James Smith & Sons

James Smith & Sons is an umbrella shop in London. The premises in New Oxford Street is Grade II* listed.[1]

James Smith & Sons umbrella shop on New Oxford Street, London
Interior of the shop

History

It was founded by James Smith as a single shop in Foubert's Place in 1830.[2] Further branches were established in Savile Row and New Burlington Street and the main premises is now in New Oxford Street. The shop-fittings there were constructed around 1865 and the shop still has a traditional Victorian character.[3]

  • In the 2014 biography A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal, historian Ben Macintyre includes the detail that Philby owned a James Smith and Sons umbrella
  • The shop featured in episode four of the BBC's 2015 production of Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime.[4]
  • In the movie Spooks: The Greater Good, the shop is used as dead drop point for agents contacting each other covertly.
gollark: CHEESE IS AN ILLUSION CONSTRUCTED BY THE ESTABLISHMENT!
gollark: Holidays are great. I just got a CB aeon!
gollark: nuu indeed.
gollark: I'll get 8 holidays then do rares - the few older ones I like then the new release.
gollark: I calculate that if I do it for a year I can reach 90G starting from my existing 29G.

See also


References
  1. Historic England. "James Smith and Sons (1113171)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  2. "History". James Smith. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  3. Parker, Olivia (17 February 2012), "London's top shops: James Smith & Sons umbrella shop", Daily Telegraph
  4. Raeside, Julia (17 August 2015). "Partners in Crime episode four recap – a brolly good adventure". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 May 2016.

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