Atkinsons of London

Atkinsons of London is a British perfume house with origins in London in 1799. It was established by James Atkinson, who came to London from Cumberland carrying recipes for toiletries and fragrances, together with a bear's grease balm and a live bear that became central to the brand's early identity. His brother Edward later joined the enterprise. The company initially became particularly associated with a hair pomade made with bear grease, a product promoted at the time as a means of encouraging hair regrowth. The product remained in production into the period after the First World War, and the bear became a recurring visual element in Atkinsons advertising and branding. The company's emblem was a chained bear. Atkinsons expanded beyond hair pomade into fragrances, toiletries and cosmetics. Its manufacturing activity was based at the Eonia Works on Southwark Park Road in Rotherhithe, London. The house's historical prestige was reinforced in 1832, when James Atkinson was appointed Perfumer to the Court of St. James. The brand's recorded clientele included King George IV, who granted the firm a Royal Warrant, as well as the Duke of Wellington, Admiral Lord Nelson, Beau Brummell, Sarah Bernhardt, Emma, Lady Hamilton, the Tsar of Russia and the King of Italy. These associations positioned Atkinsons within the tradition of British court and society perfumery. The brand also left a physical mark on London's luxury-retail landscape. In 1926, architect Vincent Harris designed the Atkinsons Building at 2–4 Burlington Gardens, on the corner of Old Bond Street and Burlington Gardens. The Grade II listed building was executed in a Gothic Revival style with Arts and Crafts detailing and included a spire containing a 23-bell carillon cast by Gillett & Johnston. The building is no longer occupied by Atkinsons and is now used by a Salvatore Ferragamo women's fashion store. Atkinsons experienced a lengthy period during which the brand was dormant or absent from the market. It changed ownership several times in the early 2000s before being acquired by Perfume Holding from Procter & Gamble in 2008. Perfume Holding subsequently relaunched the brand in September 2013. The relaunch returned Atkinsons to the perfume market while drawing on its historical London identity, heritage, royal associations and distinctive bear imagery. Publicly available reference material identifies the company primarily as a perfume house; detailed information about its current corporate structure, specific fragrance portfolio, leadership team and geographic sales footprint is limited.

Atkinsons of London traces its origins to 1799, when James Atkinson established a perfume and toiletries business in London. Atkinson had traveled from Cumberland in northern England with a collection of recipes for fragrances and personal-care preparations. Among the materials he brought was a bear's grease balm, accompanied by a real bear that helped give the business an unusual and memorable identity. James was later joined by his brother Edward, and the enterprise developed into a maker of fragrances, toiletries and cosmetics. The company's first major commercial success was a hair pomade prepared with bear grease. In the context of nineteenth-century personal grooming, Atkinsons and other sellers promoted bear's grease as a preparation that could help restore hair growth, including for bald men. The product became strongly associated with the house and remained in production until after the First World War. The brand's chained-bear emblem reflected this commercial history and was used prominently in advertising. The bear functioned both as a literal reference to the product and as a distinctive symbol capable of separating Atkinsons from other fragrance and grooming businesses. Manufacturing took place at the Eonia Works on Southwark Park Road in Rotherhithe, London. Although the business was known for its pomade, its activity extended across perfume, toiletries and cosmetics. Atkinsons' reputation grew through its association with elite and royal customers. In 1832, James Atkinson received the appointment of Perfumer to the Court of St. James. King George IV was recorded as a customer and granted the firm a Royal Warrant. Other notable customers associated with the house included the Duke of Wellington, Admiral Lord Nelson, Beau Brummell, Sarah Bernhardt, Emma, Lady Hamilton, the Tsar of Russia and the King of Italy. These associations contributed to the brand's later presentation as a historically established British perfume house. Atkinsons also became associated with a prominent London building. In 1926, Vincent Harris designed the Atkinsons Building at 2–4 Burlington Gardens, at the junction with Old Bond Street and Burlington Gardens. The building used Gothic Revival architecture with Arts and Crafts details and included a spire containing a 23-bell carillon made by Gillett & Johnston. The property is Grade II listed. It no longer serves as an Atkinsons location and is currently occupied by a Salvatore Ferragamo women's fashion store. The brand later entered a prolonged dormant period. It changed hands several times in the early 2000s and was acquired by Perfume Holding from Procter & Gamble in 2008. Perfume Holding relaunched Atkinsons in September 2013, restoring the name to the fragrance market after its long absence. The modern brand's heritage narrative draws on its London origin, historical royal warrant, early grooming products, traditional perfumery and chained-bear imagery. Available reference material does not provide a complete account of the modern product range, current executives, detailed international operations or subsequent ownership changes, so those aspects remain incompletely documented.

1. 2013Brand relaunched

   Atkinsons returned to the perfume market in September 2013 after a long dormant period.

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2. 2008Acquired by Perfume Holding

   Perfume Holding bought Atkinsons from Procter & Gamble after the brand had changed ownership several times during the early 2000s.

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3. 1926Atkinsons Building completed on Burlington Gardens

   Vincent Harris designed the Atkinsons Building at 2–4 Burlington Gardens in London. The Grade II listed building combined Gothic Revival and Arts and Crafts elements.

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4. 1832James Atkinson appointed Perfumer to the Court of St. James

   The appointment formalized the firm's association with the British court and became an important part of its heritage positioning.

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5. 1799Atkinsons founded in London

   James Atkinson established the perfume and toiletries business that became Atkinsons of London. His brother Edward later joined the enterprise.

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Historic British perfumery centered on London heritage, court associations, traditional fragrance-making and distinctive archival branding.

• Bear's grease hair pomadeHair care

  Atkinsons' early best-known product was a hair pomade made with bear grease. Historical advertising associated the preparation with hair regrowth, including claims directed at bald men. The product remained in production until after the First World War and helped establish the chained bear as a central Atkinsons symbol.

• FragrancesFine fragrance1799

  Fragrance has been central to Atkinsons since its foundation in 1799. The house developed perfumes alongside toiletries and cosmetics and was associated with British court and society clientele. The brand's 2013 relaunch returned it to the fragrance market, although the available reference material does not document a complete list of current scents.

• Toiletries and cosmeticsPersonal care1799

  The original Atkinsons business produced toiletries and cosmetics in addition to perfume and hair pomade. These categories formed part of the broader personal-care business operated from the company's London manufacturing works.

• 2013Decision to relaunch the dormant brandStrategy

  Atkinsons had been absent from the market for a long period after earlier ownership changes.

  What changed. Perfume Holding relaunched Atkinsons in September 2013 as a perfume brand rooted in its historical London identity.

  Aftermath. The relaunch returned the name to the fragrance market. Public reference material does not specify sales outcomes or the full scope of the relaunch campaign.

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• 2008Perfume Holding acquisitionM&A

  Atkinsons had undergone several ownership changes in the early 2000s and had spent a period away from the active market.

  What changed. Perfume Holding acquired the brand from Procter & Gamble.

  Aftermath. The acquisition preceded the brand's return to the market under Perfume Holding, although the available reference does not provide detailed transaction terms or operating results.

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• 2013Atkinsons of London relaunched after a long period of inactivity

  Perfume Holding brought the historic British perfume name back to the market in September 2013 after the brand had been dormant for an extended period.

  Product launch
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• 2008Perfume Holding acquired Atkinsons from Procter & Gamble

  Perfume Holding acquired the brand from Procter & Gamble, following several ownership changes during the early 2000s.

  M&A
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1. Atkinsons of London