Group    From 1792 

W. H. Smiths

Categories: Commerce

Henry Walton Smith and his wife Anna opened a small newsvendors in 1792 in Little Grosvenor Street. HW and then Anna died, and their sons took over, renaming the business after one of them, William Henry. In 1846, his son of the same name reached 21 and joined the business and it was renamed W. H. Smith and Son. It was managed by the family until 1972 when the first non-family Chairman was appointed. See also Lord Hambleden.

The firm and staff gave "generous and unfailing support" to King's College Hospital.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
W. H. Smiths

Commemorated ati

Smiths - Head Office

This building was the Head Office of W.H. Smith & Son from 1920 to 1976. ...

Read More

Smiths - King's College Hospital

This plaque was placed on the Hospital's centenary. WH Smiths had given the H...

Read More

Smiths - war-damaged plaque

OK, this is not actually a memorial but it's too good to exclude on the basis...

Read More

W. H. Smiths - WC2

{On the plinth:} William Frederick Danvers Smith, 2nd Viscount Hambleden, bo...

Read More

W. H. Smith - W2

London County Council W. H. Smith, 1825 - 1891, bookseller and statesman, li...

Read More

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
W. H. Smiths

Creations i

Smiths - war-damaged plaque

OK, this is not actually a memorial but it's too good to exclude on the basis...

Read More

Other Subjects

Richard R. Wale

Richard R. Wale

Worked for the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society. Was on the building committee for the Bostall Estate in 1900 and was Chairman of the building committee for the Abbey Wood branch in 1912.

Person, Commerce, Politics & Administration

2 memorials
Coppice Row turnpike

Coppice Row turnpike

We can't see this turnpike on a map of 1790.  View from the Mirror has a good general post on London turnpikes.

Building, Commerce

1 memorial
John Gordon Crawford

John Gordon Crawford

A wealthy, early member of the Burns Club of London (founded 1868). Undiscovered Dundee by Brian King informs: "... retired Glasgow merchant, who had lived in London for many years, had met the cos...

Person, Benefactor, Commerce

1 memorial
Pasqua Rosée

Pasqua Rosée

Manservant brought to London from Ottoman Smyrna by his employer, Daniel Edwards, a dealer in coffee and other goods from the east. Rosée is variously described as being Armenian or from Sicily. Ro...

Person, Commerce, Armenia, Italy

1 memorial
H. Lawrence

H. Lawrence

Director of the Brilliant Sign Company in 1938.

Person, Commerce, Politics & Administration

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Peter Cook

Peter Cook

Comedian, satirist and "only twin". Born Torquay. Founded and owned 'The Establishment Club', 1961 - 64. Died in the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead.

Person, Humour, Seriously Famous

1 memorial
John Wilkes

John Wilkes

A champion of English freedom, establishing the campaigning newspaper "The North Briton".  In his 1754 'Essay on Woman' he wrote: 'Life can little more supply than just a few good f**ks and then w...

Person, Lord Mayor, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Pepys, Harley, Etty, Stanfield

Pepys, Harley, Etty, Stanfield

WC2, Buckingham Street, 14

In a house formerly standing on this site lived Samuel Pepys, 1633 - 1703, diarist & Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford, 1661 - 1724, stat...

4 subjects commemorated