Tobacco Companies Timeline

1723 Foundation of E. & V. ANSTIE LTD and STEPHEN MITCHELL & SON

1732 Foundation of GEORGE JACKSON & CO and WALKER'S TOBACCO CO  

1750 Foundation of TADDY & CO

1759 Foundation of THOMAS BRANKSTON & CO  

1760 Foundation of SALES, POLLARD & CO  

1762 Foundation of HARVEY & DAVEY

1767 Foundation of I. RUTTER & CO LTD

1770 Foundation of JOHN COTTON

1772 Foundation of JOHN DUNCAN & SON

1774 Foundation of CARRACH & CO

1775 Foundation of S. CAVANDER & CO and R. & J. HILL

1780 Foundation of THOS.NICHOLLS & CO LTD and H. STEVENS & CO LTD

1785 Foundation of H.C. LLOYD & SON

1786 Henry Overton Wills name appears for the 1st time at Bristol Trade Directory, the company is called WILLS, WATKINS & CO., todays W.D. & H.O. WILLS

1790 Foundation of WILLIAM CHURCHMAN, FRANKLYN & DAVEY,

JOHN HIGNETT and HUDDEN & CO

1792 Foundation of SAMUEL GAWITH

1795 Foundation of ADKIN & SONS and J. & T. HODGE

1800 Foundation of WILLIAM & TAYLOR and W.H. & J. WOODS

1801 Ireland becomes part of United Kingdom

1805 William Bacon founds BACON BROTHERSFoundation of W.O. BIGG & CO

1807 Foundation of EDWARD J. NEWBEGGIN

1809 Foundation of WILLIAM DOBIE

1810 Foundation of MURRAY SONS & CO

1810 Foundation B Morris & Sons

1812 Foundation of BRIGHAM & CO

1813 Foundation of WM RINGER & CO

1824 Foundation of P.J. CARROLL & CO

1830 Foundation of WILLIAM CLARKE & SON, J. & E. KENNEDY and WM WRIGHT & SON

1832 Foundation of WILLIAM T. DAVIES & SONSWilliam Dobie's nephew George Dobie acquires WILLIAM DOBIE and changes its name to GEORGE DOBIE & SONS

1834 Foundation of LAMBERT & BUTLER

1837 Foundation of CHARLESWORTH & AUSTIN

1838 Foundation of W. & F. FAULKNER LTD and HENRY SIMMONS

1840 Foundation of THOMAS GALLAHER, D. & J. MACDONALD and PRITCHARD & BURTON

1841 Foundation of JOHN DRUCQUER and T.E. WARD & CO

1842 Foundation of J. & F. BELLThomas and George Cope found COPE BROTHERS

1843 Foundation of A.I. JONES & CO LTD

1844 Godfrey Phillips founds GODFREY PHILLIPS & SONSFoundation of P. MOUAT & CO

1845 Foundation of SALMON & GLUCKSTEIN

1847 PHILIP MORRIS opens his first shop at Old Bond Street, London, selling hand-rolled Turkish cigarettes.Foundation of FINLAY & CO LTD.JOHN HIGNETT becomes HIGNETT, WEBSTER & CO

1848 Foundation of GILL BROTHERS and T.P. & R. GOODBODY

1849 Foundation of T.E. HARRIS & SONS

1850 Foundation of HARRY ARCHER & CO, MARCOVITCH & CO and R. MASON & CO

1852 Foundation of CARRERAS LTD

1854 PHILIP MORRIS begins making his first own cigarettesFoundation of THOMSON & PORTEOUS LTD

1855 Foundation of FAIRWEATHER & SONS

1856 Foundation of JOHN SINCLAIR LTD and ROBERT SINCLAIR TOBACCO CO

1857 ROBERT PEACOCK GLOAG sets up first English cigarette factory in Walworth with brands like MOSCOWS, OPERAS, SULTANAS, RIFLES and ZETLANDS. His first branded cigarette is called SWEET THREES (first branded cigarette in Great Britain).Foundation of JOHN SINCLAIR LTD

1858 HIGNETT, WEBSTER & CO becomes HIGNETT BROS & CO

1859 Foundation of TETLEY SONS

1860 Foundation of THOMAS OGDEN and E. ROBINSON & SON

1861 Foundation of JOHN PLAYER & SONS, J.A. PATTREIOUEX and RICHMOND CAVENDISH CO

1862 Foundation of AERATED BREAD CO. LTD

1864 Foundation of COHEN WEENEN CO

1865 Foundation of JOHN YOUNG & SONS LTD

1866 Foundation of CIVIL SERVICE COOPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD and PETER

B. HARRIS

1867 Foundation of JAMES ILLINGWORTH LTD

1868 Foundation of ADCOCK & SON and OTTOMAN CIGARETTE CO.COPE BROTHERS starts cigarette production.

1870 Foundation of R.I. DEXTER & SONS and SINGLETON & COLE

1871 W.D. & H.O. WILLS begins to manufacture cigarettes, it's first brand is BRISTOLR. & J. HILL becomes a public company

1872 Foundation of T.E. JONES & CO and PARTRIDGE & SONS LTD

1873 Richard Benson & William Hedges found BENSON & HEDGES

1874 The Greek L. Konstantinidis founds RAMADAN TOBACCO CO

1875 Foundation of LITSICA, MARX & CO, RICHARD LLOYD & SONS, M. PEZARO & SON and HENRY WALMSLEY & SON

1876 Foundation of ARTHUR BURKHARDT & CO and JOHN WOOD & SON TOBACCO LTDBENSON & HEDGES receives royal warrant from Edward VII, Prince of Wales

1877 Foundation of LARKIN BROS

1878 Foundation of MAC KENSIE & CO and ROBINSON & BARNSDALE LTD

1879 Foundation of THOMAS BEAR & SON, MARTINS & SONS, MELACHRINO and SOBRANIE LTD

1880 Foundation of ROBERT LEWIS and SULLIVAN, POWELL & CO

1881 Foundation of EGYPTIAN & ORIENTAL CIGARETTE CO and HIGNETT'S TOBACCO CO (an affiliate of HIGNETT BROS & CO)

1882 Foundation of DRAPKIN & MILLHOFF and B. MORRIS & SONS

1883 Foundation of LOUIS COEN LTD and EDWARD WARD

1884 Foundation of LUPINSKY & LOCKYER

1886 The Russian M. Weiner founds ST. PETERSBURG CIGARETTE COFoundation of HARRY ISAAC and MOUSTAFA LTD

1887 B. MURATTI & SONS opens a branch

at Manchester

1888 Foundation of EGYPTO-CYPRIAN CIGARETTE CO

1890 Foundation of C. FRYER & SON and LOUIS ROTHMAN

1892 Foundation of ALEXANDER BOGUSLAVSKY and B. KRIEGSFELD & CO (later MAL-KAH COMPANY)

1893 Foundation of EDWARDS, RINGER & BIGG LTD by merger of EDWARDS & RINGER and W.O. BIGG & CO

1894 Foundation of L. LEWIS & SONS and W.C. THOMPSONWilliam Curtis Thompson buy’s PHILIP MORRIS from the Morris family

1895 Foundation of A. LEWIS & CO LTD, MARCUS & CO and FORBES LUGARD SMITHWILLIAM T. DAVIES & SONS acquires W. WILLIAMS & CO.Closure of EGYPTO-CYPRIAN CIGARETTE CO

1896 Foundation of H. AUTRAN LTD, AVISS BROS LTD and KINNEAR LTDGALLAHER becomes a limited company

1897 Foundation of ABRAHAM HENRY FRANKS & SONS and MARSUMA CO

1898 Foundation of ALBERT BAKER & CO, COOPERATIVE WHOLESALE SOCIETY (C.W.S.), MAJOR DRAPKIN & CO, LUSBY LTD, SIDNEY PULLINGER, JOHN WICKS and WIX & LOCKERMAN

1899 Foundation of J. MILLHOFF & CO

1900 Foundation of R. LOCKYER & CODRAPKIN & MILLHOFF becomes part of MAJOR DRAPKIN & CO

1901 Foundation of THE CASKET CIGARETTE & TOBACCO CO., GREGORY FESSAS and BUCHMAN LEON & COUnited States CONSOLIDATED TOBACCO acquires OGDEN, to protect other British companies from this fate, Sir William Henry Wills founds IMPERIAL TOBACCO by merging 13 companies like JOHN PLAYER, ADKIN & SONS, LAMBERT & BUTLER, W.D. & H.O. WILLS, WILLIAM CLARKE & SON, EDWARDS, RINGER & BIGG LTD, W. & F. FAULKNER LTD, FRANKLYN & DAVEY, HIGNETT BROS & CO, HIGNETT'S TOBACCO CO, RICHMOND CAVENDISH CO, D. & J. MACDONALD, F. & J. SMITH.Julius Wix founds J. WIX & SONS LTD.Closure of EGYPTIAN & ORIENTAL CIGARETTE COPHILIP MORRIS & CO. receives royal warrant and gets appointed tobacconist for King Edward VIIWILLIAM T. DAVIES & SONS and STEPHEN MITCHELL & SONS join IMPERIAL TOBACCOIMPERIAL TOBACCO acquires SALMON & GLUCKSTEIN

1902 Foundation of ABDULLA & CO and ALLAN RAMSAYUnited States CONSOLIDATED TOBACCO sells OGDEN to IMPERIAL TOBACCO.United States CONSOLIDATED TOBACCO and IMPERIAL TOBACCO found BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (2 thirds owned by Consolidated, 1 third by Imperial) in order to sell both companies' brands abroadHARRY ISAAC becomes BURNSTEIN & ISAAC & CO.W.A. & A.C. CHURCHMAN joins IMPERIAL TOBACCO.COPE BROTHERS acquires RICHARD LLOYD & SONSMAJOR DRAPKIN & CO acquires LUSBY LTD

1903 COHEN WEENEN CO acquires JAMES BIGGS & SON.Closure of WILLIAM BRADFORD and HIGNETT'S TOBACCO CO

1904 Foundation of ALBERT BROMET & COJ & F BELL merges with STEPHEN MITCHELL & SONSADKIN & SONS takes over THOMAS BRANKSTON & CO.CARRERAS LTD becomes CARRERAS & MARCIANUS CIGARETTES LTDClosure of LOUIS COEN LTD and J. & E. KENNEDY

1905 Foundation of ANGLO-COLONIAL TOBACCO CO..Sir Alber Levy founds ARDATH TOBACCO COHARRY ARCHER & CO becomes a branch of R. & J. HILL LTDCOPE BROTHERS acquires ROBINSON & BARNSDALE LTDGALLAHER acquires HARVEY & DAVEYLOUIS ROTHMAN receives royal warrant from King Edward VIIClosure of GEO MASON & SONS

1906 Foundation of AFRICAN CIGARETTE CO., P. LESSER & CO and OREA CIGARETTE COMAYOR, SWORDER & CO becomes MAYOR, SWORDER & HANKS & CO

1907 ALFRED DUNHILL opens a pipe shop at London.Foundation of U.K. TOBACCO CO The same year it acquires B. MURATTI & SONSClosure of ABRAHAM HENRY FRANKS & SONS

1908 ED. LAURENS opens a branch at LondonGEORGE DOBIE & SONS acquires J. & T. HODGEGODFREY PHILLIPS & SONS becomes GODFREY PHILLIPS LTD

1909 Foundation of S.P. ORAWIX & LOCKERMAN becomes J. WIX & SONS LTDGODFREY PHILLIPS LTD acquires T.E. HARRIS & SONS

1910 Foundation of FARMVILLE TOBACCO COMPANY LTD

1911 BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO gets listed on the London Stock Exchange, most shares acquired by British investors

1912 Foundation of MASPERO FRERES LTDCARRERAS & MARCIANUS CIGARETTES LTD becomes again CARRERAS LTD

1913 Foundation of JOHN MAC KINNELCARRERAS LTD acquires ALEXANDER BOGUSLAVSKY

1914 Louis Rothman and Marcus Weinberg found YENIDJE TOBACCO CO

1917 Closure of YENIDJE TOBACCO CO

1919 Abe and Mike Wix found PETER JACKSONFoundation of REDSTONEClosure of ARTHUR BURKHARDT & CO

1920 Foundation of CURZON TOBACCO CO

1922 Ireland seceded from United KingdomMAYOR, SWORDER & HANKS & CO becomes again MAYOR, SWORDER & CO

1923 LAMBERT & BUTLER acquires ALLAN RAMSAYClosure of AFRICAN CIGARETTE CO.

1924 OGDEN acquires WILLIAM CLARKE & SON.Closure of GREGORY FESSAS

1925 BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO acquires overseas business of ARDATH TOBACCO, IMPERIAL TOBACCO the local businessE. & V. ANSTIE LTD acquires I. RUTTER & CO. LTDGODFREY PHILLIPS LTD acquires J. MILLHOFF & COClosure of JOHN WICKS

1926 HUDDEN & CO and TEOFANI & CO LTD found ASSOCIATED TOBACCO MANUFACTURERSLTD.GODFREY PHILLIPS LTD acquires ABDULLA & CO.Closure of SOUTH WALES TOBACCO CO

1927 Julius Wix retires and sells J.WIX & SONS LTD. to United States AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY

1928 GALLAHER gets floated.Foundation of SPIRO DAMBERGI BROS LTDClosure of REDSTONE

1929 Foundation of DOMINION TOBACCO COCARRERAS LTD acquires JOHN SINCLAIR LTDP.J. CARROLL & CO acquires T.P. & R. GOODBODYGODFREY PHILLIPS LTD acquires COHEN WEENEN CO, FAIRWEATHER & SONS and U.K. TOBACCO CO which owns at this time MAJOR DRAPKIN & CO, MARCOVITCH & CO and B. MURATTI SONS & COLOUIS ROTHMAN gets listed on the London Stock Exchange and becomes ROTHMANS LTDClosure of ED. LAURENS and MASPERO FRERES LTD

1930 Abe and Mike Wix found INTERNATIONAL TOBACCO CO LTDODGEN acquires HIGNETT BROS & COIMPERIAL TOBACCO acquires ROBERT SINCLAIR TOBACCO CO

1931 CARRERAS is the first European company using cellophane sealing for it's CRAVEN A brand.BENSON & HEDGES launches the worldwide first filter-tipped cigarette, called PARLIAMENT.Closure of CIVIL SERVICE COOPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD

1932 IMPERIAL TOBACCO takes over 51% of GALLAHER to prevent a hostile takeover.STEPHEN MITCHELL & SON acquires F & J SMITH.

1933 Foundation of R.S. CHALLIS & CO.R.S. CHALLIS & CO acquires BURNSTEIN & ISAAC & CO.

1934 GALLAHER acquires INTERNATIONAL TOBACCO CO LTD and PETER JACKSONE. ROBINSON & SON acquires J.A. PATTREIOUEX

1935 Closure of R.P. GLOAG CO

1936 GALLAHER acquires E. ROBINSON & SON which owned at this time JAMES ILLINGWORTH LTD and J.A. PATTREIOUEX

1939 DUNHILL starts cigarette productionIMPERIAL TOBACCO acquires WALTERS TOBACCO CO

1940 Closure of EDWARD WARD

1941 COHEN WEENEN CO acquires DOMINION TOBACCO CO

1944 E. & V. ANSTIE LTD gets absorbed by EDWARDS, RINGER & BIGG LTD

1946 IMPERIAL TOBACCO becomes a minority shareholder of GALLAHERADKIN & SONS gets absorbed by W. & F. FAULKNER LTD

1947 WALTERS TOBACCO CO gets absorbed by EDWARDS, RINGER & BIGG LTDClosure of MAJOR DRAPKIN & CO

1950 THOMAS BEAR & SON gets absorbed by BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO

1952 CARRERAS buys marketing rights of

ALFRED DUNHILL LTD

1953 CARRERAS LTD acquires MURRAY SONS & CO.GALLAHER acquires BENSON & HEDGES and COPE BROTHERSREMBRANDT TOBACCO CO acquires ROTHMANS LTD

1954 PHILIP ALLMAN & CO. LTD gets absorbed by AMALGAMATED TOBACCO CO.W. & F. FAULKNER LTD acquires WILLIAM T. DAVIES & SONS

1956 South African REMBRANDT GROUP acquires CARRERAS LTD.BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO acquires overseas business (except USA) for BENSON & HEDGES brands

1957 FRANKLIN & DAVEY gets absorbed

by EDWARDS, RINGER & BIGG LTD.W.D. & H.O. WILLS acquires STEPHEN MITCHELL & SONClosure of B. MORRIS & SONS

1959 THOMAS OGDEN acquires W. & F. FAULKNERClosure of COHEN WEENEN CO.

1960 BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO acquires ARDATH TOBACCO CO. completelyClosure of INTERNATIONAL TOBACCO CO LTD and THOMSON & PORTEOUS LTD

1961 Foundation of CHURCHMAN, LAMBERT & RINGER by merger of W.A. & A.C. CHURCHMAN with LAMBERT & BUTLER and EDWARDS, RINGER & BIGGS

1962 GALLAHER acquires JOHN COTTONGALLAHER acquires J. WIX & SONS from United States AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY in exchange for 13% share holdings

1964 Closure of PETER JACKSON

1967 CARRERAS LTD acquires 51% of ALFRED DUNHILL LTD.J.A. PATTREIOUEX gets renamed to SENIOR SERVICE LTD

1968 United States PHILIP MORRIS acquires GODFREY PHILIPSIMPERIAL TOBACCO sells its remaining shares of GALLAHER.United States AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY acquires 50% of GALLAHER

1970 Closure of HENRY WALMSLEY & SON

1971 Introduction of health warnings at sideDecimalisation of currency (1 Pound = 100 New Pence, before 1 Pound = 20 Shillings = 240 Pence)

1972 The convention from 1902 between United States AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY, IMPERIAL TOBACCO and BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO is revoked. IMPERIAL TOBACCO and BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO get back the exclusive ownership of their original brands.Foundation of ROTHMANS INTERNATIONAL by merger of ROTHMANS LTD and CARRERAS LTDClosure of CHURCHMAN, LAMBERT & RINGER

1973 UK joins European UnionClosure of ABDULLA & CO.

1975 United States AMERICAN BRANDS acquires remaining 50% of GALLAHERFoundation of AMERICAN CIGARETTE CO.

1978 Closure of U.K. TOBACCO CO

1979 Closure of ROBERT LEWIS

1980 GALLAHER acquires SOBRANIE LTD which own at this time BARNARD LEWIS CIGARETTES LTD, CITY CIGARETTES LTD, CHICHESTER TOBACCO CO, SULLIVAN POWELL & CO, THE OSBORNE TOBACCO CO and RING CIGARETTE COClosure of FRIBOURG & TREYER

1983 Closure of BACON BROTHERS

1986 HANSON TRUST PLC acquires IMPERIAL TOBACCO

1991 Foundation of THE ENLIGHTENED TOBACCO COMPANY

1992 introduction of front health warningsJT INTERNATIONAL acquires MANCHESTER TOBACCO

1993 GALLAHER acquires European rights for BENSON & HEDGES brand from BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO

1994 GALLAHER sells its international rights (except Western Europe) for SILK CUT brand to BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO

1996 HANSON TRUST PLC floats off IMPERIAL TOBACCO

1997 United States AMERICAN BRANDS spinning-off its last tobacco unit GALLAHER on the London Stock Exchange. GALLAHER becomes again an independent company.

1999 ROTHMANS INTERNATIONAL becomes part of BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCOGALLAHER acquires from R.J. REYNOLDS the trademark rights for DICKENS & GRANT and DORCHESTER and the British distribution rights for CAMEL and MORE and it loses its royal warrant.Foundation of CHANCELLOR TOBACCO by former managers of United States DIMON and GALLAHERClosure of THE ENLIGHTENED TOBACCO COMPANY

2001 IMPERIAL TOBACCO gains British distribution rights for MARLBORO

2003 new big front health warnings with white background and black frame

2007 GALLAHER gets acquired by JT INTERNATIONAL

Companies Timeline courtesy of  Companies Timeline courtesy of Jean Bricaud, Author of The World Catalogue of Cigarette Brands and Manufacturers