Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1826-1987 (Creation)
Level of description
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.
Repository
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
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Scientific personnel
- Scientific personnel » Scientists
- Personnel
- Law
- Information sources
- Documents
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacology » Drugs
- Civil law
- Law » Legal systems
- Industrial facilities
- Communication process
- Communication process » Advertising
- Personnel
- Information sources
- Documents
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacology » Drugs
- Scientific personnel » Scientists
- Scientific personnel
- Communication process
- Communication process » Advertising
- Information sources
- Documents
- Personnel
- Management
- Management » Business management
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacology » Drugs
- Scientific personnel » Scientists
- Scientific personnel
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