Judy Middleton 2002 (revised 2021)
 |
| copyright © J.Middleton The Dubarry structure is an elegant industrial building enhanced by the lovely mosaic work |
A Variety of Landowners and Leaseholders
The land on which the factory stood belonged originally to
the Stanford Estate who sold two parcels of land in 1882 and 1892 to Frederick
Napper, Brighton Miller. Land from the latter deal was leased to Horace
Saunders, Brighton timber merchant, who in 1907 exercised the option to
purchase. Napper sold the south part to Adolphe Drincqbier and the western
portion to George and Frederick Parsons. The remaining part was leased to
George Kelsey, coachbuilder, and Clarence J. Kerridge, builder, and this part
of the land was gradually sold off.
It is interesting to note that there was an important industrial site at 2 Hove Park Villas from 1900 to
1903, before Dubarry’s came on the scene. Three brilliant brothers – Horace, Eustace and Oswald Short – backed by Colonel Gouraud established the Menlo Laboratories here Eustace and Oswald created their first hot air balloon on the premises, while Horace worked on his own inventions that required four separate patents. The brothers went on to become the first English aircraft manufacturers.
See Aldrington Recreation Ground for more details on the former Menlo Laboratories in Hove and the Short Brothers balloon flight at the Grand Opening of Aldrington Recreation Ground (Wish Park) on the 24th May 1900.
It is interesting to note that there was an important industrial site at 2 Hove Park Villas from 1900 to
1903, before Dubarry’s came on the scene. Three brilliant brothers – Horace, Eustace and Oswald Short – backed by Colonel Gouraud established the Menlo Laboratories here Eustace and Oswald created their first hot air balloon on the premises, while Horace worked on his own inventions that required four separate patents. The brothers went on to become the first English aircraft manufacturers.
See Aldrington Recreation Ground for more details on the former Menlo Laboratories in Hove and the Short Brothers balloon flight at the Grand Opening of Aldrington Recreation Ground (Wish Park) on the 24th May 1900.
Although the land was fragmented between different owners
and leaseholders for a few years, the Standard Tablet Company gradually managed
to purchase the freehold of the entire site between 1910 and 1923. This
included the site of the capsule factory in 1910 and 1911, the site of Cook’s
factory in 1915, the south portion of Napper’s land in 1916, and the remaining
portion from Saunders in 1923.
The Standard Tablet Factory
 | |
| copyright © J.Middleton |
 |
| copyright © J.Middleton The extent of the Dubarry works can best be appreciated from the platform of Hove Railway Station. These two photographs were taken on 12 January 2016 |
Harry William Kilby Pears, son of a retail chemist,
established the Standard Tablet Factory at Western Road, Hove, and later the
company moved to new premises near Hove Railway Station. Hove Council approved
a number of plans drawn up for the factory, which was eventually housed in four
separate units on the site.
1907 – Parnacott & Son’s plans were approved in December
1907.
1910 – A.W. Nye’s plans for a new factory approved.
1916 – A.C. Udney’s plans approved.
1916 – Clayton & Black’s plans approved.
1917 – Clayton & Black’s plans for a factory extension
approved.
1923 – C.J. Kerridge’s plans for an extension to the packing
factory approved.
1928 – A.C. Udney, 142 Springfield Road, Brighton, plans
approved in September.
1930 – E. Wallis Long, 6 Old Steine, Brighton, extension
plan approved in July.
Dubarry
 |
| copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove Brighton Herald 7 July 1900 |
Mr Kilby Pears started out with a limited range of
toiletries. During the Great War he launched Dubarry Cosmetics and the name was
especially chosen as a tribute to our French allies. Madame du Barry
(1741-1793) was undoubtedly a glamorous lady and a favourite of King Louis XV.
But it is also a fact that the unhappy lady was guillotined ‘vainly
whimpering’.
It is amusing to note that this solid English-based company
liked to flaunt its supposed French credentials when opening an outlet at 81
Brompton Road, London, by calling itself ‘Dubarry et Cie Parfumeurs’.
In Canada and in countries outside the Commonwealth
Dubarry’s products were sold under the name of Dalcrose.
Dubarry’s became celebrated for its elegant packaging and
today their beautiful Art Deco-style bottles are highly collectable objects.
But it was the Standard Tablet Company that first registered a design for a
glass bottle on 22 October 1921.
In 1923 the Standard Tablet Company went into liquidation
and a new company trading as Dubarry purchased all the assets. At the same time
an agreement was reached whereby Dubarry employed H.W. Kilby Pears of 4
Hamilton Mansions, King’s Gardens, Hove, (founder of the original firm) as
managing director. Dubarry was registered as a company in January 1924.
In 1926 Dubarry’s applied to Hove Council for a Fire Safety
Certificate stating that there were sufficient means of escape in the event of
a fire breaking out. The Borough Surveyor went along to inspect the premises.
In his report to the council he recorded that there were four buildings
covering an area of 14,817 feet. There were four internal staircases (two
wooden and two concrete) and three external iron staircases. A certificate was
duly issued.
Mosaic
A.C. Udney’s 1930 plans clearly show the extensive mosaic
panels in Art Deco style that run along the exterior façade. The lettering runs
as follows:
Dubarry Perfumery Co.
Dubarry’s Shalimar Complexion Cream for Loveliness that
Lasts
Shalimar Manicure Preparations
Dubarry’s Silkashave soap for a Luxurious Shave
Perfumes and Toilet Luxuries
Crème Shalimar for Dainty Soft White Hands
Flower Scented Flower Crystals
 |
| copyright © J.Middleton The exotic lettering of the mosaic suits the romantic word ‘Shalimar’ |
When Dubarry’s moved away from Hove in the 1960s, some of the mosaic lettering was painted over and perhaps forgotten. But in 1991 they were re-discovered by builders engaged on the refurbishment of the premises. The new owners, Collmain Customer Services, decided the mosaics should be restored to their former glory.
Shalimar
The romantic-sounding word ‘Shalimar’ comes from a poem by Laurence Hope (1865-1904) called Kashmiri Song and the first line runs
Pale hands I loved beside the Shalimar
The poem appeared in Garden of Karma (1901) and it
became a song in 1902 that remained popular right up until the Second World
War. Two lines from the poem seem especially relevant to a beauty product.
Pale hands, pink tipped, like lotus buds that float
On those cool waters where we used to dwell.
It comes as a surprise for such romantic verse to discover
that Laurence Hope was in fact a pseudonym for Adela Florence Nicolson. She
lived in Lahore where there was a famous garden known as the Shalimar Bagh but
perhaps her inspiration was the Shalimar Bagh in Kashmir.
Dubarry’s products were certainly popular with the ladies of
the British Raj in the sub-continent and the company placed large
advertisements in the Times of India.
Perhaps it should not be surprising that another enterprise should
wish to use such an exotic name for their own perfume. In this case
it was none other than the world-famous French company of Guerlain.
But there was the little matter of trademark copyright to sort out
first. It seems likely that Dubarry had first call on the name.
Although the French perfume Shalimar was created in 1921, the company
was obliged to call it by the uninspiring name of no. 90, and it was
not marketed as ‘Shalimar’ until 1925. This points to either a
legal dispute, or to an agreement not to use the name for a set time,
or both. However, if Dubarry had lost the case, surely they would not
have had the audacity to put ‘Shalimar’ in large letters on the
facade of their building in the 1930s. (Michael Grafton, former
‘Directeur de la Finance et de L’Administration’ for Guerlain
UK, kindly drew my attention to the trademark dispute)
 |
| copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove The Brighton and Hove Albion football team standing on the platform at Hove Station. 11 December, 1937, the photograph shows how the Dubarry building dominates the backdrop to Hove Station. |
Second World War
During this time a firm known as RFD occupied the top floor
of the Dubarry building. The female workers were engaged on various activities
in aid of the war effort. This included the repair of lifebelts after the D-Day
operation, making and repairing inflatable dinghies, inflatable grey panels,
fins and rudders for large barrage balloons and possibly components for weather
balloons. The women earned the grand sum of ten pence and a halfpenny per hour.
The conditions under which the female workers laboured could
be compared to what their forebears endured during the Great War working in
munitions. The reason was that acetone and a mixture of other noxious chemicals
were used to coat the balloons and lifebelts. An indication of the seriousness
of the situation lies in the fact there was a room equipped with several beds
and a full-time nurse who would attend to those who were overcome by the fumes
and felt sick and nauseous. An unexpected hazard was because the mixture
resembled ordinary nail varnish and some girls took advantage and painted their
nails. But if they also had a habit of biting their nails, it made them ill.
Although Dubarry products could hardly be classed as war
work, it seems that business continued as usual in the rest of the factory. A
14-year old girl who began working there in 1941 worked from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
and earned 12/6d a week with four pence having to go to National Insurance. One
of her tasks was to bind cork sachet rings with coloured ribbon and the length
had to be exactly right. All work was scrutinised with rigour to ensure
standards were maintained. When the air-raid siren sounded all the workers
trooped downstairs to take refuge in the basement packaging area.
Although the girls worked hard and the supervision was
strict, many of them in later years had happy memories of their time at
Dubarry’s, remembering especially the happy atmosphere.
Profits
It seems the war did not dent Dubarry’s profits at all – in
fact the reverse was true. In May 1945 the 22nd A.G.M. of the
Dubarry Perfumery Company was held at the Royal Pavilion with Mr H.W.K. Pears
in the chair. Prices were kept the same as in the pre-war years but there had
been an increase in profit.
1943 – trading profit was £35,654
1944 – trading profit was £69,790
Popular Culture
By 1945 of course Dubarry’s was a household name and it was
mentioned in a review that toured the country during the war years. The revue
was Jane in the Mirror and Chrystabel Leighton Porter was the star; she
was also the model for Norman Pett when he created the famous strip cartoon Jane
whose saucy goings-on was a morale booster during bleak times. One of her
songs in the review was entitled Wouldn’t you like to be My Little Dog?’ and
the lyrics went
Fritz is very, very clean, a lovely sort of form
He doesn’t smell like any other dog,
As a matter of fact, I always use Dubarry’s Golden Morn
And once a month I bath my little dog.
I soak him all over,
Then I rinse him with a hose,
And he runs around and shakes himself,
Like all dogs, I suppose.
I undress before I bath him,
Or I’d ruin all my clothes.
Wouldn’t you like to be my little dog?
Elegant Packaging
 |
| copyright © J.Middleton This metal badge was one of the many souvenirs produced to celebrate the Festival of Britain in 1951 |
The Heart of the Rose
A Bunch of Violets
Golden Morn
The Blue Lagoon
Romance
Dancing Times
The first five fragrances were also to be found in talcum
powder. The last two had only been launched recently by 1951 and came complete
with fascinating little statuettes. In 1951 to celebrate the Festival of
Britain a special new perfume called ‘Greetings’ was created.
 |
| (Brighton Standard 29 August 1951) This machine dispensed talcum powder into its container |
A lengthy article published in the same year (Brighton Standard 29 August 1951) mentions that talcum powder was put into ‘intriguing
fluted bottles of blue and pink’.
Dubarry’s produced a large range of elegant powder compacts
while the compacts containing compressed powder were called ‘powdrettes’. Some
of the compacts were embellished with head and shoulder portraits of elegant
ladies such as those painted by George Romney; a more modern design depicted
ballerinas against slanting rays or a fairy. There was one design with distinct
echoes of Wedgewood with a white figure on a blue background. But there were
also plainer gold-toned compacts and even an ivory-lidded case with a small, enamelled
central medallion. Brilliantine came in an embossed pewter tin featuring a
fuchsia flower.
One attribute of the company that must have increased
profits was that with the exception of glass bottles, everything else was
produced on site. Thus Dubarry’s had its own printing works with colour presses
that could produce anything from the tiny labels to go on bath cubes to a
luxury catalogue in full colour. Dubarry’s also produced labels for the
products of other companies, for example, Epsom Salts. The company had its own
box-making and packaging department too. It was skilled work and new workers
took six months to learn their trade. But it was artistic too because some
boxes were like a miniature chest of drawers, covered with gold paper and with
silk-lined drawers that opened by pulling a little tassel. These were luxury
items mostly send abroad. The one drawback was the dreadful smelling glue that
was heated up for use in what was called a font.
 |
| A general view of the box-making department at Dubarry’ (Brighton Standard 29 August 1951) |
The machines popping out bath cubes could produce 48 cubes a
minute; Dubarry soap was made in round or oval shapes. In the 1930s the
packaging was done by hand and involved hand-pleating the cellophane around the
bar of soap with the aid of a damp sponge and sticking the little label
centrally on the converging pleats. By 1951 this work was mechanised.
 |
| Brighton Standard 29 August 1951 Top Left:- This fearsome-looking machine compressed the bath cubes. Top Right:- By 1951 a soap-wrapping machine had replaced the hand-pleating. Lower:- These bath cubes are being wrapped and labelled by ingenious machines |
The cost of substances for producing perfume were not cheap;
for example, ‘absolute rose’ and ‘absolute jasmine’ cost £15 an ounce. The
scented atmosphere in those rooms where perfume was added to the products could
be somewhat overpowering to those unused to it. When the female employees went
home on the bus, nobody had to ask where they worked because they were still
surrounded by an aura of perfume.
It is interesting to note that by 1951 Dubarry’s covered some
80,000 square feet whereas in 1926 it had been 14,817 feet. Mr D.W. Hudson was
chairman of the company in 1951 and he was also head of the well-known Hove
chemist Parris & Greening. Directors were Mrs K.I. Pears (widow of the
founder) Mrs V. Parry, Mr Frank Gates and Mr Keith von der Hyde who was also
general manager of the works. Dubarry’s employed from 300 to 400 people.
Demise
In 1962 William R. Warner acquired Dubarry’s and he kept the
name but in 1964 the company moved from Hove to Hampshire; into 1982 it went
into liquidation.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Estates & Property Corporation
plc acquired the Hove site.
Recent Developments
The Dubarry buildings are still in existence and they are
now known as Hove Business Centre and occupied by a number of businesses, both
small and large. Crunch Accounting is one of the largest and has some 160
employees while a school of dance and drama strikes a more exotic note.
In November 2014 Lewis MacMillan Architects submitted a
planning application to Brighton & Hove City Council to build luxury flats
on top of the flat roofs of Hove Business Centre. There was an immediate outcry
from the businesses involved as well as nearby residents who would be affected
by the development. In fact the decision was shelved in February 2015 for
extensive reports on such items as acoustics and impact. According to the
developers the noise of music could be easily contained by the use of
double-glazing and sound insulation.
Some businesses were upset because they had signed a new
lease and there had been no mention of rooftop development. They questioned
whether or not the roof was sufficiently strong to support such a development.
The business community also felt the council was not according sufficient
importance to their place in the local economy and feared the ‘gentrification’
of the building. While it might mean more rates payable to the council, there
would be a loss of employment if businesses were forced to re-locate outside of
Brighton and Hove due to the loss of large office space.
In December 2015 there came the surprising news that the
council had passed the plans and that the building of nine luxury flats would
go ahead; there would be four one-bedroom flats, four two-bedroom flats and a
three-bedroom apartment. But it was by no means a unanimous decision because
seven councillors voted for the plans and five councillors voted against them.
Although news of what was going on behind the
scenes regarding the Dubarry building did not seem to filter through
to the local Press, there was apparently a great deal of activity. In
May 2018 it was stated that Hatton Garden Properties, owners of the
building, had, over the previous five years, submitted multiple
planning applications.
The latest plan made no mention of
residential use, and instead Brighton & Hove City Council
approved plans to built four offices on the roof. Councillor Michael
Inkpin-Leissner abstained from voting because he thought flats rather
than offices should be created.
There were 22 letters opposing the
new scheme. Jackie O’Quinn, councillor for Goldsmid Ward, in a
statement to the Planning Committee, said ‘Residents of Newtown
Road will now suffer a loss of light, some properties more than
others, and also a loss of privacy due to large windows that are
intended to run along the north-facing walls of the offices.’
Included in the plans were nine
parking spaces and twelve cycle stands.
Naturally, planning permission did
not come without strings attached. Hatton Garden Properties would be
required to provide:
A £33,362 contribution towards
transport improvements – that is, pavements, cycling, and public
spaces in the area, including Hove Station
A £9,672 contribution towards
Brighton & Hove Local Employment Scheme (Argus 11/5/18)
Planning Approval
In
September 2020 there came news that Brighton & Hove City
councillors had given planning approval to the building of three
penthouses on the roof of the Dubarry building. It seems the
committee in question had ignored the opposition of local residents,
and the three councillors representing the area were also against
such a proposal. There were 43 letters of objection as well as a
petition signed by 1,500 people. There were concerns about
over-looking, invasion of privacy, the loss of the roof terrace to
those already living in Dubarry House, while the fine view of the
whole Dubarry frontage with its lovely mosaic lettering from the
platform of Hove Railway Station would be ruined. To add insult to
injury, it appears that a letter of approval had already been sent to
the company involved, before the final decision was made public.
(Argus 8/9/20)
Sources
Argus 6/8/2009 / 10/8/2009 / 12/8/2009 / 14/8/2009 /
15/8/2009 / 22/8/2009 / 31/8/2009 / 5/9/2009 / 18/9/2009 / 19/9/2009 /
7/12/2015 / 10/12/2015 / 7/12/2015 / 10/12/2015
Brighton & Hove Independent 11 December 2015
Brighton Standard 29 August 1951
J.Middleton Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade
Hove Council Minutes
The Keep
AMS 6153 – Deeds relating to the Dubarry site
Copyright © J.Middleton 2016