John Gardner (London)
Contract caterers
1888 Business established by John Gardner senior[1]
1920 After Gardner's death, the business was carried on by his sons.
1928 Company incorporated to acquire the existing businesses; the company operated 6 chains of restaurant in London as well as food supply, laundry and other associated businesses; public issue of preference shares.
1959 Sold Smith and Hoey to J. and W. Nicholson and Co (Holdings)[2]
1962 Owned Kenya Coffee Co and had recently acquired Prideaux Supermarkets[3]
1963 Acquired Staff Caterers (Holdings) bringing the total number of establishments in the company to over 600 throughout Britain.[4]
1964 A majority of the equity was acquired by Trust Houses. Gardner incorporated Gardner Merchant Caterers Ltd and The British Automatic Co; the company continued to operate on independent lines but took on the contract catering activities of the Trust Houses group; Lockhart Group including Peter Merchant Ltd were transferred to Gardner's[5]