Whittard of Chelsea history

1890 – Through word of mouth, Walter’s brews became famous and he soon moved to London’s ‘Street of Tea’ at Mincing Lane.

Throughout the 1900’s, this tea company continued to expand and create new beverages sourced from all over the world and to this day they stick to their founder’s philosophy to buy the best tea and to ‘blend the brightest’.

He also was joined by sons Richard (Dick) and Hugh Whittard, who later took over operation of the family business after their father's death in 1935.

1939 – After the war was declared, the Whittard warehouses were bombed, but with true British spirit, the family established new premises on Fulham Road in Chelsea.

1940: The company warehouse and shop are destroyed by bombs; the company moves to Fulham Road in Chelsea.

The Whittards quickly relocated, to Fulham Road in Chelsea, and by 1941, the company was back in business.

The brothers couldn’t get their hands on a new tea blending machine until 1944, so for over three years all blending was done on the floor of the warehouse using special wooden shovels.

Dick died on the 20th July 1985 – just under a century after his father first set up shop.

In 1987, after Tie Rack was listed on the London Stock Exchange, Hobhouse sold out his stake, then worth in the millions of pounds, and began looking for new challenges.

1988: Thompson hires William Hobhouse, who had successfully expanded the Tie Rack retail chain, as managing director and the pair buy out Whittard from the Whittard family.

By 1990, the company had raised another £1 million from investors and began opening new stores at a rapid pace.

After losing a bit less than £300 million in 1992, the company turned a profit of more than £230 million the following year, with sales topping £7 million.

In 1996 it was floated on the Alternative Investment Market, and used some of the proceeds of the float to expand rapidly, building a chain of about 120 shops and several tea rooms.

In 1997, Whittard's fast growth enabled it to switch its listing to the London Stock Exchange's main board.

Nonetheless, Whittard pushed ahead with its expansion, building up its number of U.K. stores to nearly 120 by 1998.

In 2000, the company took control of its site from Dita.de, and then made headlines when it paid £1.2 million to acquire an online "department store" dedicated to U.K.-made luxury goods, Bestofbritish.com.

In the year to the end of March 2007, Whittard reported a loss of £3.2 million. It made heavy losses in an attempt to establish an internet sales business, which was closed down in about 2001.

By 2002, the company already had signed up two of the country's largest chains, Tesco and Sainsbury.

2003: The company opens its first United States-based in-store corner shop in the Marshall Field's department store.

After further financial difficulties, it was sold to the Baugur Group, an Icelandic investment company, in 2005 for about £21 million.

In the year to the end of March 2007, Whittard reported a loss of £3.2 million.

Baugur went bankrupt in the Icelandic financial crisis of 2008, and Whittards also went into receivership.