Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1854-1976 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
3.2 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Stowell and Sons was a wines and spirits merchant bought by Whitbread and Company in 1920 for £20,000. The Company had been selling wine since 1878 when the first Stowells wine shop was opened in Ealing by Frederick Stanley Stowell. Moved to Britten Street, Chelsea (previously the Red Anchor Brewery) in 1927.
Although Whitbread's tied houses were not obliged to buy from Stowells the Company prospered selling in 1934 9,000 barrels of beer, 52,000 gallons of wine and 38,000 gallons of spirits.
Acquired or associated with: Findlater, Mackie and Company Limited; Spain and Albury Limited; E Robins and Sons Limited; The West End Wine Company Limited and Ellis, Wilson and Bacon Limited.
In 1965 the retail branches of both Stowells and Thresher's came under the management of Thresher, the Head Office being established at Britten Street, Chelsea. In 1968 the firm was renamed Stowells of Chelsea Limited and began concentrating solely on wholesale supplies to the free trade and to all Whitbread outlets. In 1978 the company was re-organised and given a national identity in response to the growing demand and the increasingly important role of wines and spirits in Whitbread's turnover.
In 1977 the Head Office moved with Thresher's to Great North Road, Hatfield, Hertfordshire and in 1982 to Sefton House, Church Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.
The formalisation of the Whitbread organisation into six divisions saw Stowells of Chelsea incorporated into the Wines and Spirits division. They were later merged in 1989, along with the other Whitbread investments of Langenbach and Calvert, with Allied-Lyon's wine subsidiary Grants of James to form a joint venture known as European Cellars.
In 2003 the company changed their name from Stowells of Chelsea to Stowells Taste of the World.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 LMA/4453/K 1854-1976 Collection 3.2 linear metres F S Stowells Ltd, Ealing , wine and spirits merchants
Stowell and Sons , wine and spirits merchants
Stowells of Chelsea , wine and spirits merchants
Stowells Taste of the World , wine and spirits merchants
Stowell and Sons was a wines and spirits merchant bought by Whitbread and Company in 1920 for £20,000. The Company had been selling wine since 1878 when the first Stowells wine shop was opened in Ealing by Frederick Stanley Stowell. Moved to Britten Street, Chelsea (previously the Red Anchor Brewery) in 1927.
Although Whitbread's tied houses were not obliged to buy from Stowells the Company prospered selling in 1934 9,000 barrels of beer, 52,000 gallons of wine and 38,000 gallons of spirits.
Acquired or associated with: Findlater, Mackie and Company Limited; Spain and Albury Limited; E Robins and Sons Limited; The West End Wine Company Limited and Ellis, Wilson and Bacon Limited.
In 1965 the retail branches of both Stowells and Thresher's came under the management of Thresher, the Head Office being established at Britten Street, Chelsea. In 1968 the firm was renamed Stowells of Chelsea Limited and began concentrating solely on wholesale supplies to the free trade and to all Whitbread outlets. In 1978 the company was re-organised and given a national identity in response to the growing demand and the increasingly important role of wines and spirits in Whitbread's turnover.
In 1977 the Head Office moved with Thresher's to Great North Road, Hatfield, Hertfordshire and in 1982 to Sefton House, Church Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.
The formalisation of the Whitbread organisation into six divisions saw Stowells of Chelsea incorporated into the Wines and Spirits division. They were later merged in 1989, along with the other Whitbread investments of Langenbach and Calvert, with Allied-Lyon's wine subsidiary Grants of James to form a joint venture known as European Cellars.
In 2003 the company changed their name from Stowells of Chelsea to Stowells Taste of the World.
Received in 2001 as a gift.
Records of Stowells and Sons, wine and spirits merchants, comprising a range of company records from 1845 to 1976 including records covering corporate and financial business, sales and production, staff, property and advertising, as well as records from companies acquired by Stowells from the 1930s onwards including Ellis, Wilson and Bacon Limited, Findlater, Mackie and Company Limited, E. Robins and Sons Limited and Apain and Albury Limited.
LMA/4453/K/01: Signed minutes and agendas;
LMA/4453/K/02: Books;
LMA/4453/K/03: Accounts;
LMA/4453/K/04: Cash books and ledgers;
LMA/4453/K/05: Private ledgers;
LMA/4453/K/06: Stock and debt books;
LMA/4453/K/07: Sales books;
LMA/4453/K/08: Tasting book;
LMA/4453/K/09: Staff books;
LMA/4453/K/10: Estate ledgers;
LMA/4453/K/11: Beer labels;
LMA/4453/K/12: Predecessor companies.
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. November 2009 to February 2010 Business records Government Public administration Health services administration Organization and administration Personnel management Industry Manufacturing industry Food industry Wine industry Trade (practice) Sales Information sources Documents Financial records Agricultural products Food Beverages Alcoholic beverages Management Business management People People by occupation Personnel Mercantile personnel Merchants Wine merchants Advertising Communication process Business administration Spirits Property Company archives Stowell and Sons , wine and spirits merchants Stowells Taste of the World , wine and spirits merchants Stowells of Chelsea , wine and spirits merchants F S Stowells Ltd , Ealing , wine and spirits merchants Chelsea London England UK Western Europe Europe Kensington and Chelsea Business
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Received in 2001 as a gift.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of Stowells and Sons, wine and spirits merchants, comprising a range of company records from 1845 to 1976 including records covering corporate and financial business, sales and production, staff, property and advertising, as well as records from companies acquired by Stowells from the 1930s onwards including Ellis, Wilson and Bacon Limited, Findlater, Mackie and Company Limited, E. Robins and Sons Limited and Apain and Albury Limited.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
LMA/4453/K/01: Signed minutes and agendas;
LMA/4453/K/02: Books;
LMA/4453/K/03: Accounts;
LMA/4453/K/04: Cash books and ledgers;
LMA/4453/K/05: Private ledgers;
LMA/4453/K/06: Stock and debt books;
LMA/4453/K/07: Sales books;
LMA/4453/K/08: Tasting book;
LMA/4453/K/09: Staff books;
LMA/4453/K/10: Estate ledgers;
LMA/4453/K/11: Beer labels;
LMA/4453/K/12: Predecessor companies.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Government
- Government » Public administration
- Personnel management
- Industry
- Industry » Manufacturing industry
- Industry » Manufacturing industry » Food industry
- Information sources
- Documents
- Agricultural products
- Agricultural products » Food
- Agricultural products » Food » Beverages
- Agricultural products » Food » Beverages » Alcoholic beverages
- Management
- Management » Business management
- Personnel
- Communication process » Advertising
- Communication process
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English