Gala Cosmetics Group
of Hook Rise South, Surbiton
1938 Stanley Herbert Picker became the Chairman and Managing Director of the very successful Gala Cosmetics Group, established by his father Myram Picker (1880-1950)
1964 Incorporated as a public company[1]
1965 The company had 3 factories and was to build a fourth.
1966 Gala Cosmetics International Ltd was incorporated
1967 The company made Outdoor Girl, Miners and Mary Quant Cosmetics[2]
1968 Gala Cosmetics International Ltd formed a joint venture with Komal Manufacturing Chemists Pvt Ltd. and transferred Gala of London to the joint venture company at some point.
1970 'Gala Cosmetics, the Surrey group with a warehouse in East Kilbride'[3]
1970 Smith and Nephew acquired a majority stake in Gala Cosmetics[4]
1974 Smith & Nephew bought the remaining shares
1978 Smith & Nephew failed to revitalise the company and sold the Gala Group to Norton Simon after making heavy losses.
1981 the Crystal Products factory in Surbiton was closed.
1983 Acquired by Beatrice Foods with the rest of Max Factor; name: Gala Cosmetics and Fragrances Ltd
1986 Gala was sold along with Max Factor to Pantry Pride (Revlon)
1991 Sold to Proctor and Gamble
The company now exists only in India.