London Centenary
- Posted
2021 sees Rumsey and Son (the London branch of Shore Porters) achieve an important milestone, its 100th anniversary!
Established in 1921, Rumsey & Son were an upholstery business based in Fulham using a coster hand cart to move pieces of furniture. The demand for the use of the carts saw the upholstery side abandoned and the focus of the family business fix firmly on removals.
Already a well-established brand in South West London, Rumsey & Son were purchased by the Society in 1992 and have proven to be a valuable partner. In 1995, Rumsey and Son moved into their current site in Richmond constructing two purpose-built warehouses and yard space for the growing fleet of vehicles.
Over time, the fleet was rebranded from its beige and brown livery to match the traditional Shore Porters colours of blue, red and white and are now a recognisable sight in the west of London with the advert in the Richmond Magazine crossing Richmond Bridge an image known to all in the area.
Rumsey and Son are renowned as a quality mover in South West London and Surrey with the business continuing to go from strength to strength carrying out domestic moves all over the UK and to the continent.
Over the years they have been involved in major country house clearances for auction houses, celebrity moves and were even called upon to assist with the clearance of Windsor Castle following the devastating fire in 1992. Their incredible reputation and experience are clear for all to see. Stuart Burnett (partner and operations manager at Rumsey & Son) says of the anniversary, “To reach one hundred years in existence, any organisation must be resilient. The business has overcome two World Wars, diversified in its activities, and seen times of boom and bust both in the moving market and the greater economy. In the last year alone, we have successfully survived a global pandemic. Our longevity and growth are entirely attributable to the dedication and hard work of our staff and we look forward with some optimism as we enter the next chapter of our history”.
Whilst current COVID restrictions prevent any widespread celebration of the centenary year, the Society hope to hold a low key gathering of current and former staff and management to mark this historic occasion when allowed.
Richard Henderson (partner and office manager at The Shore Porters Society) added, “Rumsey and Son have always been and continue to be a fantastic partner to our Aberdeen branch. The location of Rumsey and Son’s in Richmond allows it to be the leading moving company in the area. We thank all who have been at Rumsey and Son past and present for all the work done to make it such a recognisable name in the South West London and Surrey areas”.
