Alfred Dunhill

Alfred Dunhill was born on 30 September 1872 at 2 Church Path in 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 younger brother was the composer Thomas Dunhill. His father occupied premises on Euston Road, manufacturing harnesses for horses. Alfred Dunhill was educated at The Lower School of John Lyon in Harrow on the Hill and by tutors until he was 15, when he was apprenticed to his father's business.

Early career

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.

Tobacco business

In 1907 he opened a small tobacconist's shop on Duke Street in the St James's area. He offered tobacco blends tailored for the individual customer. In 1908 he introduced the first Dunhill cigarette. The shop rapidly prospered. His granddaughter Mary later described his flair as a salesman and a shopkeeper.

The business expanded, and by 1910 Dunhill had taken additional premises in Duke Street. In 1912 he was joined in the business by his youngest brother, Herbert, and his eldest son, Alfred, followed by his second son, Vernon, in 1913. In 1912 Dunhill introduced the white spot trademark to its pipes. In 1934 he had the ship Lady Gay built as a personal motor cruiser; it later participated in the Dunkirk evacuation and was preserved until being destroyed by fire in 2021.

The post-war period witnessed both expansion and the commissioning of new products. The company always ensured its products were covered by patent and trade mark, a policy prosecuted with vigour from the outset. The early 1920s saw the wholesale and export side of the business move to Notting Hill Gate, close to the pipe and cigarette division located at Campden Hill Road.