Henry Poole & Co
Encyclopedia
Henry Poole & Co is a gentleman's bespoke tailor
located at №15 Savile Row
in London
. The acknowledged 'Founders of Savile Row
' and creators of the Dinner Suit, the company has remained a family-run business since their establishment in 1806. They opened first in Brunswick Square
, in 1806, originally specializing in military tailoring, with particular merit at the time of the Battle of Waterloo
. Their business moved to Savile Row
in 1846, following the death of founder James Poole.
Henry Poole ran the business until his death in 1876, and was succeeded by cousin Samuel Cundey, whose legacy continued, for five generations, to the present-day owners Angus Cundey and son Simon. In the two centuries, the tailors have enjoyed great success and endured extreme difficulties, but survive to this day as the typification of excellence in bespoke men's tailoring. The company still holds many Royal Warrant
s, and services the Lord Chamberlain
's office with court dress, with their livery department even creating uniforms for the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar
. The company are also credited with the creation of the Dinner Suit.
The company makes regular visits to mainland Europe, the U.S. and other international locations, including Henry Poole outlets in Japan and now China. In 2006, the company celebrated their bicentennial with a refurbishment of their premises and 2007 saw a re-issue of a suiting material made famous by Winston Churchill
, a Henry Poole customer who ordered his first suit 100 years ago.
visited London and subsequently was invited by the Prince to spend a weekend at Sandringham House
. He was also advised that he could have a smoking jacket made by the Prince’s tailors, Henry Poole & Co.
When the Potters returned to New York, Mr. Potter proudly wore his new smoking jacket at the Tuxedo Club and fellow members soon started having copies made for themselves which they adopted as their informal uniform for club “stag” dinners. As a result, the dinner jacket became known as a Tuxedo or Tux in America.
HRH The Prince of Wales 1863
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh 1868
HRH The Crown Prince of Prussia 1868
HM Queen Victoria 1869
HM The King of the Beligians 1869
HRH The Crown Prince of Denmark 1869
HRH The Prince of Teck 1870
HRH Prince Christian of Schleswig–Holstein 1870
The Khedive of Egypt 1870
HRH Prince Oscar of Sweden & Norway 1871
HM King Amadeus I of Spain 1871
HRH Prince Louis of Hesse 1871
HRH Crown Prince of Russia 1874
HIM The Emperor Pedro II of Brazil 1874
HIM Tsar Alexander II of Russia 1875
HM The King of Hellenes 1877
HRH The Crown Prince of Austria 1878
HM King Umberto I of Italy 1879
HIM Emperor Wilhelm I of Germany *
HIM Tsar Alexander III of Russia 1881
HG The Duke of Genoa 1891
HG Friedrich, Grossherzog of Baden 1891
HG The Duke of Aosta 1892
HRH Prince Emanuel of Savoie 1892
HIM The Shah of Persia *
HM The King of Denmark 1893
HM King Edward VII 1902
HRH Prince Albrecht of Prussia 1903
HH The Maharajah Gaekwar of Baroda 1905
HIM The Shah of Persia 1906
The Khedive of Egypt 1910
HM Queen Alexandra 1911
HRH The Prince of Wales 1922
The Imperial Household of Japan 1923
HM King George V 1928
HM The King of the Bulgarians 1936
HM King George VI 1940
HIM Emperor Haile Selassie 1959
HM Queen Elizabeth II 1976
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
located at №15 Savile Row
Savile Row
Savile Row is a shopping street in Mayfair, central London, famous for its traditional men's bespoke tailoring. The term "bespoke" is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for a suit was said to "be spoken for" by individual customers...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The acknowledged 'Founders of Savile Row
Savile Row
Savile Row is a shopping street in Mayfair, central London, famous for its traditional men's bespoke tailoring. The term "bespoke" is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for a suit was said to "be spoken for" by individual customers...
' and creators of the Dinner Suit, the company has remained a family-run business since their establishment in 1806. They opened first in Brunswick Square
Brunswick Square
Brunswick Square is a public garden in Bloomsbury, in the London Borough of Camden. It is overlooked by the School of Pharmacy and the Foundling Museum to the north and the Brunswick Centre to the west...
, in 1806, originally specializing in military tailoring, with particular merit at the time of the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. Their business moved to Savile Row
Savile Row
Savile Row is a shopping street in Mayfair, central London, famous for its traditional men's bespoke tailoring. The term "bespoke" is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for a suit was said to "be spoken for" by individual customers...
in 1846, following the death of founder James Poole.
Henry Poole ran the business until his death in 1876, and was succeeded by cousin Samuel Cundey, whose legacy continued, for five generations, to the present-day owners Angus Cundey and son Simon. In the two centuries, the tailors have enjoyed great success and endured extreme difficulties, but survive to this day as the typification of excellence in bespoke men's tailoring. The company still holds many Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
s, and services the Lord Chamberlain
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
's office with court dress, with their livery department even creating uniforms for the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
. The company are also credited with the creation of the Dinner Suit.
The company makes regular visits to mainland Europe, the U.S. and other international locations, including Henry Poole outlets in Japan and now China. In 2006, the company celebrated their bicentennial with a refurbishment of their premises and 2007 saw a re-issue of a suiting material made famous by Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, a Henry Poole customer who ordered his first suit 100 years ago.
The Tuxedo
In 1860, Henry Poole made a short evening or smoking jacket for the Prince of Wales to wear at informal dinner parties at Sandringham. In 1886, a Mr. James Potter of Tuxedo Park, New YorkTuxedo Park, New York
Tuxedo Park is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 731 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
visited London and subsequently was invited by the Prince to spend a weekend at Sandringham House
Sandringham House
Sandringham House is a country house on of land near the village of Sandringham in Norfolk, England. The house is privately owned by the British Royal Family and is located on the royal Sandringham Estate, which lies within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-History and current...
. He was also advised that he could have a smoking jacket made by the Prince’s tailors, Henry Poole & Co.
When the Potters returned to New York, Mr. Potter proudly wore his new smoking jacket at the Tuxedo Club and fellow members soon started having copies made for themselves which they adopted as their informal uniform for club “stag” dinners. As a result, the dinner jacket became known as a Tuxedo or Tux in America.
Warrants
HIM The Emperor Napoleon III 1858HRH The Prince of Wales 1863
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh 1868
HRH The Crown Prince of Prussia 1868
HM Queen Victoria 1869
HM The King of the Beligians 1869
HRH The Crown Prince of Denmark 1869
HRH The Prince of Teck 1870
HRH Prince Christian of Schleswig–Holstein 1870
The Khedive of Egypt 1870
HRH Prince Oscar of Sweden & Norway 1871
HM King Amadeus I of Spain 1871
HRH Prince Louis of Hesse 1871
HRH Crown Prince of Russia 1874
HIM The Emperor Pedro II of Brazil 1874
HIM Tsar Alexander II of Russia 1875
HM The King of Hellenes 1877
HRH The Crown Prince of Austria 1878
HM King Umberto I of Italy 1879
HIM Emperor Wilhelm I of Germany *
HIM Tsar Alexander III of Russia 1881
HG The Duke of Genoa 1891
HG Friedrich, Grossherzog of Baden 1891
HG The Duke of Aosta 1892
HRH Prince Emanuel of Savoie 1892
HIM The Shah of Persia *
HM The King of Denmark 1893
HM King Edward VII 1902
HRH Prince Albrecht of Prussia 1903
HH The Maharajah Gaekwar of Baroda 1905
HIM The Shah of Persia 1906
The Khedive of Egypt 1910
HM Queen Alexandra 1911
HRH The Prince of Wales 1922
The Imperial Household of Japan 1923
HM King George V 1928
HM The King of the Bulgarians 1936
HM King George VI 1940
HIM Emperor Haile Selassie 1959
HM Queen Elizabeth II 1976