Collection GB 0074 ACC/2522 - SMITH KENDON LIMITED {MANUFACTURING CHEMISTS/ CONFECTIONERS}

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 ACC/2522

Title

SMITH KENDON LIMITED {MANUFACTURING CHEMISTS/ CONFECTIONERS}

Date(s)

  • 1826-1987 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

3.05 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The origins of Smith Kendon can be traced back to 1780 when William Smith set up business producing confectionery in Fell Street in the City of London. The firm remained a family business operating under the name Smith and Co. and in the 1860s, following a fire which destroyed the Fell Street site, moved to 128-132 Borough High Street, Southwark, where it remained until 1974.

Samuel Smith made the firm's products more medicinal in character. For a short time a factory operated in Messina, Italy producing liquorice but this along with the home production of spices and jams had all ceased by 1914.

Contracts with the Armed Forces kept business going during the Second World War and products such as 'Altoids' ensured the firm's continued success. In 1948 Smith and Co. became a limited company under the name of Smith Kendon Ltd. The additional name was simply an amalgam of 'Ken' and 'Don', the names of the two Smith brothers. In 1974 the firm moved from the Borough High Street to Brigend, Glamorgan. In the same year Smith Kendon was presented with the Queen's Award for industry. The company is now owned by an American firm, Beatrice Foods, but products can still be bought under the traditional Smith Kendon name.

Archival history

GB 0074 ACC/2522 1826-1987 Collection 3.05 linear metres Smith and Co x Smith Kendon Ltd , manufacturing chemists and confectioners

The origins of Smith Kendon can be traced back to 1780 when William Smith set up business producing confectionery in Fell Street in the City of London. The firm remained a family business operating under the name Smith and Co. and in the 1860s, following a fire which destroyed the Fell Street site, moved to 128-132 Borough High Street, Southwark, where it remained until 1974.

Samuel Smith made the firm's products more medicinal in character. For a short time a factory operated in Messina, Italy producing liquorice but this along with the home production of spices and jams had all ceased by 1914.

Contracts with the Armed Forces kept business going during the Second World War and products such as 'Altoids' ensured the firm's continued success. In 1948 Smith and Co. became a limited company under the name of Smith Kendon Ltd. The additional name was simply an amalgam of 'Ken' and 'Don', the names of the two Smith brothers. In 1974 the firm moved from the Borough High Street to Brigend, Glamorgan. In the same year Smith Kendon was presented with the Queen's Award for industry. The company is now owned by an American firm, Beatrice Foods, but products can still be bought under the traditional Smith Kendon name.

Received in 1987.

Records of Smith Kendon Limited, 1826-1987. The collection mainly comprises the papers of Donald Smith and his capacity as Managing Director and Chairman of Smith Kendon Limited, including papers relating to the formation of the business such as articles of partnership and certificates of registration; deeds and other legal documents relating to property owned by the company; insurance policies; inventories; correspondence; minutes of meetings; Donald Smith's business diaries; sales figures; financial accounts; papers relating to stock and stock control; papers relating to sales; papers relating to products including recipe books; advertising; reports; staff records and papers relating to the Second World War.

Articles of Partnership ACC/2522/1-12; Property ACC/2522/13-62; Minutes: ACC/2522/63-73; Business diaries ACC/2522/74-113; Finance ACC/2522/114-175; Stock control ACC/2522/176-183; Sales ACC/2522. Also: Products; Advertising; Second World War; General Correspondence; Reports and Memorandum; Staff; Miscellaneous.

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 rests with the depositor.

English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Other deposits relating to Smith Kendon Ltd can be found at references ACC/3085 and B/SK.

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.

July to October 2009 Facilities Industrial facilities Articles of partnership Communication process Advertising Trade (practice) Sales Business records Personnel Manufacturers Industrial personnel Information sources Documents Deeds People People by occupation Business people Company directors Pharmacology Drugs Pharmaceutical chemists Chemists Scientists Scientific personnel Confectioners Food industry personnel Company archives Property Financial accounts Smith and Co x Smith Kendon Ltd , manufacturing chemists and confectioners

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Received in 1987.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of Smith Kendon Limited, 1826-1987. The collection mainly comprises the papers of Donald Smith and his capacity as Managing Director and Chairman of Smith Kendon Limited, including papers relating to the formation of the business such as articles of partnership and certificates of registration; deeds and other legal documents relating to property owned by the company; insurance policies; inventories; correspondence; minutes of meetings; Donald Smith's business diaries; sales figures; financial accounts; papers relating to stock and stock control; papers relating to sales; papers relating to products including recipe books; advertising; reports; staff records and papers relating to the Second World War.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Articles of Partnership ACC/2522/1-12; Property ACC/2522/13-62; Minutes: ACC/2522/63-73; Business diaries ACC/2522/74-113; Finance ACC/2522/114-175; Stock control ACC/2522/176-183; Sales ACC/2522. Also: Products; Advertising; Second World War; General Correspondence; Reports and Memorandum; Staff; Miscellaneous.

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 rests with the depositor.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Other deposits relating to Smith Kendon Ltd can be found at references ACC/3085 and B/SK.

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

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area