Herbert Edward Dunhill: Difference between revisions

Born in 1882, brother of Alfred Dunhill. Herbert Edward Dunhill (known as "Uncle Bertie") joined his brother in the business in 1912.

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After Alfred, tired of family life, (supposedly) ran off with a fisherman's daughter, his brother, Herbert Edward Dunhill, better known to his family as Uncle Bertie, led the empire.<br>

Here, Mary reports on her book, a bit of her uncle's personality and how he was invited to join the business by his father:

<blockquote>"One of the visitors who occasionally came to Woodlands was Uncle Herbert or Bertie, as we called him, Father’s youngest brother and his junior by twelve years, who was soon to take an important part in the business. He had been a territorial member of the Artists Rifles but, on account of the tubercular condition that was to afflict him for most of his life, he had been declared unfit for active service.  

As soon as we were allowed to leave the table Lilian and I ran back into the garden. We had plenty to talk about. It was dusk when Mother called us in. Father and Uncle Bertie were still in the dining-room, bent over papers and plans." Dunhill, Mary, Our Family Business (The Bodley Head - Great Britain, 1979).</blockquote>

Balfour reported that Herbert was involved in the motoring accessories business along with his brother Alfred, but it's not clear when this involvement started but ceased in 1905 after they resigned from the company (Alfred still a prominent shareholder until December 1908, over a year after he had started trading as a tobacconist). For the latter half of 1908, the rates were payable by ‘Dunhill Bros Ltd’, Alfred’s youngest brother Herbert having decided to join him in the business. But the partnership dissolved almost immediately and the company never traded After that. Herbert starts his own business, in north London - were two modest tobacconists’ shops. From the end of 1908 up to 1911, Herbert negotiated tobaccos, but we couldn't find detailed information about this activity and if it had any relation to Alfred's business. He was considered by his family members as an experienced businessman. He takes over the management of Alfred's company in 1912, leaving him to take the creative processes. After Alfred's retirement, he assumes a central role in the administration - position that he occupies until 1950.

It is known that the Dunhill brothers were especially susceptible to female charms and had difficulties to control these inclinations, getting involved with extramarital relationships throughout their lives, which resulted in the divorce of both. As we can see in mary's relates and  In an article called "Weird and wonderful" for The Telegraph, published by David Burgess-Wise on 16 Aug 2003.

<blockquote><q>Uncle Bertie was about fifty at this time and had grown a full Imperial beard that seemed to have banished the affectations of his youth and to make the relaxed, confident manner of the mature man even more impressive. After what must have been as many love affairs as Father had had, though Uncle Bertie conducted his with rather more discretion, he had separated from his wife, Violet, and was now living with a charming, dark-haired woman called Isobel. She was a fellow sufferer from tuberculosis whom he had met at the Mundesley hospital and brought to Merano and whom, in the few years they lived together and before her death in this very Villa, he obviously adored, bringing her presents and nosegays every time he left her for more than a few minutes. Uncle Bertie had taken a keen interest in my own love affairs and was particularly anxious to meet Geoffrey. To my delight, they took to one another at once.</q> Dunhill, Mary, Our Family Business (The Bodley Head - Great Britain, 1979) p-90.</blockquote>