooldridge and Simpson to the University of Oxford, at an opening ceremony attended by the Vice Chancellor on Friday 11 March 1927.
Construction was funded by a donation of £100,000 made in 1922 by the Trustees set up in the will of Sir William Dunn who died in 1912. In today’s money this equates to £10.5m, a figure that demonstrates how building costs today have risen well above inflation.
The first Department of Pathology was opened in 1901 and ran until 1927 when it was handed over to Pharmacology on completion of the new purpose-built Sir William Dunn School of Pathology in South Parks Road.”
Published by https://www.path.ox.ac.uk/news/happy-90th-dunn-school