The History of Whittard

Born in Chelsea in 1886, Whittard of Chelsea has always celebrated the simple, peaceful pleasure or a perfectly made cup of tea. As we mark 140 years, we are delighted to return to where our story began.

1886

It All Begins

Walter Whittard was never the sort to compromise. At the age of 17 he quit the family leather business out of frustration with his father's way of running things, and took a job with a tea trader in London's bustling city centre. Eight years later - aged just 25 - he opened his own shop in bustling Fleet Street, with a simple philosophy: to "buy the best".

1935

From Father to Sons

In 1935 Walter died, and the business fell to his sons Dick and Hugh. It was a tough time to take over any business: the effects of the Great Depression were still being felt across Europe, and a new war was looming on the horizon. Undeterred, the Whittard brothers took the helm, their father's philosophy to "buy the best" firmly entrenched in their minds.

1939

Disaster Strikes

In 1929 war was declared, and a year later a bomb struck the Whittard warehouse during the blitz. "I shall not be sorry when this is all over," Hugh wrote to his brother, sketching out a detailed diagram of where the bombs had fallen. Sadly it ended in the worst possible way, as the "Second Great Fire of London" in late December 1940 blew the warehouses to smithereens.

1941

A New Home in Chelsea

After Whittard lost its warehouse to the blitz, Dick and Hugh quickly set about finding a new warehouse nearby. It wasn't long before they decided to move their entire business - the shop, headquarters, warehouse and coffee roastery - to Chelsea, in a rather grand-looking building at 111 Fulham Road.

1967

A Tragic Accident

In 1967, Walter's son Hugh Whittard was killed along with 48 others when a train came off it's rails at Hither Green. It was a serious blow to his brother Dick, who ran the business alone for another five years before handing over the reins. Dick died on the 20th July 1985 - just under a century after his father first set up the shop.

1970s-80s

A New Chapter, A New Name

After decades of successfully trading from its iconic, post-war Chelsea home, W.H. Whittard & Co. became Whittard of Chelsea, associating itself with the well-established heart of its business. A nod to the future while staying true to its heritage, it marked a new era for Whittard. Ever since, Chelsea has played an integral part of our identity for almost 50 years.

1999

'Tis the Season

As the millennium brought promise of new beginnings, we were celebrating a new beginning of our own: a dazzling new flagship store in Covent Garden. Filled with loose leaf tea, aromatic coffee and creative hot chocolate, it was an instant hit with Londoners and day-trippers - visit today and you'll find a treasure trove of wonders to discover.

Today: What's Next?

It's been a long, varied and exciting history for Whittard of Chelsea. We've been through World Wars, incredible discoveries, tragedies and successes. But if there's one thing that's kept us going, it's the attitude of our founder.

Walter was a tradition-breaker with no time for compromise: he was never afraid to try something new, and he always stuck to his philosophy of "buying the best". Today, we push boundaries with our unique, innovative blends and scour the world for the best single origin varieties, from the very best tea to our limited edition coffees. We're proud to hang Walter's name above our door - and we think he'd be proud too.

Whittard's Wisdom

We push boundaries with our unique, innovative blends and scour the world for the best single origin varieties, from the best tea to limited edition coffees.

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