Rangemaster is one of the oldest companies in Europe making domestic appliances. The firm was founded in 1777 by John Flavel and the modern factory still occupies the original site in Leamington Spa on which William Flavel chose to build his new foundry in 1833. There has been continuous working on this site for over 172 years.

The manufacture of top-quality cooking appliances and the men and women who made them over a period of nearly 230 years forms the greater part of the history of Rangemaster.

Jean Field is well known in mid Warwickshire for her local history books and biographies. Much of the material for this book was collected by her late father who worked for the firm for nearly 51 years.