Broom was founded in 1898 by Charles J Broom who was the grand father of the present chairman, Martin Broom. Martin entered the business after serving a five year apprenticeship at the then largest boat building company in East Anglia, Herbert Woods Ltd., Martin took control of the business when his father Basil retired. During the 1930's Brooms expanded the hire fleet with the building of motor boats and this lead to demand from individuals asking Brooms to build boats for their own use. At first, many boatbuilders on the broads spurned the advent of glassfibre construction in the mid 1960s. Their wooden boats had set remarkable standards for longevity; they mostly operated in fresh water, rarely ventured into rough seas and, when not in use, were kept out of the sun's harmful rays, in boathouses. Many feared that plastic was unproven, and that a switch to the new material would mean sacrificing traditional crafts and jobs. Martin Broom and four businessmen took the initiative and formed a consortium to set up Aquafibre Ltd of Rackheath, Norwich. The new company was designed to supply a selection of hull and deck mouldings for completion by Broom and others. In 1971 Broom acquired a controlling interest in the company.