In our last installment, we looked at Cope's, famous for their Escudo.
This time we look at another company whose famous blend formulation has long outlived the company itself,
it's the rightly famous Mick McQuaid.
Although very difficult to get in North America, you can find it with some creative enterprise. It is now made in Denmark, but it's still excellent stuff, true stout tobacco done correctly in the Irish tradition.
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/mick-mcquaid
1824
Patrick James Carroll, fresh from an apprenticeship in tobacco manufacturing, opened the doors of his own tobacco manufacturing store at 38 Chruch Street, Dundalk, County Louth. The trade was practically confined to "Roll and Twist"- so called because the first manufacturing process after the leaf has been prepared consists of twisting and spinning-in those days by hand, in these days by machinery. At first the sales of the products of the small factory were naturally confined to Dundalk and immediate surroundings, but soon the good quality of the material and of workmanship began to spread and hold the trade of three to four counties.
1850's
After more than twenty years in the industry, the tobaccos of Carroll's were well known throughout Ireland and for the first time crossed the Irish sea to Liverpool.
1864
The founder's son, Vincent Stannus Carroll joined the company. His forward thinking and progressive ways would lead to the modernization of the factory and the opening up of the export market. He is credited with guiding the company's expansion, even in times of severe economic decline.
1889
In the 1880's a popular magazine named 'The Shamrock' featured a serial written by a Colonel Lynam about imaginary conversations between an optimist, Mick McQuaid, and a pessimist, Terry Garrity. During these philosophical conversations, Mick often drew inspiration from a pipeful of Carroll's tobacco. Consequently, in 1889, the company launched one of its most successful tobaccos, Mick McQuaid. When, in the 1920's, the company had a figure of Mick designed, it is said that the artist based his caricature on three well-known British politicians of the day - David Lloyd George, Herbert Henry Asquith and Horatio Bottomley.
1906
Distribution plant established in Glasgow Scotland.
1909
The fire which destroyed the Dundalk factory on December 16th could have threatened the livelihood of the more than 100 employees who then worked at Carroll's, but instead provided an opportunity to modernize the rebuilt factory and secure further employment.
1914
P.J. Carroll & Company was incorporated as a company in Ireland.
1923
A new factory was opened in Liverpool and a distribution plant was opened in Cork.
1934
Carroll's became a public company.
1960
Carreras took a 40% shareholding in carroll's.
1991
P.J. Carroll & Company Limited became a wholly owned subsidiary of Rothmans International.
1999
Rothmans International merged with British American Tobacco.
A cool video artifact from 1964,
Why Buy Broadleaf?
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/why-buy-broadleaf
An advert from 1904,
P.J. Carroll & Co., Dundalk
The old 18thC carroll's warehouse has been converted into the Dundalk Museum
http://www.dundalkmuseum.ie/en/main/index/
The ultra-modern 1970 Carroll's facotory has been converted into a university branch,
https://www.dkit.ie/about/history
A pretty neat fictional passage about an old man and his MM plug,
Legend of the Golden Key by Tom McCaughren
...and on to image overload!