About us

Fredrick Edwin Thompson ( grandfather ) was a plumber during the war. He formed Thompson & Leigh soon after the war in 1946 to supply plumbing & sanitary ware to the building trade. The original premises were at 272 Broadway, Bexleyheath. Douglas B. Thompson joined T & L in 1955 after serving in the RAF. The company started to make fireplaces in a small lock up and after a few months moved to premises at Harrow Manorway, Abbey Wood in 1947/8 producing over 100 per week selling to local authorities and builders.

As a newly reformed Thompson & Leigh, our first bathroom showroom was sited in Unit 2 Bourne Industrial Park. It had ten bath suites, all Armitage Shanks. We boasted revolutionary colours like Sun King, Pampas, Wild Sage and Champagne. We could even offer you a thermostatic shower, and a glass bath screen. Cast iron baths ruled the sales, acrylic would never take over. The success of this showroom prompted us to move to Fraser Road, Erith. It was a bigger premise's, and a different time. Cast baths were fading, colours disappearing. The demise of UK based brands had started. Roca, Hansgrohe, Villeroy and Boch were the trend. Times change.

Thompson and Leigh have three trade counters based in Crayford, Erith and Northfleet. Our core customer base consists primarily of small plumbing and heating firms and sole traders. Whilst we welcome and service larger accounts, council's developers and health trusts, we will never forget our roots. We pride ourselves on our stock levels and diversity. The three trade counters combined boast an average stock level of £700,000. This ensures our customers the maximum chance of picking up the required goods the day they wish. But stock is little use without staff to sell it. Our counter staff and office back up have more experience in the industry than any major or multiple merchant chain. Twenty, twenty five, thirty years in the industry is the norm not the exception. That is not to say we live in the past, we welcome new and innovative products. We stock Trak pipe, cold fusion plumbing systems, wall hung wc, basin and bidet frames, rainwater harvesting systems and more new, innovative products are added as they become available. Delivery wise, three lorries cover Kent, London, Surrey and Sussex daily. Our Crayford depot specialises in plastic distribution as well. We stock 82mm, 110mm and 160mm soil in all available colours. 110mm and 160mm rainage pipe and fittings. Squareline, roundline, deepflow prostyle gutters, in all colours. Not to mention the original and the best Brett Martin Cast Style gutter in all ranges. Other areas we excel in are commercial sanitary ware, high pressure cylinders, range and sizes of copper fittings and brass valves.

So why not call. If we can we will help.

Trading Since

1983