Whitcoulls
Encyclopedia
Whitcoulls is a major national bookstore chain in New Zealand
, formerly known as Whitcombe & Tombs. It has 62 stores nationally. Whitcombe & Tombs was founded in 1888, and Coulls Somerville Wilkie in 1871. The companies merged in 1971 to form Whitcoulls.
, as a partnership between a teacher of French who had become a bookseller, George Hawkes Whitcombe, and printer George Tombs.
In 1883 the company was among the first registered under the Companies Act 1882. It had market dominance for several decades. Thousands of schoolchildren were taught with the aid of Whitcombe's Progressive Primers and later enjoyed Whitcombe's Story Books such as The Adventures of Hoppity Bobtail.
The company, in common with most companies, did not have a completely trouble-free relationship with employees. A court judgment Whitcombe & Tombs Limited v Taylor (1907) 27 NZLR 237 stated the principle that "a well established custom or practice may become part of a contract" (as noted by the Court of Appeal of New Zealand
in CA246/03, nearly a century later, despite half a dozen intervening changes of employment law).
In 1971 the group as a whole was merged with Dunedin
-based firm Coulls Somerville Wilkie to become Whitcoulls, and has since been sold several times. It now operates as a retail chain only.
The limited company itself described here has changed its name to reflect the changes in ownership. It became the holding company Printing and Packaging Corporation Limited at the time of the merger. It became Whitcoulls Group Limited in 1982, WGL Group Limited in 1993 and has been known as WGL Retail Holdings Limited since 1995. It is still on the companies register as company number 120265. Its current ultimate parent that can be traced appears to be Whitcoulls Finance in Australia, ACN 109 241 394.
After a period under the ownership of UK company W. H. Smith, in 2004 Whitcoulls was sold to REDgroup a retail operations company owned by Pacific Equity Partners
, a subsidiary of UK-based insurance company Prudential
. On 17 February 2011, RedGroup Retail (including the Borders
, Angus & Robertson
as well as Whitcoulls chains) were placed into voluntary administration with Ferrier Hodgson
appointed as administrators. On 26 May 2011 it was announced that the company had been sold to Project Mark Ltd , owned by the Norman family who have a history of turning around troubled companies such as the Farmers
department store.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, formerly known as Whitcombe & Tombs. It has 62 stores nationally. Whitcombe & Tombs was founded in 1888, and Coulls Somerville Wilkie in 1871. The companies merged in 1971 to form Whitcoulls.
History
It began in 1882 in Cashel Street, ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, as a partnership between a teacher of French who had become a bookseller, George Hawkes Whitcombe, and printer George Tombs.
In 1883 the company was among the first registered under the Companies Act 1882. It had market dominance for several decades. Thousands of schoolchildren were taught with the aid of Whitcombe's Progressive Primers and later enjoyed Whitcombe's Story Books such as The Adventures of Hoppity Bobtail.
The company, in common with most companies, did not have a completely trouble-free relationship with employees. A court judgment Whitcombe & Tombs Limited v Taylor (1907) 27 NZLR 237 stated the principle that "a well established custom or practice may become part of a contract" (as noted by the Court of Appeal of New Zealand
Court of Appeal of New Zealand
The Court of Appeal of New Zealand, located in Wellington, is New Zealand’s principal intermediate appellate court. In practice, most appeals are resolved at this intermediate appellate level, rather than in the Supreme Court...
in CA246/03, nearly a century later, despite half a dozen intervening changes of employment law).
In 1971 the group as a whole was merged with Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
-based firm Coulls Somerville Wilkie to become Whitcoulls, and has since been sold several times. It now operates as a retail chain only.
The limited company itself described here has changed its name to reflect the changes in ownership. It became the holding company Printing and Packaging Corporation Limited at the time of the merger. It became Whitcoulls Group Limited in 1982, WGL Group Limited in 1993 and has been known as WGL Retail Holdings Limited since 1995. It is still on the companies register as company number 120265. Its current ultimate parent that can be traced appears to be Whitcoulls Finance in Australia, ACN 109 241 394.
After a period under the ownership of UK company W. H. Smith, in 2004 Whitcoulls was sold to REDgroup a retail operations company owned by Pacific Equity Partners
Pacific Equity Partners
Pacific Equity Partners is a private equity investment firm focusing on leveraged buyout and growth capital transactions primarily in Australia and New Zealand...
, a subsidiary of UK-based insurance company Prudential
Prudential plc
Prudential plc is a multinational financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom.Prudential's largest division is Prudential Corporation Asia, which has over 15 million customers across 13 Asian markets and is a top-three provider of life insurance in mainland China, Hong...
. On 17 February 2011, RedGroup Retail (including the Borders
Borders (Asia Pacific)
Borders is a bookseller in the Pacific area of Asia and Australasia. It consists of five Borders stores still open in New Zealand, and formerly Australia and Singapore.-History:...
, Angus & Robertson
Angus & Robertson
Angus & Robertson is a bookstore chain in Australia. Its first bookstore was opened in 110½ Market Street, Sydney by Scotsman David Angus in 1884; it sold second-hand books. In 1886, he went into partnership with fellow Scot, George Robertson with whom he had worked earlier.- Bookselling history...
as well as Whitcoulls chains) were placed into voluntary administration with Ferrier Hodgson
Ferrier Hodgson
Ferrier Hodgson is a group of Accounting firms specialising in Insolvency in the Australian and Asia Pacific region, with offices in all major capital cities in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Japan...
appointed as administrators. On 26 May 2011 it was announced that the company had been sold to Project Mark Ltd , owned by the Norman family who have a history of turning around troubled companies such as the Farmers
Farmers (department store)
The Farmers Trading Company is a New Zealand mid-market department store chain. Based in Flat Bush in Auckland, Farmers operates 56 stores across New Zealand, specialising in fashion, beauty, home-wares and furniture.- History :...
department store.