The Snuff Tobacco Reference

Ownership History of Brands and Corporations of the Snuff Tobacco Industry Reference

This is a reference for the ownership history of many of the brands and corporations that are associated with the snuff tobacco industry. Entries in many cases provide a narrative that is not complete but fragmentary.

Contents:

Leonard Dingler.

Swedish Match acquired 80 percent of Leonard Dingler (Pty.) Ltd. on 1999-10-06.1 Philip Morris International acquired Swedish Match South Africa, which in turn owned Leonard Dingler (Pty.) Ltd., in 2009.2

Citations:
  1. Swedishmatch.com. Swedish Match acquires snuff and pipe tobacco company in South Africa. Swedish Match AB. 1999. Archived 2022-10-01
  2. Tobaccojournal.com. Philip Morris buys Swedish Match’s OTP business. Tobacco Journal International. 2009. Archived 2022-05-10

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Fribourg & Treyer.

Fribourg & Treyer Ltd. was incorporated in 1971, by Imperial, the Group owning a half share with the former proprietors of the Fribourg & Treyer business.1 Imperial Group placed the Fribourg & Treyer brand under its subsidary company Joseph and Henry Wilson Limited circa 1982-05.2 Wilsons & Co. (Sharrow) Ltd. acquired the Fribourg & Treyer brand from Imperial Tobacco Company in 2016.3

Citations:
  1. The Story of Imperial Group Limited. Imperial Group Limited. Page 21. 1979. Digitised version
  2. Tobacco. Swing Towards Snuff. Sonia Roberts. Issue 1982-05; Pages 13–18. 1982. Digitised version
  3. Sharrowmills.com. Fribourg & Treyer. Wilsons & Co. (Sharrow) Ltd. Archived 2022-09-29

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Gail & Ax.

The business of G. W. Gail & Ax was acquired in 1901-04 by The American Tobacco Company.1

Citations:
  1. The United States of America, Petitioner, against The American Tobacco Company and others, Defendants. Supreme Court of the United States. Page 20. 1907.

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Samuel Gawith.

Samuel Gawith & Company Ltd. was incorporated on 1936-10-12.1 Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co. Ltd. acquired Samuel Gawith & Co. Ltd. in 2015.2 Samuel Gawith & Co. Ltd. was dissolved on 2017-11-21.3

Citations:
  1. Certificate of Incorporation №319,474 for Samuel Gawith & Company Limited. Registrar of Companies. 1936.
  2. Gawithhoggarth.co.uk. Samuel Gawith. Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co. Ltd. Archived 2022-09-29
  3. Document of dissolution for Samuel Gawith & Company Limited. Registrar of Companies. 2017.

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Hedges.

Hedges (Chemists) Ltd. was incorporated in 1912.1 Hodders Ltd. acquired Hedges (Chemists) Ltd. in 1928-04.2 The Stanley Weston Group Ltd. acquired Hodders Ltd., which in turn owned Hedges L.260 Snuff Ltd., in 1968.3 Dixons Group PLC acquired The Stanley Weston Group Ltd., which in turn owned Hedges L260 Snuff Limited and Permaflex Limited, in 1976-02.3 4 The Hedges business was made a subsidiary of Permaflex Limited by an unclear entity at an unclear date but by 1981-08.5 Rizla Limited acquired Hedges (UK) Limited in 1990-05.6 7 Imperial Tobacco Group PLC acquired the Rizla business, which in turn owned the Hedges brand, in 1997-01.8 Mac Baren Tobacco A/S acquired the Hedges brand from Imperial Tobacco Group PLC in 2015-08.9

Citations:
  1. The Chemist and Druggist. Volume 143; Number 3411; Issue 1945-06-23; Page 636. 1945. Digitised version
  2. The Chemist and Druggist. 1846 Price Cutter Pays 1946 Bonuses. Volume 145; Number 3464; Pages 823–824. 1946. Digitised version
  3. The Chemist and Druggist. 1969-04-19 Edition. Supplement: The Stanley Weston Group Ltd. 1969. Digitised version
  4. The Times. Dixons Photographic: how to enlarge without losing focus. Patricia Tisdall. 1977-01-24 Edition; Page 16. 1977.
  5. Tobacco. A Year for Aggressive Marketing. Sonia Roberts. Issue 1981-08; Page 16. 1981. Digitised version
  6. Tobacco. Rizla buy Hedges snuff. Issue 1990-05; Page 16. 1990. Digitised version
  7. The Market for Cut Tobacco Products: Key International Markets. ERC Statistics International Limited. Volume 2; Section Manufacturers & Brands; Page 21. 1992. Digitised version
  8. New York Times. Imperial Tobacco Is Buying Rizla. 1997-01-29 Edition; Section D; Page 7. 1997. Digitised version
  9. PwC.dk. Mac Barens køb af Imperial Tobacco Groups (”ITG”) portefølje af pibetobaksbrands samt udvalgte fintskåret og røgfrie tobaksbrands. 2015. Archived 2022-09-27

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Illingworth.

James Illingworth Limited was incorporated on 1916-09-12.1 Gallaher Ltd. acquired James Illingworth Ltd. at a date before 1937-10-19 and spun-off the foreign interests into James Illingworth (Overseas) Limited and divested this to British-American Tobacco Company Limited.2 3

Citations:
  1. Stock Exchange year-Book. James Illingworth, Limited. 1924 Edition; Page 2586. 1924. Digitised version
  2. Untitled document. Page 170. Digitised version
  3. Letter from The Monopolies Comission to the British-American Tobacco Company Limited. Digitised version

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Imperial.

Imperial Tobacco Company Limited was incorporated on 1901-12-10.1 Hanson Trust plc acquired Imperial Group, as it had come to be known, in 1986.2 Hanson Trust plc was reformed in 1996 and demerged Imperial Tobacco Group plc.2

Citations:
  1. The Story of Imperial Group Limited. Imperial Group Limited. 1979. Digitised version
  2. Britannica.com. Imperial Brands PLC. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Archived 2022-10-06

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JIP.

The business of JIP Medicated Snuff Ltd. was acquired circa 1988-02 by McChrystal’s (Leicester) Ltd.1

Citations:
  1. Tobacco. McChrystal’s Buys JIP Snuff. Issue 1988-02; Pages 29–30. 1988. Digitised version

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Lundy Foot.

Imperial Group owned certain rights to the Lundy Foot brand as of 1973-10.1

Citations:
  1. British-American Tobacco Company Limited and Imperial Group Limited Understanding. Appendix 2. 1973. Digitised version

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Dr. Rumney.

James Illingworth Ltd. owned the Dr. Rumney’s brand by 1925-07.1 Illingworth’s Snuffs Ltd. owned the Dr. Rumney’s brand by 1932-06.2 Singleton & Cole Ltd. acquired Illingworths Snuffs Ltd. in 1964-02.3 Cavenham Foods Limited acquired Illingworth’s Tobacco Ltd, which in turn owned the Dr. Rumney’s brand, at a date before 1971-08.4 Conwood SA acquired part ownership of Illingworth’s Tobacco Ltd. from Cavenham Foods Limited at a date before 1971-08.4 Imperial Group acquired Conwood SA, the owner of Illingworth’s Tobaccos Ltd. and which in turn owned the Dr. Rumney’s brand, from Cavenham AG circa 1984-07.5 Imperial Group placed the Illingworth’s and Dr. Rumney’s brands under its subsidary company Joseph and Henry Wilson Limited at a date before 1989.6 Wilsons & Co. (Sharrow) Ltd. acquired the Dr. Rumney’s brand from Imperial Tobacco Group in 2016.7

Citations:
  1. The Smokers’ Handbook. Tobacco. Issue 1925-07; Page 28. 1925. Digitised version
  2. The Smokers’ Handbook. Tobacco. Issue 1932-06; Page 38. 1932. Digitised version
  3. The Economist. Singleton & Cole Ltd.: Encouraging Current Sales Figures. Volume 212; Issue 6307; Date 1964-07-11; Page 198. 1964. Digitised version
  4. The Financial Times. Slimming bread, Bovril, and the Eiffel Tower. Kelsey van Musschenbroek. Issue 1971-08-06; Page 11. 1971. Digitised version
  5. Tobbaco Reporter. Markets are ‘up to snuff’. Jacques Cole. Volume 111; Number 7; Issue 1984-07; Pages 25–28. 1984. Digitised version
  6. Key British Enterprises 1987. Dun & Bradstreet Ltd. Volume 2; Section 1.1377. 1987.
  7. Sharrowmills.com. Dr. Rumney’s. Wilsons & Co. (Sharrow) Ltd. Archived 2022-09-29

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Sales, Pollard & Co.

W. D. & H. O. Wills acquired Sales, Pollard & Co. in 1893.1 The Imperial Tobacco Company Limited was formed by and acquired W. D. & H. O. Wills Limited and a number of other companies in 1901.2 As of 1973-10, Imperial Group owned certain rights to the Sales, Pollard & Co. brand.3

Citations:
  1. W. D. & H. O. Wills and the Development of the U.K. Tobacco Industry 1786–1965. B. W. E. Alford. Page 210. 2006.
  2. The Stock Exchange Year-Book. Imperial Tobacco Company, Limited. 1908 Edition; Page 1906. 1908. Digitised version
  3. British-American Tobacco Company Limited and Imperial Group Limited Understanding. 1973. Digitised version

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Singleton.

Singleton & Cole Ltd. was incorporated on 1886-01-26.1 Cavenham’s Foods sold the Singleton and Cole business but carved up into at least three parts and to at least three separate buyers on 1968-10-07.2 Imperial Group acquired and placed the Singleton’s snuff brand under its subsidary company Joseph and Henry Wilson Limited at a date before 1993.3 Wilsons & Co. (Sharrow) Ltd. acquired the Singleton’s brand from Imperial Tobacco Group PLC in 2016.4

Citations:
  1. The Stock Exchange Year-Book. Singleton and Cole, Limited. Edition of 1908; Page 2,130. 1908. Digitised version
  2. Cigarette Tow Newsletter. Tobacco wholesales shake-up. Page 18. Digitised version
  3. Tobacco. Issue 1993-01; Page 30. 1993. Digitised version
  4. Sharrowmills.com. Singleton’s Snuff. Wilsons & Co. (Sharrow) Ltd. Archived 2022-09-27

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G. Smith & Sons.

H. Lewis (Cigars) Limited was incoporated on 1946-06-17.1 Sobranie acquired H. Lewis (Cigars) Limited in 19692 and in the same year changed the name of the company to Smith the Snuff Blender Limited.3 Merton Pipes (London) Ltd. acquired Smith the Snuff Blender Limited from Sobranie circa 1978.2 Smith & Shervingtons Limited, as it had come to be known, was dissolved on 2013-04-03.4

Citations:
  1. Certificate of incorporation №412,881 for H. Lewis (Cigars) Limited. Registrar of Companies. 1946.
  2. Tobacco. Smith’s the Original. Colin Southam. Unclear issue; Page 36. Digitised version
  3. Certificate of Incorporation On Change of Name №412,881. Registrar of Companies. 1969.
  4. Document of dissolution for Smith & Shervingtons Limited. Registrar of Companies. 2013.

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Joseph & Henry Wilson.

Joseph and Henry Wilson Limited was incorporated on 1895-05-07.1 Imperial Tobacco Company acquired Joseph and Wilson Limited in 1953.2 Mac Baren Tobacco A/S acquired the Joseph and Henry Wilson brand from Imperial Tobacco Group PLC in 2015,3 though the latter retains ownership of the Joseph and Henry Wilson Limited corporation.4

Citations:
  1. Document of incorporation for Joseph and Henry Wilson Limited. 1895.
  2. The History of the Imperial Tobacco Company. Alec George Gordon Cunningham. Page 20. Digitised version
  3. PwC.dk. Mac Barens køb af Imperial Tobacco Groups (”ITG”) portefølje af pibetobaksbrands samt udvalgte fintskåret og røgfrie tobaksbrands. 2015. Archived 2022-09-27

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Wittmann.

Imperial Group acquired in 1984 Conwood SA, which owned Wittmann GmbH.1 2

Citations:
  1. Tobbaco Reporter. Markets are ‘up to snuff’. Jacques Cole. Volume 111; Number 7; Issue 1984-07; Pages 25–28. 1984. Digitised version
  2. World Tobacco. Number 86; Issue 1984-09; Page 91. 1984. Digitised version

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