WD & HO Wills
WD & HO Wills was a British tobacco importer and cigarette manufacturer based in Bristol , England . The company was a founding member of the Imperial Tobacco Group PLC .
Company history
The company was founded in 1786 by Henry Overton Wills I and his partner Samuel Watkins as "Wills, Watkins & Co.". The two opened a shop on Castle Street in Bristol. After Watkins left in 1789, the company was renamed "Wills & Co.". From 1791 to 1793 it traded as "Lilly, Wills & Co.", after the company had been merged with the company of Peter Lilly, who had built a snuff factory in "Land Yeo" near Barrow Gurney ( North Somerset ) . From 1793 until his pension (Wills) in 1803, the company was called "Lilly and Wills". In 1826 Wills sons William Day Wills and Henry Overton Wills took over the company and gave it the name mentioned above.
The company WD & HO Wills was particularly prominent in the area of employee welfare. The company was regarded as one of the pioneers in the canteen system and free medical care. Sports facilities and paid leave for employees were part of the company's self-image. The first branded item brought in was “Bristol”, between 1871 and 1974, which was manufactured at the London location. “Three Castles” and “Gold Flake” followed in 1878 and “Woodbine” ten years later. “Embassy” was introduced in 1914 and reproduced in 1962.
In addition to Bristol, locations have been set up in Swindon , Dublin , Newcastle upon Tyne and Glasgow . The company grew and soon it was one of the largest cigarette factories in Europe. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill of Chicago built the Hartcliffe Bristol in 1974 ; In 1990 the location was closed again. The manufacturing facilities and storage facilities remained, many buildings were converted (example: Tobacco Factory Theater).
In 1901 "Imperial Tobacco" was founded. In addition to WD & HO Wills, seven other companies were merged. Christopher Wills was the last member of the WD & HO Wills family; he resigned as manager of the company in 1969.
Known products
In 1959 the company launched the short-lived brand name Strand .
The Gold Flake (Classic) , produced under the name ITC Limited , formerly Imperial Tobacco Company, established itself in India .
Trivia
Episode 95, The Sun Makers (1977), of the English film series Doctor Who was filmed at the company's headquarters .