Alfred Dunhill
| Alfred Dunhill | |
|---|---|
Alfred Dunhill in 1893
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| Born |
30 September 1872 Hornsey, Middlesex, England |
| Died | 2 January 1959 (aged 86) Worthing, Sussex, England |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation | Tobacconist |
| Known for | Alfred Dunhill Ltd. |
Alfred Dunhill FRSA (30 September 1872 – 2 January 1959) was an English tobacconist and inventor. He is the progenitor of the Dunhill luxury goods company and the Dunhill branded tobacco products from British American Tobacco (now two independently owned entities).
From 1893 Dunhill ran a company selling motoring accessories, and in 1902 opened a shop in Mayfair. He developed a pipe designed for motorists in 1904. He opened a tobacconist's shop in St James's in 1907, offering tailored tobacco blends. Shops were opened in New York and Paris in the 1920s. With his international ambitions, Dunhill helped to create the modern luxury goods market. He retired from business in 1929, and married his mistress in 1945, following the death of his wife.
Dunhill was born on 30 September 1872 at 2 Church Path, Hornsey, Middlesex. He was the second son of five children of Henry Dunhill (1842–1901), a master blind-maker, and his wife and cousin, Jane, née Styles (1843–1922). His father occupied premises on Euston Road, manufacturing harnesses for horses. Alfred Dunhill was educated at a private school in Hampstead and by tutors until he was 15, when he was apprenticed to his father's business.
In 1893, Dunhill inherited his father's business and shortly afterwards began to supply accessories for motor cars under the name Dunhill's Motorities (a portmanteau of "motorist" and "priorities"). He married Alice Stapleton (1874–1945) on 15 June 1895. In 1890 he established the Discount Motor Car Company to sell his accessories through mail order. In 1902 he opened his first shop in Conduit Street, Mayfair, selling clothing and accessories to chauffeurs and their employers. He entered the pipemaking business in 1904 when he developed a "windshield pipe" to allow motorists to smoke while driving.
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