Wright Company

This private bank was formed in 1760 by the Wright family, merchants that traded with the Baltic countries in commodities such as timber, iron and hemp. The family had extensive connections with Manchester, Stockport, Hull, Sheffield and other industrial centres in the Midlands and north. Initially the bank traded as John & Ichabod Wright. It was known as Ichabod & Ichabod Charles Wright from about 1830. In 1898 the bank was acquired by Capital & Counties Bank (est. 1877).

From the guide to the Wright & Company records, 1791-1974, (Lloyds Banking Group (London))

The Wright Company was founded in November 1909 with the financial backing of New York investors who were interested in backing the fledgling aviation industry. In January 1910, the Wright Company set up a factory in Dayton, Ohio, and established a flying field and flight school at Huffman Prairie. The Wright Company rented factory space from the Speedwell Motor Car Company in Dayton, from January 1910 until the Wright Company factory at 2701 Home Road in Dayton was completed in Nov 1910.

The brothers hired Roy Knabenshue, an experienced balloon and airship pilot, to manage an exhibition flying team. Although the Wrights were not eager to enter the "mountebank business," as they referred to stunt flying and exhibitions, they recognized that an exhibition team would add to their income. The Wright exhibition team first performed at Indianapolis, Indiana, in June 1910. It stayed in business until November 1911, when the deaths of several team members prompted the Wrights to discontinue it. The Flight School the Wright brothers taught ran at Huffman Prairie from 1910-1911. Orville Wright and Charlie Taylor, their longtime mechanic, also set up a flying school in Montgomery, Alabama, from January to May of 1910, where Maxwell Air Force Base would later be located.

The summer of 1910 the Wright Company introduced what would become their most popular aircraft-the Wright Model B, which was produced from 1910-1914. Orville sold the Wright Company in 1915.

From the guide to the Wright Company Records, 1905-1917, (Wright State University, Special Collections and Archives)

The Wright Company was founded in November 1909 with the financial backing of New York investors who were interested in backing the fledgling aviation industry. In January 1910, the Wright Company set up a factory in Dayton, Ohio, and established a flying field and flight school at Huffman Prairie. The Wright Company rented factory space from the Speedwell Motor Car Company in Dayton, from January 1910 until the Wright Company factory at 2701 Home Road in Dayton was completed in Nov 1910.

The brothers hired Roy Knabenshue, an experienced balloon and airship pilot, to manage an exhibition flying team. Although the Wrights were not eager to enter the "mountebank business," as they referred to stunt flying and exhibitions, they recognized that an exhibition team would add to their income. The Wright exhibition team first performed at Indianapolis, Indiana, in June 1910. It stayed in business until November 1911, when the deaths of several team members prompted the Wrights to discontinue it. The Flight School the Wright brothers taught ran at Huffman Prairie from 1910-1911. Orville Wright and Charlie Taylor, their longtime mechanic, also set up a flying school in Montgomery, Alabama, from January to May of 1910, where Maxwell Air Force Base would later be located.

The summer of 1910 the Wright Company introduced what would become their most popular aircraft--the Wright Model B, which was produced from 1910-1914. Orville sold the Wright Company in 1915.

From the guide to the Wright Company Glass Plate Negative Collection, 1901-1911, 1910-1911, (Wright State University, Special Collections and Archives)