Businessman. Born Jacob Edward Kohen in Whitechapel. He worked as an apprentice tailor to his father, but after WW1 he became a market stall holder in Hackney. In 1924 he created the Tesco brand using the initials of a tea supplier, T. E. Stockwell, and the first two letters of his own surname. He started opening in high street stores, taking advantage of the new shopping centres, and after WW2, he adopted the self-service style of supermarkets. In 2020 the company was the leading UK grocery retailer, with branches across Asia and Europe.
Stockwell and Co., only incorporated in 2012, is now a brand exclusive to Tescos. We were suspicious of the T. E. Stockwell name-origin story - the name surely being too good to be true. But we found reference to a tea merchant, Thomas Edward Stockwell (1877 - 1947).
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk
