Charles and his brother John Leadbetter were butchers on the estate of the Earl of Ferris, in Stoweby-Chartley, Staffordshire, England In 1905, after the estate had gone bankrupt as a result of new taxation, Charles followed his brother-in-law James Taylor, a boat builder, to Toronto to seek a better life. His wife Florence and children Annie, Hilda, Jack and Harry and his brother John, followed the next year. They settled in Toronto, Ontario but dreamed of owning their own farm. It became a disaster as they were not farmers and in 1922 they went back to the family trade and opened Leadbetter's Butcher Store on Main Street, Markham, Ontario. The family business continued in the family name until 1998. In 1974 Bill Leadbetter, (son of Jack) and family moved to Washago, Ontario and operated Leadbetter's Meat Market until 1979 when he was forced to sell due to a family illness. Two years later, in 1981, Bill opened Longford Meats Ltd and ran it successfully until his son Philip Leadbetter took over in 1990. From their current location Philip and his wife Pat operate a retail store Leadbetter's Quality Meats and small processing plant Leadbetter Foods Inc. In 1983, Bill continuously unable to sell a particular cut of beef, came up with the idea to marinate this less expensive, less popular cut. With limited success these steaks became known as "Cowboy Steaks", and in 1997 the name was trademarked. The new Cowboy Steaks were consistently more tender and flavourable and their popularity continues to grow.