Buck and Hickman the story so far

1830’s – The Buck & Hickman story begins. Matthew Buck a saw maker from Sheffield comes to London sometime around 1829. By 1830 he is successfully set up in business near the present day site of Waterloo Station. His daughter, Ann Buck marries a printer called John Roe Hickman and the origins of the Buck & Hickman name are born.

1840’s – John Roe Hickman dies in 1840. To help provide for her family Ann Hickman opens a tool shop in Whitechapel on Backchurch Lane called ‘Buck & Co’. Her son (also called John Roe Hickman) is apprenticed as a tool maker to his Uncle George Buck and eventually goes into partnership with him.

1850’s – John Roe Hickman leaves his Uncle’s business and comes to work with his mother. The business flourishes and moves to bigger premises in Whitechapel Road. Although the company is still formally called Buck & Co it is already becoming known as ‘Buck & Hickman’.

1860’s – John Roe Hickman continues to expand acquiring an Ironmongery business and transferring the entire stock to his premises in Whitechapel. He also starts up a Smith’s shop and a Steam Tool and Grindery works in Union Street.

1870’s – Buck & Hickman win an important government contract to supply specialist linesman’s tools for the Postal Telegraph service. Further large government orders follow and John Roe Hickman begins to source tools from other specialist tool makers to meet demand.

1880’s – The expansion of the business continues. Iron, Steel and Power Transmission are added to the existing Tools and Ironmongery departments. Additional premises are leased in Vallance Road, Stepney where an Engineering works is installed. John Roe Hickman visits America and acquires a number of agencies for prestigious machine tool manufacturers including Bowne & Sharpe, Pratt & Witney and Bradley Power Hammers.

1890’s – Buck & Hickman take space at the 1896 National Cycle Show at the Crystal Palace to demonstrate automatic machines for machining parts for bicycles. Many of the UK’s leading bicycle manufacturers start to place orders for the new machinery. The origins of the Motor Car industry are also developing in the UK and further orders follow. 1900’s – In 1902 the business becomes a private limited liability company with John Roe Hickman as chairman. Sadly just one year later John Roe Hickman dies and his son John Roe Hickman junior takes over as Chairman. During the

1900’s Buck & Hickman begins to expand outside of London and opens it’s first branches in Glasgow (1901), Manchester (1905) and Birmingham (1909). The London premises in Whitechapel are also greatly expanded.

1910’s – During the 1st World War Buck & Hickman plays an important part in supplying the tools and machinery needed in the country’s armament and munitions factories. 14 Buck & Hickman employees are killed fighting for their country during the Great War.

1920’s – John Roe Hickman junior dies in 1921 and is succeeded by his younger brother Frank but he too dies in 1926. Frank is succeeded by Charles George Twallin who remains Chairman of the company right through into the 1950’s.

1930’s – Charles Twallin successfully steers the company though the depression of the early 1930’s but storm clouds are gathering over Europe and in September 1939 war is declared on Germany. The next 6 years prove some of the most challenging of Buck & Hickman’s entire history.

1940’s – The ravages of the 2nd World War take a heavy toll on the manpower, premises and plant of the company. The company’s headquarters in Whitechapel suffer 13 direct hits between 1940 and 1944, the last coming from a V1 ‘Doodlebug’. At one point the business has to be operated from 25 separate addresses! 20 employees are killed fighting for their country during the conflict. Despite the fighting Buck & Hickman still manages to open its 4th branch in Alperton, Middlesex in 1942.

1950’s – New branches are opened in Leeds (1956) and Bristol (1958). The head-office in Whitechapel is also extensively rebuilt and expanded in 1958 finally rectifying the last of the damage caused by the bombing raids during the war.

1960’s – A completely new ‘Machine Tool Department’ is opened in Watford which provides large showrooms in which to display products from the many overseas agencies that Buck & Hickman now hold.

1970’s – A period of significant change. In 1970 Buck & Hickman finally passes out of family ownership when it is acquired by the Sterling Guarantee Trust and in 1974 it moves its head-office from the historic Whitechapel site to a new building in Sheffield. New branches open in Hayes, Dagenham, Cardiff, Newcastle and Luton.

1980’s – In 1985 the Sterling Guarantee Trust merges with P&O (the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation company). The Branch network continues to expand with new branches opening in Southampton (1984), Aberdeen (1985), Crawley (1987) and both Ashford and Ellesmere Port in 1988.

1990’s – Another period of very extensive change. In 1993 P&O sells Buck & Hickman to Charles Baynes plc. Buck & Hickman continues to expand under Charles Baynes’ ownership acquiring Pillar Engineering in 1994 and UK Tools in 1995 and by the late 1990’s it has 30 branches throughout the UK. In 1996 the head-office moves from Sheffield to a new state-of the-art distribution centre just outside Coventry.

2000’s – In 2001 Buck & Hickman is bought by Premier Farnell plc and briefly sees its name changed to ‘BuckHickman InOne’. However Farnell’s period of ownership is only 6 years and in April 2007 the company is acquired by the BSS Group plc who relaunch the ‘Buck & Hickman’ name. In 2005 the company launches its first fully transactional website and in 2009 it opens ‘Tooltastic’ trade counters accross its branch network. 2010 – Buck & Hickman celebrates 180 years of continuous trading having served the needs of its customers in British industry from before the reign of Queen Victoria through to the present day. Its product range is now over 60,000 products and its services include market leading Vendor Managed Inventory and e-Commerce solutions.

2010- In 2011 Brammer Plc acquire Buck and Hickman and create a pan European concern, with over 130 branches in the UK, and are used by many major Bluechip companies as a major supplier.

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