In the late 1890s, blacksmith James Henry Leeke established a modest ironmongery business from the front room of his family's terraced home on Court Street, Tonypandy. A true family venture, he and his wife served the local miners and their families who were flocking to the area as the coal industry flourished. By the 1940s, the family had broadened their offering to include hardware, and leased a yard from which to sell building materials. The business subsequently relocated to premises on Tonypandy high street, before the family purchased a disused station in the town - the additional space allowing them to introduce DIY, flooring, and eventually kitchen and bathroom studios