1867
The story begins with cricket bats.
Surridge cricket bats trace their beginnings to 1867, when Percy Stuart Surridge began repairing old cricket bats and selling them locally.
The Surridge story · Since 1867
Built through generations of sport.
From cricket bats made by hand to teamwear supplied across clubs, schools, universities and professional sport, the Surridge name has evolved alongside the games it serves.
More than a name on the shirt.
Surridge began with one craftsman repairing cricket bats. Over the decades, the business moved into manufacturing, equipment innovation, professional sponsorship and eventually the modern teamwear market.
What began at a workbench grew through generations of sporting innovation, iconic products and partnerships that carried the Surridge name far beyond cricket.
1867 — 1950
From the workshop to the world stage.
The foundations of Surridge were built around cricket craftsmanship, product development and a growing reputation beyond Britain.
1887
From repairs to making bats.
Percy, a skilled carpenter and craftsman, met James Lillywhite and learned the craft of making cricket bats from start to finish rather than simply repairing old ones.
1893
A patented reinforced toe.
Percy Surridge designed and patented a reinforced toe for the cricket bat. This marked the beginnings of Stuart Surridge & Co Limited, with Percy designing and making bats from his shed.
1900
Adopted by W.G. Grace.
The first Stuart Surridge cricket bats went on sale and were quickly adopted by cricketing legend W.G. Grace.
1920
The next generation takes over.
The company passed to Stuart Surridge — father of the future Surrey cricketer — and continued to flourish.
1937
Key milestone
Building the Surridge name.
By the late 1930s, Surridge was increasing its exposure through national advertising, including a successful newspaper campaign promoting its cricket equipment.
1946
Demand reaches overseas teams.
English cricket bats were increasingly in demand around the world. Indian players collected bats from the Stuart Surridge factory, and Surridge bats were used by the Indian team against England in the first Test series between the sides for ten years.
1950s
Key milestone
Sporting ambition expands.
The brand passed to Percy Surridge’s grandson, Stuart Surridge. Development expanded beyond cricket into hockey sticks, tennis rackets and footballs. Stuart also captained Surrey CCC during one of the club’s most successful periods.
1958 — 1993
Innovation, icons and big sporting moments.
Football innovation, famous bats, elite players and high-profile sponsorships pushed the SS mark into new parts of sport.
1958
Key milestone
The SS Cobbler changes the football.
After years of development, Stuart Surridge released the synthetic laceless SS Cobbler — an early step towards the modern football. England manager Walter Winterbottom took the ball to Sweden.
The SS Cobbler was selected for the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, where Pelé made his World Cup debut.
1963
Surridge in print.
Surridge remained a familiar presence in sporting print advertising, with campaigns continuing to build recognition for the brand.
1970s–90s
The SS Jumbo becomes a bat of choice.
More leading cricketers began using SS. The SS Jumbo became associated with players including Viv Richards, Graham Gooch, Lance Klusener, Richie Richardson and Mark Taylor.
1980
A Goal of the Season with the UFO ball.
Justin Fashanu’s famous Norwich City goal against Liverpool — later named Goal of the Season — was scored with a Stuart Surridge UFO football.
1991
Key milestone
Gascoigne, Gooch and major sponsorships.
SS signed a major sponsorship deal with Paul Gascoigne while extending its relationship with Graham Gooch. The pair finished first and third respectively in the 1991 BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.
1992–93
The end of a family era.
Following Stuart Surridge’s death in 1992, the family decided to sell Stuart Surridge & Co Ltd to Dunlop-Slazenger, beginning a new chapter for the name.
2001 — 2008
The making of modern Surridge Sport.
A new ownership and distribution era brought the brand back into professional cricket and football, leading to the Surridge Sport identity used today.
2001
A new identity and UK distribution.
After a period in which the Surridge name appeared across products including snooker cues, tennis rackets and hockey sticks, the name was sold to an Indian/South African partnership and rebranded with a red, white and blue SS logo.
SDL Group Ltd then became the UK distributor, taking on professional kit design and manufacturing contracts including the Scottish Saltires and Gloucestershire CCC.
2004
Key milestone
Cricket comes home to Surrey.
Surridge signed a sponsorship deal with Surrey CCC, the historic home of the Surridge name. The Stuart Surridge Gates remain at The Oval.
2005
Surridge Sport takes shape.
SDL Group Ltd acquired the Stuart Surridge brand worldwide. The business became known as Surridge Sport, retaining the recognisable SS trademark while developing a worldwide distributor programme.
2006
Into professional football.
Surridge became kit manufacturer and sponsor to MK Dons FC.
2007
World Cup cricket and Bury FC.
During the 2007 Cricket World Cup, Surridge supplied kit to two participating teams, Holland and Scotland. The same year also brought a kit manufacturing agreement with Bury FC that lasted eight seasons.
The oval Surridge trademark was also updated, creating a more modern and versatile identity while retaining the SS symbol.
2008
Key milestone
A major presence in county cricket.
By 2008, Surridge was official kit supplier to more county cricket teams than any other brand at the time, supplying Surrey, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, Durham, Glamorgan, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Essex.
That year also saw SS at Wembley with Barnsley FC in their FA Cup semi-final against Cardiff City.
2010 — Today
From professional sport to teams everywhere.
University and school partnerships became a major part of the business, driving the development of teamwear across dozens of different sports.
2011
Growing into schools.
SS signed a supply deal with Cheltenham College, marking an important step in the company’s expansion into the schools market.
2013
A long-running Mansfield partnership.
Surridge entered a deal with Mansfield Town FC that went on to last nine full seasons.
2010
Key milestone
A new era in university sport.
Surridge secured its first large university contract. The university market became an important new chapter for SS and helped drive the development of playing garments across more than 60 sports.
Today
A teamwear brand built across sport.
Surridge now supplies teamwear across professional and amateur sport, including cricket, football and rugby, as well as schools, universities, clubs and organisations across a wide range of disciplines.
The business continues to build on the same themes found throughout its history: product development, sporting partnerships and kit designed around the teams that wear it.
The story continues
The name has changed. The purpose hasn’t.
From cricket bats made by hand to kit created for teams, schools, universities and organisations, Surridge continues to design for the people who play the game.
