INTRODUCTION

The Gawith family have been manufacturing tobacco since 1792 when the grandfather of Samuel Gawith set up a tobacco and snuff business in Kendal. Originally tobacco leaves were ground into snuff using a water powered mill just outside of Kendal, the fine powdered tobacco then taken back to a shop in Kendal, where it was flavoured, packed and sold. 

In around 1830 the tobacco factory was moved to the premises at Lowther Street, still owned by the Gawith family to this day and known as ‘The Old Snuff Works’. A few years later, the daughter married Samuel Gawith, who by the 1840’s had assumed full control of the Kendal tobacco factory.  Following his death, his two oldest son’s took over the company as ‘'Samuel and John Edward Gawith, Tobacco and Snuff Manufacturers’. 

The Gawith brothers’ partnership flourished for ten years until 1877 when there was an agreement of separation with Samuel Gawith (II) choosing to run the snuff mill and John Edward stayed on at Lowther Street and concentrated on tobacco production, mostly twist. 

In 1881 Samuel Gawith (II) opened a new factory just down the road from the original factory and this became known as the Kendal Brown House. Following his death, his son, also Samuel, took over.  The company became known as “Samuel Gawith” and continued to produce tobacco and snuff independently until it was purchased by Gawith Hoggarth & Co in 2015.  

The younger son of the first Samuel Gawith, William Henry was working for his brother, John but John was not a great business man and filed for bankruptcy. In 1887, William Henry, along with his childhood friend and neighbour, Henry Hoggarth set up a tobacco business as Gawith Hoggarth and in 1923 the company was incorporated as Gawith Hoggarth & Co Ltd. The company has continued to be passed down through generations of the Gawith family and today is run by Rachel Gawith. 

Chris and Rachel are direct descendants of the original Kendal snuff and tobacco maker and 7 generations and over 230 years later, Gawith Hoggarth & Co is the only remaining tobacco manufacturer in England and is still based in Kendal, on the edge of the Lake District; a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Gawith Hoggarth & Co still manufactures the finest tobaccos and using the highest quality raw ingredients available and in many instances, using the original machinery from the factory’s formative years and traditional techniques passed down through staff that have worked for the company for generations. 

 

For an in-depth history of both Gawith Hoggarth & Co and Samuel Gawith as well as the old snuff mill at Helsington Laithes and the old factory at Lowther Street please see the links above.