Kendal Dark Birds Eye Mixture Shag Pipe Tobacco (Loose)

It all started in Kendal, England in 1792. Thomas Harrison was a successful snuff maker. Jane Harrison Thomas’s daughter, eloped in 1838 to a young man of Kendal, Samuel Gawith. When Mr. Harrison died in 1841, he left the business to his daughter and son-in-law, and over the years Samuel Gawith continued to prosper.

In 1865, Samuel Gawith died prematurely at the age of 48. His eldest son, also called Samuel, was only 22 and his father had wisely left the firm in the hands of three trustees, one of whom was this son. The elder trustee was Henry Hoggarth, a boyhood friend and neighbour in Lowther Street who had founded a Kendal firm of land agents and surveyors.

In 1878, Samuel and his younger brother, John Edward Gawith decided amicably to go their separate ways and so the two Gawith firms came into being. Samuel took over the snuff mill and business at Mealbank, and John stayed on in Lowther Street.

The firm in Lowther Street went through some troubled times but, in 1887, a new partnership was founded between Samuel’s youngest brother, William Henry, and Henry Hoggarth junior, to be known as Gawith Hoggarth Company.

Gawith Hoggarth Company continued to manufacture tobacco products and snuff at the Lowther Street works until 2009, when they moved to new business premises.

And now, in 2015, the two companies will be back together under one roof.

Gawith Hoggarth's Dark Bird's Eye, a tobacco that'll put hairs on your chest! Definitely not for the beginner or faint hearted.

This Kentucky and Virginia tobacco is semi-sweet with a woody flavour and cut to a shag, which makes it easy to pack, light-up and keep burning.

A favourite amongst fishermen of old, when they were allowed to smoke on deck!

Please note: Pipe used is for illustration purposes only.

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