Formation
Hutchinson & Buchanan were established in 1919 by the formation of the partnership of William Hanley Hutchinson and Robert Chilton Buchanan.
William Hutchinson had qualified in 1876 and joined in partnership with a Mr Bateson at offices in Pateley Bridge, Harrogate and Ripon. Upon Mr Bateson’s retirement in 1883, William Hutchinson joined the firm of S Wise & Son (previously J W Coates, and established in 1834). The records of S Wise & Son and J W Coates are held in our library and date back to the 17th century. The oldest book in our library goes back to 1607!
In 1889 S Wise & Son bought our premises at 77 North Street, Ripon for £1,425 from the Trustees of the Ripon Savings Bank. These premises were ideal for a solicitor, possessing as they did a substantial bank strongroom which today houses many deeds and wills.
In 1919, William Hutchinson (by now the sole practitioner of S Wise & Son) combined S Wise & Son with the practice of Robert Buchanan, who had separate premises in Market Place, Ripon. The combined practice was named Hutchinson & Buchanan and traded from S Wise & Son’s old premises at 77 North Street, Ripon, from where Hutchinson & Buchanan continues to trade to this day.
