Derwent Cumberland Pencil Company, trading as Derwent, is an English brand of pencils and other art materials. The business began in 1832 in Cumberland under the name Banks, Son & Co.. Pencil manufacture in the Keswick area developed in the nineteenth century using local Borrowdale graphite.[1][2] The company later became the Derwent Cumberland Pencil Company. In 1980, it was acquired by the US corporation ACCO Brands, then known as Rexel, and became one of its brands.[3][4]
History
In the early 19th century, Keswick was well known for pencil production. In 1832, Banks, Son & Co. opened a pencil factory in the area. The business later passed through several owners before becoming the Derwent Cumberland Pencil Company in 1916.[5]