New Autumn/ Winter 2011 John Smedley Clothing John Smedley Thames long sleeved cardigan in Black with leather buttons. This garment is loose fitting & is made from 80% super-fine New Zealand Merino wool, 10% silk & 10% cashmere. John Smedley The John Smedley story began 225 years ago when Peter Nightingale & the first John Smedley set up shop at our mill in Lea Mills, Derbyshire, Engl&. The interactive timeline below means that you can trace back to that moment in 1784 & follow our story right up to the present day. John Smedley continues to expand & innovate. Our latest collections are some of our best ever & we continue to break new ground. However, we only move forward by understanding & holding on to the importance of provenance. That applies to John Smedley as a company & the garments we create. It helps make us who we are & reminds us of our commitment to creating only the highest quality collections.