Adkin & Sons Tobacco, London (Antiquarian Nicotiana Brittanica Vol. 13)

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May 31, 2012
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This very brief installment of Antiquarian Nicotiana Brittanica will look at the small house of Adkin & Sons.
I couldn't dig up much on this olde firme except that they were one of the original 13 (an ironic number considering they were battling a Yankee invader of whose colony was also borne of an original thirteen!) companies in the Great Amalgamation of 1901 which became the Imperial Tobacco Company.
The Imperial Tobacco Company was created in 1901 through the amalgamation of thirteen British tobacco and cigarette companies comprising W.D. & H.O. Wills of Bristol (the leading manufacturer of the time), John Player & Sons of Nottingham and 11 other independent family businesses, which were being threatened by competition from the United States in the form of James Buchanan Duke and his American Tobacco Company.
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The most popular Adkins brand by far was Nut Brown, and possibly the only one from the firm that was carried over into the Imperial portfolio, although possibly Cob-Nut came from there too and was turned into an Ogden's brand at some point but I'm unsure if there was actually that connection.
It was sold for years and years - some of the UK forum members may remember seeing it around, or even smoking it themselves, if so, I'd love to hear about it from a first-hand account!

Please share your story if you're familiar with this stuff!
books

books

books

Location as seen here:

rip84-photo1.jpg

So, there's some interesting Jack the Ripper stuff associated with Aldgate too...
...an interesting sidenote:

Samuel Gluckstein had co-founded one of the largest tobacco businesses with his son-in-law, Barnett, in 1873. Their motto was Largest and Cheapest Tobacconists in Europe, and they had set up shop next to the Three Nuns Hotel, on Aldgate High Street to undoubtedly take advantage of the future railway lines.
Text heavy dense reading, but also has an early pic of the S&G shop:

http://www.casebook.org/dissertations/rip-butchersrow.html
I'm afraid that's it.

Slim pickins indeed.
Any additional info greatly appreciated!
On to grazing the traces of the visual record...


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thefalcon

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 23, 2012
241
2
Troy, Do you find all this stuff online? When I search for Gallaher Tobacco or Condor, the search engine turns up limited info. I have seen your thread on Gallaher in the past and enjoyed it very much! Thanks for your research.
Eric :D

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
Eric,

I find it all online over time and compile it all as best I can.
You're right about the scarcity of such material and it is indeed difficult to come across.
A couple of search tips may help...
Using google, go to "advanced search" and do a UK region only search - that sometimes pops up some gems.
Sometimes doing an image search for black & white images helps narrow the field.

I use image searches intensively!
As for actual text, have patience and go deep deep into the search results, some of the better stuff lay like treasures on the backpages.
Use very specific searchterms in quotes, like "condor sliced" or "thomas gallaher" or "gallahers tobacco".
GoogleBooks is also a great resource, much stuff to be found.

Example:

Smoking in British Popular Culture 1800-2000: Perfect Pleasures
The Legacy Library is perhaps one of the richest sources out there,

but,

it's difficult and tedious to search,

worth the effort though!

http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/



I love doing this stuff and I'm highly motivated and enthused to do so!

:P

 

jkrug

Lifer
Jan 23, 2015
2,867
8
Excellent post! Absolutely love the old photos, advertisements and bits of tobacco history. Thank you. :D

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
I only chose #13 for this slim volume of Antiquarian Nicotiana Brittanica because it had popped up in the forming of the post, I really have no idea how many volumes there have been in the series,

but here's a few more on this specific topic in case you haven't seen them...
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/smoking-some-65-year-old-scottish-flake-a-group-review
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http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/the-big-huge-gigantic-gallahers-gallery-very-image-heavy​
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http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/ye-olde-united-kingdom-tobacco-tins-pictorial-massive-images-
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/for-the-love-of-plugs-an-historical-appreciation​
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/ye-olde-tobacconist-shoppe-the-way-things-once-were-image-heavy
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/ye-olde-british-tobacco-factory-wills-circa-1934​
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/st-bruno-the-patron-saint-of-pipesmokers-image-heavy
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http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/pj-carroll-dundalk-ireland-tobacco-co-mick-mcquaid-gtimage-heavy​
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/cope-bros-tobacco-works-liverpool-england-image-heavy
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/a-very-short-history-of-players-digger-tobacco-gtimage-heavy​
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/robert-sinclair-tobacco-co-ltd-of-newcastle-upon-tyne
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/balkan-sobranie-notes-quotes-links-and-pretty-pictures-image-heavy​
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/willss-capstan-navy-cut-a-short-salty-survey-image-heavy
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http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/players-airman-survey-of-a-long-gone-tobacco-and-etc-very-image-heavy​
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/george-dobies-tobacco-of-paisley-scotland-very-image-eavy
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/murray-sons-and-company-tobacco-works-of-belfast-ireland​
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/jampf-bell-ltd-of-glasgow-three-nuns-very-image-heavy
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/antique-cutter-top-knife-lid-tobacco-tin-survey-and-excavation-image-heavy​
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/lakelands-an-attempt-to-understand-the-famous-gawith-scents
+​
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/ye-olde-uk-tins-the-orphans-and-the-obscure​
+​

 

thefalcon

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 23, 2012
241
2
Thank you Troy for the very helpful Search Tips, I really appreciate this info. I love this stuff as well! All the best!
Eric

 

jguss

Lifer
Jul 7, 2013
2,412
6,211
Great post, Troy. I knew nothing about Adkin, and had to scramble a bit to dig up some information. It's clear that they were a tiny addition to the formation of the Imperial trust, receiving about 1.2% of the equity and perhaps half that percentage of the advertising budget in the early years. While not the smallest company invited to join, my guess is that they (along with other minor tobacco manufacturers) were asked at least in part to present the image of a more united industry front against Duke's assault: a sort of "coalition of the willing" formed to beat back the American invader from British soil.
As for the company itself, it's easy enough to find a few websites that assert it was established in the late 1700s. After some quick research, though, I'm skeptical, and more inclined to believe it dates from the 1820s or more likely 1830s. Certainly the earlier London directories don't list an Adkin in the tobacco trade. More importantly, tracing the genealogical line back from the time of the Imperial merger we learn that the founding family consisted of Robert Adkin and his wife Margaret Ann Whitley; I would guess both were born around 1790, plus or minus five years; certainly they were married in March of 1814, and had four children before Robert died: three sons named Robert Whitley Adkin (1816-1884), John Adkin (~1818-1907), and Charles Adkin (1820-1891), and a daughter named Catherine (1821-1859).
Robert's trade is uncertain. Other than the marriage record, which doesn't state an occupation, the only references I've found refer to him variously as a "gentlemen" (these occur decades after his death, and of course are uninformative), a silversmith, and a jeweler. Nowhere does it say tobacco manufacturer. My guess, and it's only that, is that either he entered the tobacco business very late in his life, or his widow Margaret entered it after he died. It's clear that Robert was dead by 1839, since a London directory survives from that year listing a tobacco manufacturing business called Margaret Adkin & Son. Presumably the "son" in question is Robert Whitley, since he was the eldest of the three boys. At that time the business was located on Ratcliff Highway; Adkin's specific section of the highway was called St George's Street East, and both names are used in various directories and Gazette notices. Adkin remained there at least through 1852, although by 1863 it had moved to 31 Aldgate. Note that sometime around 1842-1843 the name is changed to Adkin & Sons, implying the entry into the business of one or both of the other brothers (all three were eventually involved). In 1850 their sister Catherine married a man named William Charles Bartholomew Hockly (1822-1890), and he also shows up as a partner in Adkin & Sons, as eventually does his son by Catherine, William Wellesley Hockly (1854-1902).
It is the next generation that apparently engineered Adkin's entry into the Imperial trust, and compensated for a loss of independence with a rather large pile of cash. Robert Whitley Adkin had three children; the oldest, a boy named Henry John (1858-1921) became a solicitor, and was not a partner in the tobacco business. The middle was a daughter named Edith Marian (1859-1886), and died unmarried. The youngest was a boy named Francis Newbery (1861-1947), and he was the one to take up his father's role in the tobacco business. Note that while father Robert Whitley was worth 41k pounds when he died in 1884, his son Francis Newbery was worth 123k pounds upon his death in 1947. Pretty impressive considering the confiscatory taxes put in place in the UK during and after the two world wars.
Robert Whitley's younger brother, John Adkin, had six children, four boys and two girls. Of this brood, two played the more important roles in the tobacco business: oldest child Robert (1849-1935), who left an estate of an astounding 295k pounds, and next oldest son John Gibb (1852-1923) who left an almost equally impressive estate of some 153k pounds. Their father John, who died in 1907, by comparison had left an estate of some 51k.
The last of Robert and Margaret's sons, Charles Adkin, had only one child, a daughter named Hannah Mary Adkin (1854-1950). She married a man named Charles William Startin, and from what I can tell they were uninvolved in the family business.
And as noted, daughter Catherine's husband WCB Hockly and their son WW Hockly were each also partners for a time, but in WCB's case he retired from the partnership in 1885 and died five years later, while the son WW retired in 1890 and died in 1902. So neither member of this branch were still partners at the time of the Imperial merger, and able to profit form it. Their estates were correspondingly lower at the time of their deaths.
So of the Adkin family, when the Imperial deal came along the surviving members still involved included one of Robert and Margaret's sons, John Adkin, along with three of their grandchildren: two by John Adkin (Robert and John Gibb), and one by Robert Whitley (Francis Newbery).

 

jarit

Can't Leave
Jul 2, 2013
333
4
Thanks for compiling yet another intriguing piece of tobacco history!

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
:worship:

Jon!
Amazing scholarship as usual,

wow,

you filled in some seriously missing blanks and I thank you for taking the time to post the vital information.
It's clear that they were a tiny addition to the formation of the Imperial trust, receiving about 1.2% of the equity and perhaps half that percentage of the advertising budget in the early years. While not the smallest company invited to join, my guess is that they (along with other minor tobacco manufacturers) were asked at least in part to present the image of a more united industry front against Duke's assault: a sort of "coalition of the willing" formed to beat back the American invader from British soil.
Very interesting note about the advertising budget.
I think your "coalition of the willing" hypothesis is spot on the mark.
Of this brood, two played the more important roles in the tobacco business: oldest child Robert (1849-1935), who left an estate of an astounding 295k pounds, and next oldest son John Gibb (1852-1923) who left an almost equally impressive estate of some 153k pounds ...his son Francis Newbery was worth 123k pounds upon his death in 1947. Pretty impressive considering the confiscatory taxes put in place in the UK during and after the two world wars.
Impressive indeed!

Wow, it must've been a huge windfall from Imperial, I'd reckon that the family also probably got shares of stock as well? Or something similar?
It really is fascinating to see all the familial aspects and how things evolve over time, one day a family descendent may be doing research and read this thread and be prompted to leave us a note - that's always an exciting possibility, I remember when one such family member descended from J&F Bell did just that, and even told us some personal insights which would otherwise remain always unknown.
Thank you Jon for adding such rich detail here!

:clap:

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
There's a gent in the UK who has set up an interesting website.

www.tobaccocollectibles.co.uk
At first, he included pictures along with the brands, of which I contributed a few odds and ends from my small collection, an old War Horse Bar etc, but he's taken them down for some reason.
There's also quite a few typos which may lead to confusion because some of the older stuff only exists on old price list --- example, under Dunhill you'll find "Royal Yatch" etc.
Anyway, his brand list for Adkin is quite extensive,

not sure of the accuracy with his dating,

but it's interesting nonetheless to see what a broad range there was in the pre-Imperial days!
Adkins & Sons Ltd

Dingley Road Factory, City Road , London E.C.1

Founded 1795
EPP 1890
Afco Cut Bar c.1930-40

Afco Mixture c.1930-40

Afco Shag c.1930-40

American Honeydew c.1890 - 1910

Best Birdseye c.1890-1910

Best Virginia Mixture c.1890-1910

Beat Bright Virginia c.1890-1910

Big Ben Tobacco c.1890-40

Big Ben Mixture c.1930-40

Boatswain Navy Cut c.1900-20

Blue Boar c.1890-1920

Bright Birdseye c.1890-1910

Bright Flake c.1890-1910

Bright Returns c.1890-1910

Brown Cut Cavendish c.1890-1910

Brown Flake c.1890-1910

Camp Fire Shag c.1930-40

Churchwarden c.1890-40

Cob Nut c.1930-40

Counter Birdseye c.1900-1930

Commissariat Birsdseye c.1890-1910

Commodore Navy Cut c.1890-1910

Cut Cavendish c.1890-1910

Cut Honeydew c.1890-1910

Dark Honeydew Flake c.1890-1910

Dauntless c.1890-30

Exchequer c.1890-1910

Exhibition Birdseye c.1890-1920

Exhibition Mixture c.1890-1910

Exhibition Returns c.1890-30

Exhibition Shag c.1890-30

Extra Nut Brown c.1895-45

Flaked Honeydew c.1890-1910

Fine Shag c.1890-1910

Free Trade Flake c.1890- 1910

Gentleman Waife c.1890-1910

Gold Flake Honeydew c.1890-20

Golden Gleanings c.1890-1910

Golden Iris c.1890-1910

Gold Leaf Returns c.1890-1910

Golden West c.1890-40

Grosvenor Mixture c.1890-30

Honeycomb c.1890-30

Imperial Shag c.1890-1910

Latakia 1890 -

Light Flake c.1890-1920

Light Navy c.1890-1910

Light Navy Cut c.1890-1910

Lily Bud Scented c.1890-40

London Birdseye c.1890-1920

London Mixture c.1890-1910

London Pride c.1890-1910

Long Cut Navy c.1890 - 1910

Longshore c.1890-20

Merlin c.1890-20

Mild Shag c.1890-1910

Monastery c.1890-30

Nas-a-Lat Mixture c.1920-30

No1 Virginia Returns c.1890-1910

No3 Cut Cake c.1890-1910

Nut Brown Empire Grown c.1890-45

Nut Brown Extra c.1890-45

Old Brigade c.1890-30

Old Dan c.1890-1910

Old Smoker c.1890-20

Old Squire c.1890-30

Old Virginia c.1890-1920

Purity Brand c.1890-1910

Rich Cut Cavendish c.1890-1910

Rich Cut Dark Virginia c.1890-1920

Rich Dark Cut Flake c.1890-1910

Rohdesian Mixture c.1930-40

Rough Cut Cavendish c.1890-1910

Royal George c.1890-40

Royal Mixture c.1890-1920

Sam Slick c.1890-20

Seaview Cut Plug c.1890-1910

Special Light Flake c.1890-1910

Sublime c.1890-40

Staight Cut Bright Virginia c.1890-1910

Superfine Shag Black Label c.1890-1920

Virginia Cut c.1890-1920

Wild Briar c.1890-20

Wiltshire Mixture c.1890-1910

York Flake c.1890-1920

Yule Tide c.1890-1910

XX Dark Cut Plug c.1890-1910

 

jguss

Lifer
Jul 7, 2013
2,412
6,211
Troy, yes that's a great site. As you say, there are a few typos (e.g. "Adkins" instead of "Adkin"), and a few recitals of questionable stuff (e.g. the 1795 foundation date), but it's still a helluva a resource and a great find.
I've narrowed down the Adkin origins a bit since yesterday. I believe Robert Adkin was born in 1791 and died in 1823, which means his widow Margaret would have been left with four pretty small children on her hands. Robert and his family lived in Beccles (in Suffolk, to the northeast of London), and in addition to being a kind of insurance agent, owned "a most desirable wholesale and retail business in the above branches [Jewellers, Stationers, Silversmiths] together with Cutlery, Haberdashery, Perfumery and Patent Medicines and a variety of other articles". This description comes from an ad placed by his widow in the summer of 1823 in an effort to sell the business complete with inventory. Presumably this provided Margaret with money to live on and capital to enter tobacco manufacturing, although this is only a guess.
The ad also makes clear, by the way, that while the business was some 40 years old it was owned by someone else (two women named Horth and Wales) before Robert acquired it. Given the age at which he died, Robert can't have owned it for much more than 5-10 years, and very possibly less.

 

chitchcock

Lurker
Sep 13, 2015
2
0
one day a family descendent may be doing research and read this thread and be prompted to leave us a note - that's always an exciting possibility,
Hi, that's me then....! I am the grand-daughter of Cecil Whitmore Adkin (b 31.01.1894) My husband came back from an autojumble with an Adkin's Nut Brown Tobacco tinplate advertisement for me, and I thought I should find out a bit more about my family history....all I knew was that the family firm was sold to Imperial Tobacco, and that was how the Adkins made their money (all gone now sadly!). Cecil married Edna May Brookhouse in 1920, and they had three children, my mother, Diana Prudence Adkin, and then two brothers. I'm not sure how Cecil relates to the earlier Adkins mentioned in the thread, the one that rings the most bells with me is Francis Newbery. Thank you for doing all the research listed above.
AWbGYYy.jpg


 
May 31, 2012
4,295
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chitchcock :!:
Thank you so much for signing up and posting this!
Many thanks also for sharing the picture of the sign,

it's a lovely old thing and a variant I haven't seen too many of,

I'd like to go to an autojumble like that!
Your visit here is much appreciated.

:)

 

edgreen

Lifer
Aug 28, 2013
3,581
15
As always; completely amazing, educational, and entertaining.
I would just like to add to your excellent reply about searching that sometimes it has helped me to search in different languages.

 

jguss

Lifer
Jul 7, 2013
2,412
6,211
hi chitchcock,
your guess is spot-on. on jan 31, 1892 francis newbery adkin married elizabeth jewell whitmore (1859-1938), and they had two children together: cecil whitmore adkin (1894-1956), and ena newbery adkin (1895-?).
regards,

jon

 
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