The companies history goes back to 1865 when, at the age of 24, William Crane set up a Blacksmith's shop in the village of Great Fransham in Norfolk. William and his three brothers had all followed in their Father footsteps by becoming apprenticed Blacksmiths. William went on to develop a new type of horse rake, cart wheels and farm wagons. Later with his two sons, the business expanded further and was registered in the 1883 White's directory as "William Crane - Agricultural implement maker, joiner and builder, blacksmith and wheel wright". Due to a bad debt, they acquired a load of timber which provided the raw material for the production of various carts and wagons, using the wheels they produced.