History of Bickford's Australia

A. M. Bickford and Sons was one of the first manufacturing chemists in South Australia and until 1930 one of the State's most significant family owned companies. In 1930, they amalgamated with half a dozen other similar Australian companies to form "Drug Houses of Australia" (DHA), which very successfully continued to produce the "A. M. Bickford and Sons" products: the "drugs" and "chemicals" under the DHA brand; the cordials and soft drinks under the "A. M. Bickford and Sons" brand.

In the late 1960s, DHA became the target of a corporate raider and asset stripper, and by the mid-1970s DHA collapsed under the burden of servicing the imposed massive levels of debt. What was left was split up and sold. Reckitt & Colman acquired the major "drugs" and "chemicals" products and brands, and other people and companies acquired other bits. Melburnian Peter Abbott purchased the pharmacy products, eucalyptus oil operations, and soft drink products. The pharmacy products were on-sold; the eucalyptus oil operations were incorporated into "FGB" (Felton Grimwade & Bickford), and the soft drink products continued under the revived "A. M. Bickford and Sons" brand. In the late 1980s, FGB decided to concentrate on their "core businesses" under the FGB brand, and sold the soft drink businesses and now established-for-over-a-century Bickford brand names – the history of the Bickford's products and company names between 1987 and 1999 is not clear.

In 1999 the soft drink business and company names were purchased by the Kotses family. "Bickford's" once again became a South Australian family owned business, and continues to be known for its range of cordials and flavourings which are made today to a similarly high standard by Bickford's Australia.

Foundation & establishment (1839–1864)

William Bickford (1815–1850)

William Bickford (18 August 1815 – 11 September 1850) was the seventh child (of fourteen) of a well-to-do couple of West Alvington of Devon, England, but when his father died the greater part of his fortune went to his eldest son by an earlier marriage, and his second family, though provided for, had to secure their own future. For the fifteen-year-old William, that meant taking an apprenticeship to Mr Buxton, a druggist.Scales, Marjorie ''An Alchemist's Dream'' pub. Ronald F. Bickford 1990

In September 1838, aged 23, the chemist's assistant left England from Plymouth, rounded the Cape of Good Hope in December,The letters of William Bickford
to his relatives in England in the period 1838–1850, Archives of the State Library of South Australia. (Click on the "Archival items" tab for a list of the letters.) and arrived in Port Adelaide on 15 February 1839 on the barque Platina. Though he had dreams of becoming a shepherd in South Australia, soon after his arrival he was working as assistant in the dispensary attached to the North Terrace surgery of one Dr Bright at a salary of 40/- (£2) a week with board and lodging provided. On 18 August 1839, his 24th birthday, he married Ann Margaret Garrett, whom he had met on the trip from Portsmouth.Adelaide's first chemist
The Letters of William Bickford, ''The Register'', Saturday 13 June 1925, pg.7. Retrieved 30 January 2011
William was a diligent letter writer; a collection of his letters was found in a deed box in the 1920s, and they were placed in the archives of the State Library of South Australia. A two part article summarising their contents appeared in ''The Register'', part I on Saturday 13 June 1925, part II the following Saturday. They were soon expecting their first child, but it died shortly after birth on 6 June 1840, and Ann was seriously ill for some time. In March 1840, William wrote that Dr and Mrs Bright had left the colony for New Zealand, (leaving William to deal with his creditors), and that he had secured another position as manager of a retail shop and dispensary owned by a partnership of two surgeons at a salary of £3 per week.

Despite an economic downturn in the colony, his business thrived. He left the security of the dispensary and by September 1840 had opened his own shop in Hindley Street near Rosina Street with borrowed capital of £220. It, too, prospered, and soon he moved into larger premises at 67 Hindley Street opposite Club Lane.Mr Harding Bickford
''The Advertiser'' 31 March 1898 p.6 accessed 31 January 2011
Harding William Bickford (1877–1919) was the youngest son of Harry (1843–1927)
''The article reports on "A Valedictory Social" held for Mr Harding Bickford prior to his departure for England to "improve his knowledge of pharmacy". The gathering was presided over by Mr William Bickford (jr. – his uncle), who provided a summary of the history of the company, its key personnel, its locations and its business.'' As business flourished, the wholesale lines became the larger part of the firm's business.

In April 1841 he wrote "Business is going on prosperously, and I have a comfortable home at my own fire side and a good wife, who studies my interest in every respect". Ann was very supportive of her husband and was able to keep his shop running during any forced absence, jury duty for instance. Their first son, William, was born on 19 November 1841, followed by Harry in February 1843, and Elizabeth in November 1844. In December 1845 they lost a baby, (Eulalia), so William decided to move his family away from the unsanitary conditions of the city. He purchased 16 acres (6.4 ha) of land at Glen Osmond, "just 3 miles from the Adelaide city centre", and in the winter of 1846 built a house, later to be called " Benacre", moving the family there before the onset of the next summer. He commuted daily to his business in the city. They lost another baby, (James), in 1848, but Edward was born in 1849.

William was concerned with the development of Adelaide. In 1847 he was one of the founders of the South Australian Institute (another was business competitor Francis Faulding).

In February 1850, William wrote that he had established a garden and had planted fruit trees and vines. However, he did not live to enjoy the fruits, dying on 11 September 1850 at the age of 35 of "brain fever", after a 3-day illness, leaving his wife pregnant (with Mary) and with four young children, (William, Harry, Elizabeth and Edward) to care for.Adelaide's first chemist (part 2)
The Letters of William Bickford, ''The Register'', Saturday 20 June 1925, pg.8. Retrieved 30 January 2011

Ann Margaret Bickford

Ann Margaret Bickford (née Garrett) (1810 – 24 January 1877) was determined to carry on her husband's business. With five children under the age of ten, she enrolled the help of a retired pharmacist Mr Paxton to 'hold the fort' until more permanent help could be found. She soon engaged qualified chemists Edwin Page and Robert Hutton, and "with their able assistance" carried on the business for 14 years. (Mr Hutton was to open a pharmacy of his own at 76 Rundle Street in 1863.) On 29 May 1865 the shop shifted yet again – to 19 Hindley Street, later the site of Tattersall's Hotel.

Early 1873 they opened a shop in Taylor Street, Kadina. It ceased being advertised in 1888.

Remarkably, her death was marked in the newspapers of the time with the most cursory of death notices and no more. Whatever funeral arrangements there might have been were not advertised. A vault at West Terrace Cemetery bears the names of both Ann and William Snr. A nearby stone commemorates Charlotte Jane Bickford.

Second generation

The second generation were:
*unnamed Bickford on 6 June 1840
*William Bickford (19 November 1841 – 20 September 1916)
*Harry Bickford (24 February 1843 – 6 September 1927
*Elizabeth "Bessie" Bickford on 29 November 1844 – England)
*Eulelia Bickford (8 November 1846 – 25 February 1847)
*James Bickford (19 February 1848 – 29 February 1848)
*Edward Bickford (30 May 1849 – 7 January 1907, Brooklyn, New York, United States)
*Mary Bickford (25 April 1851 – 12 December 1882 Bournemouth, England)

The children's education did not suffer. They were already studying at the Adelaide Educational Institution, an academy run by J. L. Young in Freeman Street, and continued there for some years. Harry (or Henry as he was then called), was thriving there in 1853. Both he and Edward were mentioned at the prizegiving in 1855 Harry kept a close association with his ''alma mater'', being president of the Adelaide Educational Institution Old Scholars in 1866.

Although not as academically inclined, William must have made his mark as he was prominent in the Institution's 1863 welcome to "old scholars" W. P. Auld, James Frew and Stephen King, returning members of the Stuart's sixth expedition which had successfully crossed Australia from south to north.

William Bickford (1841–1916)

Older son William Bickford (jr.) (19 November 1841 – 20 September 1916), being less academically inclined than Harry, gained experience travelling and picking up a variety of jobs.

In 1871 he married Margaret Jane Ferguson.Daughter of William Ferguson (1809–1892) and Rosina (née Forsyth) (1810–1893) They had seven children:
:*William Ferguson Bickford "Willie" (30 November 1871 – 22 June 1889) died aged 17 in riding accident
:*Sidney Bickford (10 August 1874 – 10 December 1938) moved to Perth in 1895.
:*Harold Bickford (16 May 1876 – 23 October 1958) Managing director A. M. Bickford & Sons Ltd 1908–1930? He married Tessie Veronica Murphy in 1916; they had one child, Ronald Ferguson Bickford (1918–2011); he divorced her in 1922 citing four co-respondents, including Napier K. Birks (1876–1953) of the prominent Birks family.
:*Evelyn Victoria Bickford (later Mrs Robert Ezekiel Reid of Geelong) (b.7 June 1878)
:*Reginald Bickford (26 January 1880 – 20 November 1948) m. Rosa Florence Cudmore (30 September 1879 – 22 July 1954) on 17 November 1910
:*Norman Forsyth Bickford (1881 – )
:*Leslie Bruce Bickford (b.30 December 1885 at Alvington) m. Dorothy Murray

Their first home was "Fairfield" in Somerton, followed by "Alvington" near the Brighton Esplanade (see chapter below). Both William and Harry sent their sons to St. Peter's College, a tradition that was largely continued in following generations.

He was made Justice of the Peace in 1886 and elected president of the Justices' Association from 1903 to 1904. He was elected to Brighton council and Mayor of Brighton 1886–1887 and 1890–1891. He was president of the Adelaide Chamber of Commerce from 1894 to 1895.

He and brother Harry bought Burnside Station near Naracoorte in 1886, and though neither ever lived there, they installed a manager and visited frequently. The fine merino wool produced there always found a ready buyer. By the turn of the century they had decided to free themselves of the responsibility, so after the South Australian Government showed no interest at their price of £49,540, subdivided the 40,978 acres into 28 lots and put them up for auction on 23 October 1908.

Harry Bickford (1843–1927)

Her son Harry Bickford (24 February 1843 – 6 September 1927) (He may have been christened "Henry".) was sent to England in 1859Obituary
The Register 7 September 1927 p8 to gain qualifications and experience as a chemist, and returned in 1863.

He took little interest in civic affairs, but was a keen horseman and was Master of the Adelaide Hounds from 1882 and a committeeman with the South Australian Jockey Club from 1889. He was a crack shot, and won significant trophies for pigeon shooting.

When the company was floated on the Stock Exchange in January 1903, he was elected first managing director, relinquishing the position to his nephew Harold in 1906.

He was married three times: on 24 February 1866 to Charlotte Jane Farr (c. 1842 – 4 September 1866). They had no children. He married again, on 10 March 1870 to Rosina Mary Ferguson (1845 – 5 October 1898). They had three children:
:*(Isabella) May Bickford (12 April 1872 – 28 July 1933) (never married)
:*H(arry) Fairweather "H.F." Bickford (1874 – 8 July 1906) married May Innes-Ker (1876 – 22 August 1906) on 18 March 1903. They had no children.
:*Harding William Bickford (14 January 1877 – 5 August 1919) (never married)
On 8 December 1904 he married Priscilla Simms (née Chambers) (c. 1852 – 17 November 1924) They had no children. Priscilla was a daughter of John Chambers (1814–1889).

The two brothers were also major investors in the "Paramatta" copper mine at Moonta in the late 1890s.

A. M. Bickford & Sons (1864–1930)

Bickford & Son (1864–1871)

In 1863, Harry, now qualified, returned from England and began working for her. On his 21st birthday, she formally took him into partnership with her as 'Bickford and Son'. She drew up a deed, dated 23 February 1864, for a seven-year agreement whereby she held a two-thirds interest, and Harry a one-third interest.

A. M. Bickford & Sons (1871–1903)

William was not ready to be tied down, and travelled about the State in a multitude of occupations. Seven years later, he was ready to join the business and a new Deed of Trust was drawn up in 1871 for the new partnership 'A.M. Bickford and Sons'.A. M. Bickford & Sons (1863–1930)
Encyclopaedia of Australian Science, www.eoas.info
www.bickfords.netBickford's
SA Memory, State Library of South AustraliaWm. Bickford, Chemist
Australian Postal History William took the role of manager and promoter of the business.

Expansion and move into wholesale

With the continued expansion of the wholesale and manufacturing side of the business, the retail arm was sold around 1870, and substantial offices and warehouse were built at 42–46 Currie Street