Grace's Guide
British Industrial History
Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 130,460 pages of information and 207,757 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.
McDougalls
From Graces Guide
McDougall's is a nationwide brand of self-raising flour of Manchester.
1864 The McDougall Brothers (Alexander, Isaac, James Thomas, John and Arthur), who had been bought into the company set up by their father, developed and produced a patent substitute for yeast. This was the starting point which was not only to revolutionise home baking but firmly position McDougall's as a household name especially for self-raising flour.
1869 Milling became an important part of the business, especially after using different millers the results of their flour was varied, and at this time the company opened the Wheatsheaf Mill in the East End of London. The market for their self-raising flour had now extended into the South of England.
1881 Alexander McDougall handed over the Manchester end of the business to Arthur McDougall in order to devote more time to public life as an alderman and magistrate.
c. 1884 John McDougall, who had been running the London operation, did the same, eventually becoming Chairman of the London County Council and was knighted by Edward VII.
1926 The two companies were re-united.
1933 Became a public company.
1930s At the end of the 1930’s, it was realised that if War broke out, the Wheatsheaf Mills, located in the heart of London’s Dockland, would be vulnerable to the aerial bombardment. The decision was taken to acquire other mills and source production in less susceptible areas such as Ashton-under-Lyme.
1957 McDougall's merged with Hovis to form Hovis-McDougall.
1962 The new company merged with Ranks Ltd to form Ranks Hovis McDougall, now known as RHM.
2007 The McDougall's brand of flour became part of Premier Foods when that company acquired RHM.
See Also
Sources of Information
- [1] McDougalls website
- Trademarked. A History of Well-Known Brands - from Aertex to Wright's Coal Tar by David Newton. Pub: Sutton Publishing 2008 ISBN 978-0-7509-4590-5