Dunhill: Difference between revisions

'''1861 - The genesis of the family business''': Frederick Dunhill (1807-1876) was a sacking manufacturer; his youngest son (of 5) Henry (1842-1901) was a commercial clerk. In 1870 at Frederick's death, his son, Henry, was in business as a dealer in sacking. Later he became a dealer in pianos and music. The sacking business was run from Euston Road, also making, among other things, accessories for horse-drawn vehicles. And here is where Alfred Dunhill begins his historic journey:

'''1900''': The Discount Motor Car Company (selling motor accessories by mail order) established at 145-147 Euston Road; expanded into 108 Euston Road, London.   

'''1901''': Alfred Dunhill's father, died. Motor Mart Employment Agency (for service and repair of motor cars) then became "Motor Mart Ltd" - established at 108 Euston Road, London.   

'''1904''': Dunhill's Motorities shop opened at 5 Conduit Street. Head office, wholesale and export departments opened in new buildings, 359-361, Euston Road - London. “Windshield Pipe” patent application.

'''1905''': Alfred Dunhill's Patent Development Company established at 8 Argyll Place, London. Dunhill's Motorities shops opened in Edinburgh, Manchester and within Hotel Cecil, London.   

'''1908''': Dunhill's Motorities shop opened in Glasgow. Cigarette manufacturing by hand commenced.

'''1907-1910:''' Dunhill imported the bulk of his pipes from France. Unsatisfied with the quality of even the better ones, he bought pipes from [[Charatan]] (1909/10) paying exorbitant prices to ensure he had some of the very best pipes for sale in England.  

'''1910''': First Know Dunhill catalogue produced; Alfred Dunhill lured away Joel Sasieni from Charatan and opened a small pipe workshop of his own on 28 Duke St. -- two rooms upstairs for a humble beginning. The focus was to use the finest quality briar, and expert craftsmanship to make pipes that would provide a superior smoke, and last a lifetime. The cost would reflect these principals, which was against the current trend of inexpensive pipes of poor quality; the Bruyere finish is first introduced.

'''1912''': First Alfred Dunhill became Alfred Dunhill Ltd; Herbert Edward Dunhill (1884-1950) joined his brother in the business; "White Spot" trademark first appeared on pipes. The famous white spot was introduced so customers would know which way to insert the handmade vulcanite mouthpieces on straight pipes (the spots face up). Pipe-making moved to Mason's Yard, London.

'''1914''': First World War began; Alfred Henry Dunhill leave the business and joined up.

'''1916''': Shop address became 30 Duke Street; factory and offices purchased in Nothing Hill Gate, London (pipe-making transferred there); Alfred Henry Dunhill won MC during the Battle of the Somme.

'''1922''': Alfred Dunhill of London Inc. formed in Toronto; first New York shop opened; The Parker Pipe Company Limited formed, to become subsidiary of Alfred Dunhill Limited.

'''1923''': Alfred Dunhill Limited formed, with an initial authorized share capital of £300,000 (Alfred and his brother Herbert as directors); "White Spot" trademark registered; shop opened at 27b Throgmorton Street, London.

'''1924''': Mary Dunhill joined the company; Société Anonyme Française Alfred Dunhill (SAFAD) formed; shop opened at 15 rue de la Paix, Paris; The Pipe Book by Aldred Dunhill published; Unique lighter introduced.  

'''1928''': Alfred Dunhill retires; Alfred Henry Dunhill succeeded him as chairman; first Dunhill clock introduced; Captive watch and Belt watch introduced.   

'''1934''': Registred office moved from 137 Notting Hill Gate to 30 Duke Street, St. Jame's.

'''1935''': Duke Street, St. Jame's, shop extension commenced.

'''1936''': Large shareholding in Hardcastle Pipes Ltd purchased, after a ten-year relationship; the factory in Walthamstow.

'''1938''': Royal Warrant received from George VI; Vernon Dunhill, Richard Dunhill father died.   

'''1951''': Shop opened in Bervely Hills.

'''1953''': Duke Street shop, finally, was completely rebuilt after bombed in 1941.

'''1954''': The Gentle Art of Smoking by Alfred H. Dunhill published.

'''1957''': New headquarters and shop opened in Duke Street, St. Jame's, 50 years after the first shop opened; "Bill" Carter completed 50 year's service.

'''1961''': Alfred Henry Dunhill retired as chairman; appointed president and succeeded as chairman by Mary Dunhill; Richard Dunhill appointed director; shop opened in San Francisco; Alfred Dunhill Tobacco Ltd formed (factory in Plaistow).

'''1966''': Shop opened in Hing Kong; Queen's Award for industry received for export achievement.   

'''1974''': Mary Dunhill celebrated 50 years' service to the company; shop opened in Dallas; Quenn's Award for industry received for export achievement; Anthony Greener appointed managing director.

'''1975''': Mary Dunhill retired as chairman; Richard Dunhill succeeded her; Mary Dunhill appointed president;  

'''1976''': H.Simmons Ltd, London, purchased; menswear department opened on lower ground floor at Duke Street, St. Jame's; Brentford Distribution Centre opened; Lane limited , New York, purchased together with subsidiaries F. Charatan, Ben Wade and Grosvenor Pipe (Lane alone sold in 1987).

'''1977''': Shop opened in Houston; controlling interest in Montblanc-Simplo GmbH, West Germany, purchased; Dunhill pipes Ltd formed; Bill Taylor works as administrator and overseer in the Dunhill Factory.

'''1978''': Shop opened in Atlanta; temporary controlling interest in Collingwood of Conduit ltd; Mary Dunhill retired from board of Dunhill Toiletries Ltd.

'''1980''': First Dunhill Pipe Dealers' World Conference, in London; the Cumberland finish is introduced; shop opened in Dubay; sponsorship of Alfred Dunhill Queen's Cup polo tournament commenced.  

'''1984''': Edition men's grooming products introduced; Bill Taylor leaves Dunhill to become Bill [[Ashton]]-Taylor

'''1989''': Richard Dunhill appointed chairman; Michael Nicholson appointed managing director; shops opened in Costa Mesa, Honolulu, Tokyo Osaka, and Wall Street.  

'''1992''': Shops opened in Geneva, Madrid and San Diego; Alfred's Dunhill business completed one hundred years' trading.

'''1993''': Alfred Dunhill celebrated its Centenary worldwide; the Vendôme Luxury Group was created with Alfred Dunhill Ltd and Montblanc-Simplo GmbH as two of its principal subsidiaries; all tobacco interests sold to Rothmans International plc; the centenary watch range was introduced, inspired by Alfred Dunhill's watches of the 1930's; Alfred Dunhill opened its first store in China; the Alfred Dunhill Shooting Season was held in some of Europe's most prestigious locations; Alfred Dunhill Open Golf Championship held in Knokke-le-Zoute, Belgium; François Poirel appointed managing director.

== Some Rarity == <!--T:3-->

Alfred was born on September 30, 1872, in a neighborhood called Haringey, in the suburban district of Hornsey, north of London. The third of the five children of Henry Dunhill (1842-1901), the fruit of his marriage to his first cousin, Jane Styles (1843-1922).

Unfortunately, there is a hiatus from birth to the beginning of his journey ahead of the family business. We found some sparse information, no reliable references. One, in particular, quoted a column called  "Mr. A. Dunhill " In the Times, published on January 5, 1959 and mentioning:

"Alfred Dunhill was educated at a private school in Hampstead and assisted by tutors until age 15. At 16, he becomes an apprentice in his father's horse-drawn business."  

Two years after the start of his professional career, in 1895, Alfred marries Alice Mary Stapleton (1874-1945). His first son Alfred Henry was born a year later, in 1896. Vernon was born in 1897, John in 1899 and Mary in 1906.  

With great energy and creativity, Alfred was also involved in building construction in the mid-1902, concurrently with the tobacco business. At the end of 1906, he was forced to leave this project aside to direct his energies to the growing demands of his basilar project, the tobacconary. Alfred was fascinated by architecture and design and submitted his houses (in the city and in the countryside) to frequent changes during his retirement. He also divaged about the possibility of investing in the segment of sweets and toys but did not have a chance to continue.

After much work and dedication, the first version of his book "The Pipe Book" was published in 1924 (the same year of the 5th edition of "About Smoke"). The book contained 262 pages in its first version, suffering a decrease in the revision of 1969 with the addition of the preface of Alfred H. Dunhill, thus being with 207 pages. It's a real treatise on the history of the pipes. Illustrated with 228 drawings, 30 photographs, and 3 maps, containing detailed descriptions.

On November 23 (in the same year of the release), in a column of the New York Times, called  "Books and Authors ", the author of the column congratulated Alfred Dunhill for making the pipe "a gentlemanly art". Alfred was also elected a member of the Royal Society of Arts in 1925 as a consequence of this work. The book has been available for several years in several versions. It was printed by several publishers over the years (1924 – 2011), varying between colored or black-and-white versions, simple or sophisticated.

Alfred retired in 1928, at the age of 56, due to possible health problems. There are no available historiography details on this topic. During his retirement, he spends most of his time in his cottage, titled "The Old Barn". He loved the sea, sailing, and fishing on the coast of Sussex, on his motor yacht called Poppy, where he had hours of pleasure and relaxation. I liked music, too. They say he was an excellent pianist.  Alfred Henry turns the protagonist ahead of the new company phase, leaving the story of Alfred Dunhill again restricted to the family environment, therefore, private.

==About Family Business==

A Joy to Outdoor Smokers.