Perfume Intelligence - The Encyclopaedia of Perfume


Perfumers and fine soap makers: Established in London in 1835 by John Grossmith, a descendant of farmers living in the Bishops Waltham area since around 1688. His mother was Mary Lipscomb, daughter of farmers living in Upham, the next village. John Grossmith was married to Lucy Eliza Whitaker. In 1841 he had a wholesale premises at 24 Cannon Street; in circa 1852 moved to 39 Friday Street, then in 1854 to 85 Newgate Street before moving to Piccadilly. He died in 1867 and his son, John Lipscomb Grossmith, a Grasse trained perfumer in Grasse and ran the business until 1919, innovating and establishing a wide range of classic English perfumes, including Hasu-no-Hana, Phũl-Nãnã and Shem-el-Nessim. A number of the fragrances were sold in Baccarat flacons. Grossmith enjoyed Royal patronage in the late 1800s and early 1900s and held royal warrants from Queen Alexandra as well as from the royal courts of Greece and Spain. Grossmith formulated perfume for Queen Victoria’s Jubilee (Victorian Bouquet), for the accession of King Edward VII (Regal) and for the engagement of the Duke of York and Princess May (Betrothal) who later became King George V and Queen Mary. John Lipscomb Grossmith’s son, Stanley, also Grasse-trained, ran the business until his untimely death (aged 45) in 1924. Having been out of family ownership in for almost 40 years the house of Grossmith is now owned by Simon Brooke, the great great grandson of John Grossmith. In October 2009 three of the Grossmith oriental floral classicsc were relaunched. They were remastered using the original formulations from the turn of the century. This perfume will be sold in Baccarat flacons made using the original 1919 moulds.