Thomas Tomlinson Cussons (1838–1927) born in Kingston upon Hull

Kingston upon Hull

Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. Son of George Cussons and his wife Jane Cussons (née Moss). Thomas was the Chairman of the British soap manufacturing company Cussons & Son. Thomas established the 'Cussons' brand which has become one of the largest personal care brands in Britain

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

.

Career

In the early 1880s Thomas opened a chemist in the town of Ossett

Ossett

Ossett is a market town within the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is located on junction 40 of the M1 motorway, half-way between Dewsbury, to the west, and Wakefield, to the east. In the 2001 census, it was classified as part of the West Yorkshire...

. In Ossett he also operated as a wine merchant. He enjoyed an exclusive right to distribute W & A Gilbey Wines in Ossett. Following the establishment of the Ossett chemist he established an additional chemist in Louth

Louth, Lincolnshire

Louth is a market town and civil parish within the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:Known as the "capital of the Lincolnshire Wolds", it is situated where the ancient trackway Barton Street crosses the River Lud, and has a total resident population of 15,930.The Greenwich...

. In 1891 he opened a further chemist in Swinton

Swinton, Greater Manchester

Swinton is a town within the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. Located on the A6 road it stands on gently sloping ground on the southwest side of the River Irwell, and within the bounds of the orbital M60 motorway. It is west-northwest of Salford, and west-northwest of Manchester...

, Salford.

Initially the Cussons brand was attached principally to medicine. In 1893 the Cussons range included the following:

• Cussons "Excelsior" Tic Mixture
• Cussons Compound Rhubarb Pills
• Cussons Antibilious Pills
• Cussons "Excelsior" Black Currant Cough Elixir
• Cussons Effervescing Saline

In 1897 Thomas acquired a glass blowing factory in Harpurhey

Harpurhey

-Landmarks:Harpurhey Edwardian Swimming Baths, situated on Rochdale Road was built between 1909-10 by Henry Price, Manchester's first City Architect. Listed grade II in, the baths were closed to the public in 2001 after serious defects were discovered and the entrance building is currently being...

, which marked the beginning of a great increase in business. Thomas' commercial activities laid the foundations for his son Alex Cussons

Alexander Tom Cussons

Alexander Tom Cussons . Born in Holbeck, Leeds, England to Thomas Tomlinson Cussons and his wife Elizabeth Cussons . Alexander was the Chairman of Cussons Sons & Co, maker of the brand Cussons Imperial Leather and other toiletries.-Career:Tom Cussons was apprenticed in the town of Ossett...

 who would make Cussons into a multinational brand and manufacture the famous Cussons Imperial Leather

Imperial Leather

Imperial Leather is a brand of soaps, toiletries and healthcare products manufactured by PZ Cussons. The brand originates in Britain and is now available in a number of other countries including Australia, Denmark, Germany , Pakistan, India, Kenya, South Africa, iran and Dubai...

soap.

Letters

In 1892 Thomas published extracts from letters of people recommending the Cussons brand.

Below is an extract from a clergyman to Mr. Cussons dated 28 March, 1888:

"DEAR SIR,—I have much pleasure in stating that I consider your MIXTURE a most efficacious remedy for Neuralgia or Tic. I have suffered very much and very frequently from this disorder, and have found MORE relief from your Medicine than any other. I can with confidence recommend it to any persons who are troubled with this pain."

Below is an extract from a Mr S. Smith dated 19 March, 1888:

"Mr. Cussons—Dear Sir,—It affords me great pleasure to testify to the quality of your Tic Mixture. My wife suffered most excruciating agony in her face, forehead and eyes through Tic or Rheumatism, which gave her no rest. After trying all kinds of remedies which failed, she was induced by a friend, who had had one of your bottles and which had cured two members of her family, to purchase one of your bottles as a trial, which she did, and after taking four doses she felt herself completely cured of pain. I am perfectly satisfied that the Medicine deserves universal praise, and I shall recommend it to all who may be so affected."

Below is an extract from a woman in service, dated 17 March, 1888:

"I now hasten to drop you a few lines in reference to the Medicine you sent the other week; well it completely cured me and I have some of it left yet. I suffered awfully you may be sure and could not attend to my household duties. Mistress had to get our charwomen to come and assist her while I was so bad. Please tell Mr. Cussons that through the merits of his Medicine I am quite a new made woman, and I shall always speak well of his Tic Medicine wherever I may be situated."