Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

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[[Image:Im19530613Pic-Gilbey.jpg|thumb| 1953. From Picture Post magazine of 13th June.]]
[[Image:Im19360307S-Gilb.jpg|thumb| March 1936. Gilbey's Gin.]]
[[Image:Im19481222Tat-Gilb.jpg|thumb| December 1948. Ports and Sherries. ]]


of Oxford Street, London
[[Image:Im19500916S-Gilbey.jpg|thumb| September 1950. Listan Pale Sherry. ]]
[[Image:Im19510905Tat-Lis.jpg|thumb| September 1951. Listan Pale Sherry. ]]
[[image:Im19520223S-Gil.jpg|thumb| February 1952. Gin. ]]
[[Image:Im19520223ILN-Gilbey.jpg|thumb| February 1952. ]]
[[Image:Im19521129Pic-Gilbeys.jpg|thumb| November 1952. ]]
[[Image:Im19530620ILN-Gil.jpg|thumb| June 1953. Gilbey's Scotch Whisky. ]]
[[Image:Im19530613Pic-Gilbey.jpg|thumb| June 1953.]]
[[image:Im19531128PP-Gil.jpg|thumb| November 1953.]]
‎‎[[Image:Im19531212PP-Gil.jpg‎|thumb| December 1953. ]]
[[image:Im19540227PP-Gil.jpg|thumb| February 1954.]]
‎‎[[Image:Im19540313PP-Gil.jpg‎|thumb| March 1954. ]]
[[image:Im19541030PP-Gil.jpg|thumb| October 1954.]]
[[image:Im1956ILN-GSRW.jpg|thumb| 1956. Gilbey's Whisky. ]]


* Producers of '''Gilbey's Gin'''.
[[image:Im196003IHX-Gilbey.jpg|thumb| March 1960. ]]


Sir Walter Gilbey, 1st Baronet DL (2 May 1831 – 12 November 1914) was an English wine-merchant and philanthropist.
'''Gilbeys''' of Oxford Street, London. of Pantheon, Oxford Street, London, W.


He was born at Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire to parents Henry and Elizabeth Gilbey. His father, the owner (and frequently the driver) of the daily coach between Bishop's Stortford and London, died when he was eleven years old, and young Gilbey was shortly afterwards placed in the office of an estate agent at Tring, subsequently obtaining a clerkship in a firm of parliamentary agents in London.
Wine and Spirit Merchants and Distillers. Producers of '''Gilbey's Gin'''.


On the outbreak of the Crimean War, Walter Gilbey and his younger brother, Alfred, volunteered for civilian service at the front, and were employed at a convalescent hospital on the Dardanelles. Returning to London on the declaration of peace, Walter and Alfred Gilbey, on the advice of their eldest brother, Henry Gilbey, a wholesale wine-merchant, started in the retail wine and spirit trade.
1856 [[Walter Gilbey]] and [[Alfred Gilbey]] returned to London after the Crimean war and on the advice of their eldest brother, [[Henry Parry Gilbey]], a wholesale wine-merchant, started in the retail wine and spirit trade, importing South African wines.  


The heavy duty then levied by the British government on French, Portuguese and Spanish wines was prohibitive of a sale among the English middle classes, and especially lower middle classes, whose usual alcoholic beverage was accordingly beer. Henry Gilbey was of opinion that these classes would gladly drink wine if they could get it at a moderate price, and by his advice Walter and Alfred determined to push the sales of colonial, and particularly of Cape, wines, on which the duty was comparatively light. Backed by capital obtained through Henry Gilbey, they accordingly opened in 1857 a small retail business in a basement in Oxford Street, London.
1857 Backed by capital obtained through Henry Gilbey, they opened a small retail business in a basement in Oxford Street, London.


The Cape wines proved popular, and within three years the brothers had 20,000 customers on their books. The creation of the off-licence system by Mr Gladstone, then chancellor of the exchequer, in 1860, followed by the large reduction in the duty on French wines effected by the commercial treaty between England and France in 1861, revolutionized their trade and laid the foundation of their fortunes.
The Cape wines proved popular, and within three years the brothers had 20,000 customers on their books. Agents were appointed throughout the UK to sell their wines to grocers shops.


Three provincial grocers, who had been granted the new off-licence, applied to be appointed the Gilbeys agents in their respective districts, and many similar applications followed. These were granted, and before very long a leading local grocer was acting as the firm's agents in every district in England.
1864 The Gilbey business increased so rapidly that, in 1864, Henry Gilbey abandoned his own undertaking to join his brothers.


The grocer who dealt in the Gilbeys wines and spirits was not allowed to sell those of any other firm, and the Gilbeys in return handed over to him all their existing customers in his district. This arrangement was of mutual advantage, and the Gilbeys business increased so rapidly that, in 1864, Henry Gilbey abandoned his own undertaking to join his brothers. In 1867 the three brothers secured the old Pantheon theatre and concert hall in Oxford Street for their headquarters. In 1875 the firm purchased a large claret-producing estate in Medoc, on the banks of the Gironde, and became also the proprietors of two large whisky-distilleries in Scotland. In 1893 the business was converted, for family reasons, into a private limited liability company, of which Walter Gilbey, who in the same year was created a baronet, was chairman.
1867 The three brothers secured the old Pantheon theatre and concert hall in Oxford Street for their headquarters.


Sir Walter Gilbey also became well known as a breeder of shire horses, and he did much to improve the breed of English horses (other than race-horses) generally, and wrote extensively on the subject. He became president of the Shire Horse Society, of the Hackney Horse Society, and of the Hunters Improvement Society, and he was the founder and chairman of the London Cart Horse Parade Society. He was also a practical agriculturist, and president of the Royal Agricultural Society.
1875 The firm purchased a large claret-producing estate in Medoc, on the banks of the Gironde.
 
1887 The company purchased the [[Glen Spey Distillery]] at Rothes from James Stuart and Co for £11,500, a price well below the cost of the recently constructed distillery.<ref>Elgin Courant and Morayshire Advertiser 16 September 1887</ref>
 
1893 The business was converted, for family reasons, into a private limited liability company, of which Walter Gilbey, who in the same year was created a baronet, was chairman.
 
1895 The company began to distill gin and '''Gilbey's Gin''' became a well-known brand.
 
1895 The company bought the Glenisla Distillery at Keith.<ref>Banffshire Advertiser 3 October 1895</ref> The name was swiftly changed to [[Strathmill Distillery]].
 
1904 The company bought the [[Knockando Distillery]], its third malt whisky distillery. It was a new construction which had been built as the whisky boom came to a close and was available at a knockdown price.<ref>Distillers', Brewers' and Spirit Merchants' Magazine 1 February 1905</ref>
 
1912 An advertising campaign for '''Gilbey's Invalid Port''' made it a household name.
 
'''Walter Henry''', '''Walter Gilbey''''s son, became chairman of '''W. and A. Gilbey'''.
 
1914 Directors: Lord Blyth, Sir Charles Gold, A. Gilbey, W. Crosbie Gilbey, N. Gilbey, H. W. Gilbey, A. G. Gold, A. N. Gilbey, G. Grinling, H. W. Blyth, and A. W. Blyth. Secretary: A. J. Burke. Capital: £1,440,000 in 72,000 ordinary and 72,000 preference shares, all of £10 each. The whole of the capital was allotted to the Directors, then partners. Specialities: Wines and Spirits (wholesale). The firm ranks as the largest of its kind in the kingdom. There are over 4,000 agents throughout the country. Connection: United Kingdom, Foreign and Colonial. Royal Warrant Holders to His late Majesty King Edward VII., H.M. King George V., the late King of the Belgians.
 
1962 The company merged with [[United Wine Traders]] and became [[International Distillers and Vintners]].
 
1972 Brewers [[Watney Mann]] took over the business, and was absorbed by [[Grand Metropolitan]] the same year.
 
2008 The brands are now owned by [[Diageo]], formed by the merger of [[Guinness and Co| Guinness]] and [[Grand Metropolitan]].
 
== See Also ==
<what-links-here/>
 
== Sources of Information ==
<references/>
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Gilbey Wikipedia]
* Trademarked. A History of Well-Known Brands - from Aertex to Wright's Coal Tar by David Newton. Pub: Sutton Publishing 2008 ISBN 978-0-7509-4590-5
* [http://www.stortfordhistory.co.uk/guide2/walter_gilbey.html] Bishop's Stortford & Thorley - A history and guide
 
{{DEFAULTSORT: Gilbey}}
[[Category: Town - London]]
[[Category: Food and Drink]]
[[Category: Whisky]]

Latest revision as of 16:56, 13 February 2025

March 1936. Gilbey's Gin.
December 1948. Ports and Sherries.
September 1950. Listan Pale Sherry.
September 1951. Listan Pale Sherry.
February 1952. Gin.
February 1952.
November 1952.
June 1953. Gilbey's Scotch Whisky.
June 1953.
November 1953.

‎‎

December 1953.
February 1954.

‎‎

March 1954.
October 1954.
1956. Gilbey's Whisky.
March 1960.

Gilbeys of Oxford Street, London. of Pantheon, Oxford Street, London, W.

Wine and Spirit Merchants and Distillers. Producers of Gilbey's Gin.

1856 Walter Gilbey and Alfred Gilbey returned to London after the Crimean war and on the advice of their eldest brother, Henry Parry Gilbey, a wholesale wine-merchant, started in the retail wine and spirit trade, importing South African wines.

1857 Backed by capital obtained through Henry Gilbey, they opened a small retail business in a basement in Oxford Street, London.

The Cape wines proved popular, and within three years the brothers had 20,000 customers on their books. Agents were appointed throughout the UK to sell their wines to grocers shops.

1864 The Gilbey business increased so rapidly that, in 1864, Henry Gilbey abandoned his own undertaking to join his brothers.

1867 The three brothers secured the old Pantheon theatre and concert hall in Oxford Street for their headquarters.

1875 The firm purchased a large claret-producing estate in Medoc, on the banks of the Gironde.

1887 The company purchased the Glen Spey Distillery at Rothes from James Stuart and Co for £11,500, a price well below the cost of the recently constructed distillery.[1]

1893 The business was converted, for family reasons, into a private limited liability company, of which Walter Gilbey, who in the same year was created a baronet, was chairman.

1895 The company began to distill gin and Gilbey's Gin became a well-known brand.

1895 The company bought the Glenisla Distillery at Keith.[2] The name was swiftly changed to Strathmill Distillery.

1904 The company bought the Knockando Distillery, its third malt whisky distillery. It was a new construction which had been built as the whisky boom came to a close and was available at a knockdown price.[3]

1912 An advertising campaign for Gilbey's Invalid Port made it a household name.

Walter Henry, Walter Gilbey's son, became chairman of W. and A. Gilbey.

1914 Directors: Lord Blyth, Sir Charles Gold, A. Gilbey, W. Crosbie Gilbey, N. Gilbey, H. W. Gilbey, A. G. Gold, A. N. Gilbey, G. Grinling, H. W. Blyth, and A. W. Blyth. Secretary: A. J. Burke. Capital: £1,440,000 in 72,000 ordinary and 72,000 preference shares, all of £10 each. The whole of the capital was allotted to the Directors, then partners. Specialities: Wines and Spirits (wholesale). The firm ranks as the largest of its kind in the kingdom. There are over 4,000 agents throughout the country. Connection: United Kingdom, Foreign and Colonial. Royal Warrant Holders to His late Majesty King Edward VII., H.M. King George V., the late King of the Belgians.

1962 The company merged with United Wine Traders and became International Distillers and Vintners.

1972 Brewers Watney Mann took over the business, and was absorbed by Grand Metropolitan the same year.

2008 The brands are now owned by Diageo, formed by the merger of Guinness and Grand Metropolitan.

See Also

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Sources of Information

  1. ↑ Elgin Courant and Morayshire Advertiser 16 September 1887
  2. ↑ Banffshire Advertiser 3 October 1895
  3. ↑ Distillers', Brewers' and Spirit Merchants' Magazine 1 February 1905
  • Wikipedia
  • Trademarked. A History of Well-Known Brands - from Aertex to Wright's Coal Tar by David Newton. Pub: Sutton Publishing 2008 ISBN 978-0-7509-4590-5
  • [1] Bishop's Stortford & Thorley - A history and guide
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