He was one of 25 children and, aged 16, he accompanied his elder brother, Pio to Lugano, Switzerland where he worked until 1898 when he along with four of his other brothers came to England to set up a business of his own. Through hard work and determination in 1899 he opened his first shop, number 5, George Street, Leeds. He built the business primarily by serving other local businesses and with only a bicycle and a barrow he sharpened knives and scissors in hotels, restaurants and tailoring factories all over Leeds. In 1911 he exchanged his barrow for a motorcar and through his tenacity and resourcefulness his business continued to expand. In 1943 he moved the business to larger premises on Ludgate Hill and later in 1955 to ‘Rainbow Corner’ on Vicar Lane. In 1955 he also built a new mobile workshop and with the help of his two sons Alfred and Peter he continued to expand the sharpening service and the big blue van became a very familiar sight in and around Leeds. His wife Esther was also very much involved in the business and with her flare and expertise Peter Maturi & Sons rapidly became well known as a retailer of good quality merchandise. In 1956 aged 76 Peter Maturi senior passed away however his family continued to build on the business that he created. In 1961 the business relocated to a new development in Eastgate and it remained there until 1996 when it returned to Vicar Lane. In 1999 the business celebrated its centenary and played host to well known TV chefs including Anthony Worrall Thompson, Brian Turner, James Martin and Nick Nairn. It is now well known for its cookware ranges, its wide selection of knives, kitchen gadgets, pans, utensils, coffee machines, bar ware, bake ware and cutlery and quality has remained their first priority.
