About Crocker Brothers Marquees

Crocker Brothers marquee hire specialise in marquee hire and marquee manufacture for any event. We provide marquees for hire up to 100' wide in traditional and 20 metres wide in aluminium structures. We make bespoke marquee and from own our standard ranges.

We are based in Derby, which means that we are ideally located in the centre of the UK. We can be on hand at most locations within 2-3 hours. 

A History of Crocker Brothers

Crocker Brothers began as a company in 1932 when Richard Crocker and his three sons (Fred, Henry and Lawrence) started a building business and timber yard at Chellaston, Derby. Like all small building firms they could, and had to, turn their skills to any job that came along and apart from their building work they built up a reputation as show engineers. In 1947 they were contracted to assist in erecting the tents for the Derby County Show and in lieu of payment, received the marquees instead. By default, Crocker Brothers became a marquee hire and manufacturing business and in the spring of the following year, 1948, Crocker Brothers began hiring out and making marquees under their own name.

Three years later the business partnership between Fred, Henry and Lawrence was dissolved and by this time Crocker Brothers were involved in building, road haulage and marquees. Business progressed and in 1968 the company became Crocker Brothers Ltd and at the same time a programme of rationalisation was entered into. Over the next few years the building business was wound down and the fleet of 12 lorries sold and at the end of 1971 only the marquee hire and manufacture remained.

There are very few photographs and records from before 1972 as in the Easter of that year there was a major fire which wiped out all of the hire stock and most of the records.

Since 1972 the company has grown considerably. It has gone from a small partnership run with the help of family and friends into a well respected nationwide company. The family are still integrally involved in the running of the business, the two main directors are Richard Crocker and Geoff Jennings-Crocker, but are backed up by a staff most of whom have 20 years or more experience in the trade. The company has survived many long and lean winters but has now become a solid and stable enterprise and remains as one of the longest enduring marquee hire companies in the country.