In 1646, a north-country yeoman by the name of Thomas Pickford had his lands confiscated by Parliament for gun-running and supporting the Cavaliers during the English Civil War.

The Pickfords family of Adlington, south of Manchester, and later of nearby Poynton, first entered the wagon trade in the 17th century.

A year later, it bought the carrier business of William Bass, a Staffordshire haulier who carried ale for a local brewer.

[1] For delay in delivering a miller's iron shaft, Pickford's was involved in the famous English contract law case, Hadley v. Baxendale (1848), where the court held the company was not liable for unforeseeable losses resulting from their lateness.

During this time it formed a rivalry with fellow hauliers Carter Paterson, with whom (amongst others) they merged in 1912, although both kept their separate names.

A number of former Pickfords vehicles have been preserved and can be seen at events, demonstrating moving outsize loads along with the earlier steam tractors [citation needed].

[5][6][7] Pickfords' travel agency business was the second largest in the UK in 1984 and included the Harry Leek chain as well as its own brand.

As part of its approach to corporate responsibility, Pickfords announced a fundraising partnership with the NSPCC in 2010.