A Gentleman's London, Episode Eight: D.R. Harris & Co.

D.R. Harris and Co. opened in 1790 and is London’s oldest pharmacy, specialising in shaving products, aftershaves and colognes, and skincare items for men and women. Alongside this impressive range there is also a fully functioning pharmacy for which they hold the Royal Warrants to Her Majesty the Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales. Their shop has many original old items of furniture and it is simply a pleasure to shop here. The vast majority of their own brand products are made and packed in England.  They state on their website that “the majority of our products are still produced by traditional methods, being hand-made and packed in our own premises in London.”

 

Located at 29 St James’s Street, London.

 

https://www.drharris.co.uk/about-us

 

ABOUT US

The story begins just before 1790 at No. 11 St. James’s Street where Harris’s Apothecary set up shop.

 

Over the next fifty years the family established a reputation selling Lavender Water, Classic Cologne and English Flower perfumes to this fashionable quarter of London.

 

One of the proprietors, Henry Harris, was a surgeon, while Daniel Rotely (D. R.) was an early Pharmaceutical Chemist.

 

For over two centuries this family business in the centre of men’s Clubland has served the gentry and the court of St. James’s and in 1938 was awarded the warrant as chemists to her Majesty The Queen, later the Queen Mother which was held until her death in 2002. In 2002 we were also appointed as Chemists to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, an honour that was added to in 2012 when we had the Royal Warrant for Her Majesty the Queen bestowed upon us.

 

Today we continue to offer outstanding levels of service at our traditional Chemists’ shop at 29 St. James’s Street which includes much of the original furniture. We continue to adapt with the times, however, and our fine selection of soaps, shaving creams and soaps, aftershaves and colognes, skincare products and much more, continue to appeal to all those who appreciate quality and distinction the world over.

 

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

We aim to be as carbon neutral as possible and work hard to achieve this. One of the key areas of improvement has been in our packaging. We no longer use cellophane to seal packets and nearly all of the materials used are recyclable. Glass bottles can be re-used and wooden bowls can be re-filled.

 

We source as many products as possible from the UK, cutting down on delivery miles and supporting British business. We’re proud that most of our packaging is made in the UK.

 

Since June 2018 we have been working with our partners Eden Reforestation Projects and through them we now plant a tree for every purchase made online and in-store. For every trade order 5 trees are planted. We see this not as a cure-all solution for the environmental impact of our business but it is a project we believe in and we are pleased to be able to support it. You can read more about the initiative here.

 

In our shops and warehouse we recycle all our waste, using specialist companies. We dispose of any out of date liquids, creams and solids using a specialist industrial waste company. In the pharmacy we have specialist drug disposal bins. If you have any unwanted or out of date medicines please feel free to bring them in for safe disposal.

 

The shop on Piccadilly has recently introduced refill stations where we will be delighted to assist you in refilling your empty bottles with a range of our shampoos, conditioners, shower gels and soaps.

 

We’re keen that customers should be able to order and receive D. R. Harris products easily around the world. However, we also endeavour to be as environmentally friendly as possible which is why we have partnered with DPD who have managed to make their process completely carbon neutral.

 

For customers within a 1-mile radius of St. James’s Street we will be happy to deliver to you on our customised delivery bike upon request.

Tweed Run London bike ride evokes spirit of yesteryear

 

Tweed Run London bike ride evokes spirit of yesteryear

1 day ago

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-68900476

 

Described as "the metropolitan bicycle ride with a bit of style", the event includes a break for a cup of tea

 

Riders in their finest tweeds returned to the streets of London for the annual Tweed Run cycling event.

 

About 1,000 participants took to the saddle and embarked upon a 13.5 mile route that started in Clerkenwell and took in sights including Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral.

 

The civilised cyclists stopped to take tea and have lunch en route.

 

Tweed Runs now take place across the world but organisers said the London ride would always be their flagship.

 

BENJAMIN CREMEL Hailed as 'the metropolitan bicycle ride with a bit of style', the Tweed Run started in 2008 with just a small group of friends and now sells out every year with 1,000 tweed-clad cyclists taking part.

The ride sells out every year with 1,000 tweed-clad cyclists taking part

 

Riders are also eligible for the best moustache prize

For those wanting to emulate the look - or join in next year - the organisers offer some tips:

 

"The term 'overdressed' does not exist in our vocabulary. Tweed suits, plus fours, bow ties, and jaunty flat caps are all encouraged."

 

"Suggested attire: woollen plus fours, Harris tweed jackets, fair isle jumpers, alpaca coats, merino wool team jerseys; cycling skirts and perhaps a sporty cycling cape for the ladies, cravats or ties for gentlemen, and a sneaky hip flask of sustenance for afterwards."

 

"A small tip: we have found bowler hats a spot more aerodynamic than top hats.

 

"We do our best to avoid inclement weather but our Fair Isles can sometimes throw a horror in our faces.

 

"A full-sized umbrella is difficult on a bicycle but a sturdy Macintosh or cape might not go amiss."

 

"Dust off your vintage velocipede for the ride; prizes awarded for Best Vintage Bicycle. If your bike isn't quite a classic, try your hand at the best decorated bicycle competition.

 

"And of course don't forget our world-famous Best Moustache prize - open to both men and women, of course."

British army provides update after Household Cavalry horses rampage through London

Tweed Run 2024

The Tweed Run is a metropolitan bicycle ride with a bit of style. We take to the streets in our well-pressed best, and cycle through the city's iconic landmarks. Along the way, we stop for a tea break and a picnic stop, and we usually end with a bit of a jolly knees-up.

 

The next Tweed Run will be on:

 

 Saturday 27th April 2024

J. Press SS24

Almost Ready for Making | Preparing the Rough Stuff | A Journey Through Shoemaking History John Lobb

Handmade: By Royal Appointment 2. John Lobb Shoes BBC Documentary 2016 /

Six months to make a pair of shoes

Neil and Michael explain the craft of last making and why it has kept them at John Lobb for over 30 years.

"In the shadow of St Jamess Palace is the workshop of shoemakers John Lobb. Since the mid-19th century, they have handcrafted shoes for gentlemen and boast royal warrants from both the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales. Its a rare heritage company still run by the original family and this film follows a day in the life of the shoemakers, who use methods that have barely changed since the company was founded. From pencilled outlines on brown paper to the cutting and stitching of leather, heels hammered on soles to the final polishing, the film follows the meticulous craft process and hears from the shoemakers themselves, many of whom have spent decades working for the company."

SEE VIDEO below

John Lobb Bootmaker is a company that manufactures and retails a very exclusive luxury brand of shoes and boots mainly for men, but also for women. It is based near St James's Palace, at 9 St James's Street, London. Founded in 1849, Lobb is one of England's oldest makers of bench-made shoes, worn by clients such as King Edward VII, famous 20th century opera tenor Enrico Caruso, and actor Daniel Day Lewis. John Lobb shoes are also worn by Ian Fleming's fictional character James Bond. At Lobb, special care is taken to select the fine leather skins—with crocodile skin shoes for about USD 8000 at the top of the range.
The original, family-owned Lobb still handmakes shoes one pair at a time, while Hermès who acquired use of the John Lobb name in 1976 broadened the reach of the John Lobb brandname through its ready-to-wear line. The production of each pair of John Lobb ready-to-wear shoes is so time-consuming that only about 100 pairs of shoes are finished per day.
Hermès' John Lobb shoes are available in both ready-to-wear and made-to-measure. Its motto is "The Bare Maximum for a Man".
Hermès' John Lobb shoes are sold in its own boutiques or in luxury department stores such as Harrods, Bergdorf Goodman, Selfridges, Neiman Marcus and Lane Crawford. Hermès' John Lobb also has boutiques in countries around the world, including the United States, Russia, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and several European Union countries.
A pair of bespoke leather shoes costs over £2400. The average price is approximately £2700 (as on 15 January 2009), if ordering from the St James's Street shop.


Prince Charles Vintage bespoke hand made shoes by John Lobb



















Vintage cleverley hand made shoes


.... It did occur to me to wonder what the eponymous George Cleverley (pictured, in black and white) would have thought. Born in 1898 into a shoe-making family, he worked for Tuczek in Mayfair for 38 years, before starting his own business in 1958 and rapidly becoming famous for his graceful shoes with the chisel toe, with clients of the calibre of Rudolph Valentino, Humphrey Bogart, John Gielgud and Winston Churchill. Eventually his pupils, John Carnera and George Glasgow (pictured, with Mr Glasgow on the right), became his successors. Mr Cleverley worked right up to his departure from this life, aged 93, in 1991. He had two great interests: shoes and horse-racing. Indeed, it was one of Mr Carnera’s regular duties to take his boss off for the day to the racecourse at Newmarket. I hope that the great man, who clearly enjoyed the good things of life, would have permitted himself a smile at my desire for co-respondent shoes. ( in "Welcome to Brown's Bespoke")




The tradition began after World War I, when George Cleverley worked for Tuczek, the fashionable shoemaker in Clifford Street, Mayfair, where he developed a signature style called the Cleverley shape, famous for its chiselled toe. The Cleverley quickly became popular with Rudolph Valentino, Humphrey Bogart and Sir Lawrence Olivier.
In 1958 Cleverley set up his own business in Cork Street, and continued to fit some of the most famous feet in the world, amassing a diverse client list that ranged from Sir Winston Churchill to Rolling Stone Charlie Watts.
Before his death in 1991 at 93, Cleverley appointed his successors, George Glasgow and John Carnera, current co-owners who carry on Cleverley’s shoemaking reputation. They trade as G.J Cleverley & Co, now located in the Royal Arcade adjacent to Old Bond Street. Today famous clients include David Beckham and Sir Elton John.
The handmade shoemaking process starts – with a style consultation and measurements.
A unique ‘last’ is made for each customer, which is a wooden block from which the shoe is built. The ‘last’ serves to reproduce the dimensions of the client’s feet.
One can approximate that 45-50 hours of work are required to complete a pair of handmade shoes. They will pass through the hands of several craftsmen, each with a specific skill such as cutting, closing or finishing, which means that the new customer can expect to receive the final product some four to six months down the line.
A pair of bespoke brogues cost in the region of £2,000.

As well as the renowned bespoke business, GJ Cleverley offer a semi-bespoke shoe service along with a readymade range that is very much influenced by the firm’s handmade products.
Their finest semi-bespoke and ready to wear collection is named after shoemaker Anthony Cleverley. This unique collection is styled from shoes once designed for Anthony’s clients, Baron de Rede, Count Visconti, Monsieur de Givenchy and the Rothschild family.
This collection is available as ready to wear from UK 6 to UK 12 sized shoes with half size increments. And also as a made-to-order Anthony Cleverley, for clients who will only wish to make slight modifications. These shoes will take between 12-14 weeks to produce. All shoes come with a lasted beachwood shoes tree .(in Toffsmen)

Maison de retraite pour Aristocrates et grandes bourgeoises

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