J’AIME MAY 2022

F E AT U R E
A milestone celebration
THE WINTERTON NAME HAS BEEN SYNONYMOUS WITH AUCTIONEERING ACROSS
STAFFORDSHIRE SINCE 1864. NOW THE CURRENT INCARNATION OF THAT ILLUSTRIOUS
LINEAGE IS CELEBRATING 25 YEARS IN BUSINESS. ALEX KELLER FINDS OUT MORE
“Emotional.” That’s
the one word Richard
Winterton can muster to
sum up the past quarter
of a century.
From a young age,
Richard was always
destined to yield the
gavel. From helming his
first auction of farming
implements at the age
of 19 whilst working in
York to coming back
home to Lichfield to help
at Wintertons’ livestock
market at Smithfield –
now site of the city’s Tesco
superstore – auctioneering
and valuing is in his blood.
Not surprisingly, for the
Winterton name has
been a driving force in
the industry for seven
RICHARD AND JAN WERE
PRESENTED WITH A SURPRISE
GIFT AT THE CELEBRATION – A
WORK BY FAVOURITE ARTIST
DOUG HYDE. THEY ARE PICTURED
WITH SONS TOM, BEN, JAMES
AND HARRY, WHO ARE ALL PART
OF THE BUSINESS
generations, auctioneering across Staffordshire since
1864.
There have been numerous guises of Wintertons
with different directors but the current incarnation
of the family firm is now celebrating 25 years since
Richard and his wife Janet took over in their own
right.
And what a ride it has been.
Since opening at The Schoolhouse in Burton in
1997, more than half a million lots have gone under
the hammer with Richard Winterton Auctioneers.
Richard’s four sons Tom, Ben, James and Harry are
now all part of the business and last October, the
family firm launched auction rooms in a Grade II
listed building in Tamworth in addition to the longterm
base at The Lichfield Auction Centre off Wood
End Lane at Fradley Park.
“Emotional – emotional is the word,” said Richard,
when prompted to sum up the quarter century
milestone.
“What we’ve gone through since that first day we
opened at The Schoolhouse and the hours and
hours of work, going from just a handful of staff
to 40 people to build what we have now, it’s almost
impossible to put into words – it’s just huge.
“I am so proud of what we have all achieved. Yes, it’s
been hard, but we believe in doing things the right
way and always going that extra mile.
“The 25th anniversary itself was an important and
emotional day for myself and Jan and I want to say
thank you to everyone who has been with us on this
tremendous journey, especially to loyal staff and
clients who have been with us for years.”
Alongside his day job, Richard is a familiar face on
television as auctioneer on programmes such as BBC
Bargain Hunt and Dickinson’s Real Deal on ITV.
But away from the limelight, he is a huge believer in
community.
Richard is chair of governors at Holy Trinity CE
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