A public memorial service will be held where friends, colleagues and employees are invited to celebrate John’s life and work; date and location to be advised.

It is with great sadness that Monument Tools announce the passing of its Chairman, John Collier, which took place peacefully after a sudden and short illness on 16 January 2024.

John, who was born in 1942, joined the business following an education at Epsom College, and along with his father, Arthur Collier Jnr, they set out to grow the business following the invention and patenting of an adjustable basin wrench for professional plumbers.

Building on the Shetack brand and a range of professional plumbers and builders’ tools, which included copper pipe cutters, he moved the business from its Brixton base to new premises in Balham in 1969, doubling manufacturing and storage space.

He continued to grow the business investing in manufacturing processes and automatic lathes and was an early adopter of computer-based systems in the early 1970’s.

John was a trailblazer, introducing General Wire Spring electromechanical drain cleaning machines to the UK market, plumbers soldering equipment to the UK in the early 1970s and in the Monument tradition bringing products to market which no other brand would bring to market.

Throughout the 1980’s he continued to invest in both product development and manufacturing, including installing plastic injection moulding equipment to increase capacity.

In 1996 he moved the business to new premises in Hackbridge, again doubling the size of the operation, and the UK operations still manufacture and distribute from this site today.

John became a leading light in the Federation of British Hand Tool Manufacturers, serving a period as President, and established the Company as regular exhibitor at the Cologne Hardware Fair.

He was also a Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Plumbers.

In 1996 his son, Jonathan, joined to become the fifth generation of the Collier family to be involved in the business. In 2010 when Jonathan became Managing Director, John moved into the role of Chairman and became affectionally referred to by the employees of Monument Tools as ‘Senior’.

John’s last company activity was to preside over Monument Tools 90th birthday celebration which was held locally and attended by past and present employees.

Outside of the business John was a successful club cricketer playing and captaining Cheam Cricket Club and The Old Epsomians, where he was also President of The Old Epsomian Cricket Club.

A private funeral service will be held for family members.

A public memorial service will be held where friends, colleagues and employees are invited to celebrate John’s life and work; date and location to be advised.