History
of David & John Anderson
1822
1822
David Anderson, the son of a producer from Stirling, goes into business with his partner Alexander Lawrie: and from this Anderson & Lawrie is established in Glasgow. It began as a factory of Pullicate and Gingham, trading with London and the East and West Indies, in handkerchiefs or “Pullicates" as they were call then.
Ginghams were produced for women's and children's dresses for the domestic market and for the USA. It was quite natural for A&L to specialize in this type of fabric because Glasgow was famous for these lightweight materials, produced here for the first time.
The city was a flourishing industrial hub and the fact that iron and coal - the richest in Scotland - were nearby helped it prosper enormously as too did the great number of pure water rivers.
Here in Glasgow the young company cast its solid foundations with all the typical enthusiasm of new endeavours.
1840
1841
Lawrie leaves the business. His loss is compensated for by brother John and the new company takes the name it bears today, David and John Anderson.
1844
David junior enters the company and runs the business. The company grew and prospered as the years went by until it gained global reputation, becoming indisputably one of the leading cotton companies in the world.
1880
1887
With the death of James Anderson, a third son of the founder with the same name, David Anderson, enters the company together with a cousin, David H. Anderson. The three, under the guidance of Junior, control the destiny of the company for many years. In 1906 Junior leaves the company with his partners in favour of two of his sons: David and Harvie Anderson. The company continues to grow and prosper, the whole time augmenting both the brand image and turnover.
1910
1911
The partners decide to convert the partnership, which has served the company excellently, into a private limited company. Hence Mr. W. A. Readman of Lambie & Readman of Glasgow enters the BoD of the new born company which continues working as DJA Limited.
1933
A decision is taken for the domestic market to sell to retailers directly: a choice which, after the initial difficulties, proved to be fully justified. At that time, a sales office and warehouses were opened in the West End of London, in Woodstock Street and a shirt factory in the City.
1952
The company reaches a turnover equivalent to one million pounds a year.
1990
1992
The interest of the Albini family was so strong that when they heard that David & John Anderson was being forced by its owners (the Courtauld Group) to stop production in the United Kingdom forever, it felt it just had to help with an emergency plan for the most famous brand of shirts in Scotland. Albini acquires the company and with it the historical archives which are still used today as a source of inspiration and for creating exclusive patterns for the most important Customers in the world.
Today
With the invention of Cullinan, the fabric made with the finest yarn in the world, 300/2, the result of years of research and expression of the maximum technology of the Albini Group, David & John Anderson is confirmed leader in the ultra high range of shirt making.