Our Papers Our Services Paper Journal Paper Bank Our Story As a company, we are custodians of a remarkable legacy — 135 years making and curating the world’s finest and most distinctive papers. 1885 George Frederick Smith founds a new paper merchant called G.F Smith & Son, to supply printers and publishers with the finest paper. His brother, Thomas James Smith, was the founder of another significant business, Smith & Nephew The first premises for the company are opened on North Church Side, and a London office opens too. 1897 G . F Smith become paper pioneers and travel to North America to source the best papers, and begin the first of many partnerships. 1905 An 18-year-old named Herbert Thomlinson starts work at the company as a Sales Clerk. He will soon play a very significant role in the future of G . F Smith. 1914 During the First World War, all of the company’s paper stock in Europe was impounded or destroyed. At risk of bankruptcy, Strathmore Paper in the USA wrote off the debt it was owed, and assumed ownership of the business. Pictured: Herbert Thomlinson travels to West Springfield in Massachusetts via New York to agree the Strathmore ownership deal. 1922 The company finds and opens a much larger second site in Hull on Osborne Street. Staff are involved in converting the warehouse into offices and a production area where flat sheets of paper can be transformed into other products. 1926 The paper promotion, Caslon Covers & Boards, is released. Paper colours are very simply described, including Brick, Blue, Yellow and Heather. 1929 The Persuasiveness of Quality is one of G.F Smith’s first marketing pieces. It says; The more vital the need of returns from your printed matter, the greater the necessity that it possess the persuasiveness of quality. G . F Smith taken from The Persuasiveness of Quality 1933 The company has a growing plant list, including eight embossing machines and two guillotines, and a new team of people employed to make envelopes, folders and files. Some of those hard- working machines are still working hard today. 1936 Colorplan is launched in Britain including the introduction of Colorplan Bagdad Brown. 1939 Employees of G.F Smith leave the business to enlist and serve their country, or work in the munitions factory in Hull. 1941 Bombs fall on Hull during a sustained attack. The Osborne Street site, with its machinery, stocks and the company archive is reduced to rubble, and the business moves to a rented house on Park Avenue. The back bedroom is the sales office, and three garages are rented for warehousing. 1947 The company purchases and moves to new premises on Lockwood Street in Hull. A shortage of timber forces the business to recycle leftover munitions into parquet flooring. Food rationing results in Mr Thomlinson extending the premises to create a canteen for the staff, ensuring that despite food shortages, all employees are guaranteed a square meal each day. 1953 To celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, a new promotion is launched featuring red, white and blue boards with different embossed patterns. 1963 Mr Thomlinson, along with Cyril Stephenson, Peter Frank and Ted Southern set about raising the capital to enable the company to regain its independence after 40 years of American ownership. The new owners of Strathmore Paper Mill, undertakes and completes the sale of G . F Smith back to its management team. G . F Smith past promotions 1965 The first graphic design courses are introduced into art colleges. A steady stream of graduates become the first to establish new and vibrant graphic design businesses. This development also leads to designers taking greater individual control of print and paper specification, and places a responsibility on suppliers to help educate and inspire this new and ambitious audience. 1968 The business begins to pay a loyalty bonus to every member of staff, as a recognition for their efforts during challenging times. The scheme, based on company profits, still operates 50 years later. G . F Smith begins a 40 year partnership with design consultant Bill Mackay. His growing knowledge of the graphic, fashion and print sectors becomes a real asset. Seeing the move to stronger and brighter colours, he develops a new paper range called ‘Plan 8’. 1978 Paper Consultants become key members of the G . F Smith team, helping to spread the word among printers, merchants, designers and art students. Pictured: Bill Mackay (left), Neil Pack (Hull Sales Clerk, who later became a London Director), Ron Jackson (Sales Office Manager) and Doris Coe (Hull Sales Clerk). 1979 A new warehouse is opened to help manage the growth in business the company has been enjoying over the early part of the 1970s. 1985 G . F Smith celebrates 100 years as a business, founded in Hull, but steadily expanding its influence across the world. G . F Smith Photographic is established to offer and service the professional photographer with bespoke photo albums and photographic mounts and folders. 1995 To meet the changing needs of customers, and maximise the opportunities presented by new market sectors within the paper, print and graphical industries the company introduces new services including Luxury Packaging, Greetings Cards, Export, Retail and Digital. 2012 G . F Smith partners with the British Council, Monotype London and It’s Nice That to stage ‘Beauty in the Making’. A free event held over five days, it is a celebration of the hidden skills and craftsmanship that lie behind the scenes of the creative industry. People are our foundation. Paper is our passion. 2014 G . F Smith are proud to recognise the fact that 36 members of the team have given more than 20 years of service to the company. 2016 On the 12 December, G . F Smith opened a fascinating new space dedicated to celebrating the visual and tactile experience of paper. Housed across two floors in an elegant dark-grey building just off Oxford Street, our multi purpose Show Space provides a place to meet with our Paper Consultants, acts as an event and exhibition venue whilst also providing an immersive insight into our remarkable papers and history. Contact us at Show Space to book in your paper appointment. 2017 Our home town city of Hull is designated the UK City of Culture. The World’s Favourite Colour Project by G . F Smith and Hull 2017 is launched. With submissions from over 100 countries, The World’s Favourite Colour winner is announced as Annie Marrs from Dundee. Marrs Green has been introduced into the iconic Colorplan collection. To celebrate G . F Smith partner with eight of the most exciting creatives from the worlds of art, design and architecture to express this passion for paper — and for Hull — through Paper City. All were invited to play with the most fundamental creative material: paper. Curated by Andrew Knight and Hazel Colquhoun, the project celebrates the enduring value of paper as a material, its malleability and capabilities. G . F Smith aquires R . K Burt 2020 “We are continually challenging ourselves to expand our creative reach and secure our valuable independence. The Fine Art Material sector has always been of interest to G . F Smith and we have admired the market leader R . K Burt for many years. With this acquisition we are further enhancing our ability to supply the creative world with remarkable products and unsurpassed service.” John Haslam, G . F Smith Joint Managing Director Our Worlds ABOUT US OUR STORY OUR SERVICES INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT CONTACT US Help FAQS GLOSSARY OF TERMS STUDENTS GREETINGS DOWNLOADS Newsletter EMAIL Submit Follow us G.F Smith Colorplan T&CS PRIVACY