Leading north IT firm Croft Technology has received official recognition from Her Majesty the Queen for providing information technology services to the Royal Household. Croft has been granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment and is now one of only a handful of companies in the North East to be granted the prestigious and historic warrant.
Croft also joins an elite number of international firms including Aston Martin, Bentley, Cadbury and Barbour. Croft has been delivering information technology services to royal households throughout the UK for over five years, the minimum term to be considered for a Royal Warrant. Phil Renton, managing director at Croft, said: “It is an honour to be granted the Royal Warrant from Her Majesty the Queen and we are delighted to be acknowledged for our consistent level of quality and professionalism. “The Royal Warrant recognises Croft as a national organisation, delivering strength, security and depth in a range of areas. It is also great recognition of the 115 Croft employees who work hard to drive the business forward and deliver results for clients.”
Royal warrants are granted to people or companies who have supplied goods to The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh or The Prince of Wales. They are awarded at the discretion of the Lord Chamberlain, acting as the chairman of the Royal Household Tradesmen's Warrants Committee. Since the Middle Ages, tradesmen who have acted as suppliers of goods and services to the Sovereign have received formal recognition. Initially this patronage took the form of Royal charters given collectively to various guilds in trades and crafts – these varied from haberdashers and pin makers to mole takers and rat catchers.
The first Royal charter was granted to the Weavers’ Company by Henry II in 1155 and in 1394 Dick Whittington helped obtain a Royal Charter for his own Company, the Mercers, who traded in luxury fabrics. By the 15th century Royal tradesmen were recognised by means of a Royal Warrant of Appointment - a practice that continues to this day. An early recipient was William Caxton, the first English printer, who was appointed King’s printer in 1476 after setting up his press at Westminster.
Other north east firms include outdoor clothing company Barbour, Procter and Gamble and fishing rod-maker Grays and Hardy, based in Alnwick, Northumberland.
