John Pollock & Co

John Pollock & Co was established in 1928, when John Pollock bought his brother out of the family businesses, dissolving the partnership known as Edward Pollock, Partners: John Pollock, Arthur Pollock, Wholesale and Export Clay Pipe Manufacturer.

John and Arthur Pollock were the sons of the company founder, Edward Pollock. Edward Pollock had moved to Manchester from Leith, Scotland, in 1870. He eventually founded the family business in 1878, with premises in Fir Street, Manchester. The business flourished and Edward Pollock moved the company to new premises on Bridge Street, Manchester in 1884.

The company continued to expand and building work on new premises in Kirk Street, Manchester, began in April 1896. The company moved into the new premises in October the same year. A three-storey extension was added to the premises in 1899.

Edward Pollock died on 14 April 1914 and his sons John and Arthur Pollock carried on the business under the name of Edward Pollock, Partners: John Pollock, Arthur Pollock, Wholesale and Export Clay Pipe Manufacturer.

In 1929, John Pollock’s son Gordon joined the renamed company John Pollock & Co. Gordon Pollock served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. On his return after the war, John Pollock handed over the running of the factory to him. Gordon became a partner in the company.

In 1957, the Post Office changed the address of the company to 18 Harding Street, Manchester and the factory became known as the Kirk Street factory. During the 1960s, the Kirk Street factory was included in a local planning compulsory purchase order. Gordon Pollock worked on designing new purpose-built premises on an industrial estate on nearby Ashton New Road.

John Pollock died in 1965. The new factory opened at 2 Stott Street, Manchester on 1 March 1974. Gordon Pollock continued to run the business until 1990, when the company was sold to Wilson & Company, Snuff Makers of Sheffield. The name of the company remained John Pollock & Co with Gordon Pollock becoming a consultant manager of the Stott street factory.

During the early 1990s, Manchester made a failed bid to host the Summer Olympics. Manchester City Council had purchased various businesses in the Stott Street area, including the premises of John Pollock & Co. On 1 April 1994, Wilsons & Co moved clay pipe production to its historic snuff mill in Sheffield.