Days Gone By - Churchman’s made one million cigarettes a day in Ipswich

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

The firm of W A and A C Churchman was founded in Ipswich by William Churchman in 1790, beginning as a small pipe tobacco manufacturer with a shop at Hyde Park Corner at the junction of Westgate Street, Crown Street and St Matthew’s Street. The company expanded with sales all over the country. Cigarettes were a large part of its output and in the 1890s plans were made to move to a larger site at the junction of Portman Road and Princes Street.

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

Churchman’s Portman Road factory was extended several times during the 1920s and 30s. By 1965 production was concentrated on the manufacturing of cigars. With a workforce of more than 1,000, the Ipswich factory produced in excess of 1,000,000 cigars a day. In 1972 the cigar business was integrated with John Player & Sons. In May 1992, the parent company moved all production to Bristol and Churchman’s closed with the loss of over 400 jobs.

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

In this week’s Days Gone By I feature photographs of the days when millions of cigars were being produced by a mainly female staff in Ipswich.

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

The junction of Crown Street and Westgate Street - where Churchman's was founded in 1790 - as it looks now (Image: Copyright 2012)

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