Hancocks Personalities

There must have been a large staff at Hancocks throughout the 19th century and the firm's diary mentions many names but, unfortunately, their role within the Company is seldom specified. The "main players" were without doubt the founder of the firm, Mortimer Hancock, together with Horetio Stewart and Mr. H.J. Dore.

Following the retirement of CF Hancock in 1870 these three men formed a new partnership with CFH Junior, and the firm was renamed Hancocks' & Co. The division of profits for the next 14 years was set out in this partnership. In 1883 a new partnership was formed on Mortimer Hancock's retirement between Messrs. Stewart and H.J. Dore, but this ran for only two years as Mr. Stewart retire in 1885.

This left H.J. Dore as the sole partner and the only person who had been with the founder since 1849. He had the huge financial burden of being responsible for the profits retained within the partnerships and these had to be paid off over the years. Mr. Stewart's share of profits retained in the Company was repaid by 1 June 1891. However the Dore family were about to undertake even greater responsibility.

On 10 February 1891 the founder of the firm died bequeathing in various ways the balance of profits owing to him from the previous partnerships. By now H.J. Dore's two sons - Alfred G and Henry H. Dore - were in the firm with him, and they formed yet another partnership to carry on the business, The partnership deed dated 12 March 1895 shows an awesome financial burden. The Hancock family was owed in total the huge sum of £79,000. The partners agreed to repay this over the next nine years, using a complicated formula comprising capital repayment and interest. Tragedy then struck the Dores. The senior member and the man with the greatest experience, H.J. Dore, died of blood poisoning at the early age of 63 and this within eight months of the new partnership being formed!

The two younger members of the Dore family, together with their mother as a "sleeping partner", then not only managed to run the firm successfully but fulfilled all the terms of the Agreement. The final payment was made to C.J. Hancock Junior , the last to receive his share, who signed a receipt for £3,008.12s.7d dated 12 January 1904.

Throughout this period the firm's diary records the comings and goings including the birth of Mr. H.H. Dore's son on 12 December 1897. He was G.L. Dore and he became the last of the Dore family to join the firm. the family had taken the name Hancock into their name with H.H. Dore and his son was to be similarly named He was to become a partner with his uncle A.G. Dore and, a cousin by Marriage, J.A. bourne in 1930.

It was these two men who steered the firm through the very difficult inter-war years during which time the firm became a Limited Liability company and its present title Hancocks & Company (Jewellers) Ltd. came into being. In 1935 Mr. Wixley joined the firm as a Director and he held the reins throughout World War II when Messrs Dore and Bourne were in the armed forces. Following the war an amazing women, Miss Willis, joined the firm as a Director. Her ability as a gemmologist and dealer was largely responsible for the building of the jewellery aspect of the firm now trading in antique jewellery.

The firm has come a long way since 1849 and is the last of the great London retailers formed in the 19th century to be managed and still run by its owners. Hancocks no longer has its own factory - the foundry was closed in 1897 - nor its own workshops or craftsmen. However the firm continues to produce fine jewellery and silver using the specialist craftsmen still working in the trade on an out-worker basis. Furthermore the tradition of participating in exhibitions overseas continues with appearance in the U.S.A., Maastricht, and the Far East. Hancocks are seen at the Grosvenor House in London each year and the history of this remarkable firm lives on in the quality and variety of its merchadise.
 

Interested in more of Hancocks history? Select one of the following links:

Charles F. Hancock

The Devonshire Parure

The Victoria Cross

19th Century Exhibitions

Personalities