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

Samuel Whitbread

Samuel Whitbread

Brewer and member of parliament. Born at Cardington, near Bedford. He set up a small brewery in London in 1742. He amassed a large fortune and invested heavily in property. M.P.for Bedford in 1768....

Person, Commerce, Food & Drink, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Kingerlee and Sons

Kingerlee and Sons

Builders. An unusual name, so we are assuming that this is the company founded by Thomas Henry Kingerlee, a plumber from Banbury. He moved to Oxford where he established a thriving business, undert...

Group, Architecture, Commerce

1 memorial
White Lion pub, Islington

White Lion pub, Islington

We can find no information about this pub.

Building, Commerce, Food & Drink

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford

Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford

Interested in rural science and one of the chief patrons of the Bath and West Agricultural Society of which he was President at the time of his death. His youngest politician brother, William (176...

Person, Gardens / Agriculture

1 memorial
Lilian Faithfull

Lilian Faithfull

English teacher, headmistress, women's rights advocate, magistrate, social worker and humanitarian. Born Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, she graduated with a first in English at Oxford University in 188...

Person, Education, Gender Issues, Social Welfare

1 memorial