Card of the Day - 2022-07-03

Here we have the English Springer Spaniel, which the text of this cards tells us “is thought to be the oldest Spaniel, and its origin and that of the English Setter may be closely allied.” In fact the English Springer is the tallest of the land based Spaniels, but they are all very inter-related, the main classifications being the simple ones of height, size and colour. However but for chance the Springer might have been called a Norfolk Spaniel, after one of its early champions and refiners, the Duke of Norfolk.

The company simply called John Hignett was founded in 1790. They changed the name to Hignett, Webster & Co in 1848, and started producing tobacco in the 1850s. A further name change, shortening it to Hignett Bros occurred in 1858, but it seems likely that this was directly related to the departure of Mr Webster. Does anyone know more about this? We also know that a John Hignett was alive in September 1884 because he attended the funeral of Thomas Cope of Cope Bros & Co. in that month. But whether it was the same one seems doubtful, for if Hignett was founded in his name as a babe in arms in 1790 he would be 94 at the youngest at the Cope funeral. 

Hignett`s were based in Liverpool, but they also had a London factory at 74 Aldersgate Street. You can actually see an early billhead from 1894 at Alamy. If you look at the lower boxes you will see that the right hand one mentions Richmond Cavendish and Lorillard, Richmond Cavendish being formed by Hignett for the sole purpose of exporting unsweetened tobaccos out to North America.

In 1901 they were one of the founder members of the Imperial Tobacco Company; though W.D. & H.O. Wills Ltd were by far the largest of the founding group, it is odd that in the records the Hignett was given twice, once as Hignett Bros & Co. Ltd of Liverpool, and then as Hignett`s Tobacco Company Ltd. of London, which actually closed in 1903. Any more information on that would be useful 

To close Ogden bought Hignett Bros & Co in 1930, and this explains why they issued the same sets under different names.