Barbour: Company Info

In 1849, John Barbour was born into a farming family, whose lineage dates back to the 14th century, in western Scotland. At the age of 20, he left the farm behind and moved to the north-east of England. He worked as a modest clothing merchant and a year later married his childhood sweetheart, Margaret Haining. It was Margaret who gave him the final push to open his own shop, and in 1894 J. Barbour & Sons was born. The shop sold everything from thick workwear to underwear. The popularity was a pleasant surprise, and most thanks went to the sailors of the nearby port who bought large quantities of Beacon-brand oilcloth jackets for rough weather.

By 1906, Barbour was a very successful company which gained the trust of two new bosses, when John's sons Jack and Malcolm came to the fore. Malcolm expanded the business by marketing Beacon jackets to farmers, and printed Barbour's first advertising catalogue two years later. By 1917, the mail order catalogue was bringing in 75% of the company's orders, some of which went as far as Chile and Hong Kong. Five years later, the name was changed to J. Barbour & Sons Ltd. In 1919, Malcolm introduced the Barbour Buying Agency, through which people living in distant lands could place orders for anything that was not in the company's catalogue. What was not manufactured in-house was delivered to the customer by another party. This was sometimes a hassle. Once, Barbour received an order for half a ton of sea biscuits, which were wanted for the Indian Ocean; once, rat traps were requested for Tibet. Customer service was always a matter of pride.

The First World War was good for business, as oilcloth jackets were required for every front. However, the Great Depression that began in 1929 halted the development, and it was not until 1935 that Barbour began to make a profit again. In the same decade, avid motorcyclist Duncan Barbour designed a motorcycle collection for the company, which was a great success. There were reports of races where nine out of ten riders wore Barbour's oilcloth racing suits. The Second World War brought huge orders again, and after the war ended, Duncan, who had returned from the front, decided to expand the empire.

He decided to build a factory first. After sixty-three years as a retailer, Barbour became a full-time manufacturer and marketer. Death claimed Duncan first, then Malcolm and then the still young John – leaving the latter’s wife Margaret to take over the family business. She was a teacher by training and had never had any experience with a large company. Margaret, however, was determined to succeed.

She was first made a member of the board, and, after mastering the intricacies of the business, was promoted to manager. Throughout the 1970s, productivity and efficiency increased, sales rose and factories were built. In 1973, Margaret decided to stop direct sales and print catalogues, and retailers eagerly took up the job. She decided that Barbour's future lay in country clothing. A year later, the first Royal Seal was awarded, granted by the Duke of Edinburgh. The next arrived in -82 from the Queen herself, and in -87 the Prince of Wales showed his approval.

In 1988, a foundation was established to support the company's charitable work, and during the 1990s the company was awarded the Queen's Export Award three times. In 1997, Margaret's daughter Helen Barbour took over the company, and five years later, her mother was awarded the title of Dame (female Sir) for her services. Today, production has unfortunately spread to low-cost countries. The exception (along with knitwear and scarves) is Barbour's legendary, acclaimed waxed jackets, which are mostly made in the factory in Simonside.

The family-owned company's inspiration and values ​​come from the British countryside, and the collection is vast. A client can dress head to toe in Barbour. Waxed jackets are very popular throughout Europe, and one of the great classics that can be worn almost anywhere. The biggest reason for the prestige is the British royal family, whose members have often been seen in their jackets during off time. Waxed jackets are also durable: the company likes to tell the well-documented story of a fisherman who was saved thanks to a Barbour jacket, even though he had fallen from a boat and waited in the freezing water for hours.

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