James Smith And Sons: London's Oldest Umbrella Shop
James Smith & Sons is London's oldest umbrella shop, located at 53 New Oxford Street.
Established in 1830, the shop has been serving customers for nearly two centuries, offering a wide range of umbrellas, walking sticks, and other accessories.
It’s renowned for its traditional craftsmanship, quality materials, and personalised service.
The historic shop has maintained its Victorian-era storefront, which adds to its historic charm and appeal.
Visitors to James Smith & Sons can browse through a variety of umbrella styles, from classic designs to more contemporary options, all made with meticulous attention to detail.
You will of course find all manner of cane, walking stick and umbrella, including; the ‘folding umbrella’, ‘sun umbrella’, ‘the slim’, ‘the city’ and ‘the solid stick’.
Some umbrella handles are topped with quirky animals such as crocodiles and lions, and there’s even one sporting Sherlock Holmes' head, complete with pipe and deerstalker hat.
Over the years, James Smith & Sons has become a cultural landmark in London, attracting locals and tourists alike who appreciate its heritage and dedication to excellence in umbrella-making.
It continues to uphold its reputation as one of the finest umbrella shops in the world.
In the 2011 movie Captain America: The First Avenger, the storefront of James Smith & Sons appears in the CGI background of a shot, but the name is changed to Henry Cooper & Sons.
The building is also Grade II listed, making it "of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve it".
A brief history
In 1830, a Mr Smith founded the now famous firm of James Smith and Sons (Umbrellas) at Foubert’s Place, just off Regent Street in London’s West End.
The umbrellas were made in a small workshop in the back of the shop and then sold to customers at the front.
In 1851, Samuel Fox invented the lightweight steel frame, and umbrellas, now easily available, grew in popularity.
James Smith II was one of the first umbrella makers to use Fox Frames & his business grew to the point where he had to move to a larger premises in 53 New Oxford Street, where the shop, almost unchanged, remains to this day.
The shop was so narrow that to open an umbrella you had to go outside. From this shop umbrellas were sold to many dignitaries such as Gladstone, Lord Curzon and Bonar Law.
When the shop in Saville Place was knocked down to make way for a new road another shop was opened in Burlington Street, near Piccadilly Circus.
In 1930 the great grandson of the founder arrived from Tasmania to run the business.
The shop in Burlington Street was destroyed in a bombing raid during the Second World War leaving only the New Oxford Street shop.
The shop at 53 New Oxford Street is largely unaltered and is a perfect example of Victorian shop front design.
It remains as one of the landmarks of Central London and is commonly referred to as ‘The Umbrella Shop’ by black cab drivers and locals alike.
Someone who recently visited the shop said: “This shop really brings you back in time traveling back to the 19th century.
”The shop front, display and range of umbrella products they are selling gives you a heritage vibe, but the professionalism and exceptionally warm hospitality of the staff do beat the standard of the service level of today’s world.
”Worth getting an high quality umbrella with the wet weather in London!”
Another person added: “Best umbrella shop I’ve visited in my entire life. They sell different types of umbrellas at multiple price points and I was amazed at the variety.
”Have always passed this shop for many years but finally ventured in.
”All staff there were really courteous welcome, and happy to let you try their umbrellas. An elderly gentlemen assisted me and was very patient in explaining the umbrellas I was interested in.
”I walked away very happy with a maple wood handle umbrella which I really love.”
If you’d like to visit, the address is: James Smith & Sons, Hazelwood House, 53 New Oxford Street, London, WC1A 1BL.
It is open Tuesday-Saturday 10.30am-5.15pm and the nearest tube stop is Tottenham Court Road.
If you enjoyed this blog post, please follow Exploring GB on Facebook for daily travel content and inspiration.
Don’t froget to check out our latest blog post below!
Thank you for visiting Exploring GB.
