31/05/2026
Acc 78482 George Williamson 1811 – 1888
As a result of posting this picture on social media, a portrait of an unknown gentleman from Williamson & Hogg Ltd, we have since discovered that it is of George Williamson, the founder of the business. Williamson & Hogg Ltd. was one of the longest established chemists in North Shields.
The company’s centenary can be traced thanks to a simple but important diary entry made fifty years earlier by the founder, George Williamson. His note read, ‘Firm has been established 50 years,’ and because most early records were destroyed in a fire in 1900, that small entry became the key to confirming the original founding date—21 March 1833.
George Williamson began the business on Union Street, and the family later expanded when his son-in-law, Joseph Fawcett Hogg, opened his own chemist shop. Their partnership began in an extremely informal way—through a short conversation in which they simply agreed to join forces on the following Monday.
Over the years, the firm grew with the community. In 1889 they moved to new premises at Saville Street, later relocating again to the Bedford Street site. The original Union Street shop was transformed into an aerated water factory, producing the well-known Zephyr table waters. In 1922 the business expanded further with a wholesale and manufacturing department.
By 1925, the company became a private limited firm led by members of both founding families, ensuring continuity and local connection. Overall, the story of Williamson & Hogg is one of resilience, steady growth, and lasting impact within the Shields community - rooted in a century of service and family dedication.
This photo of George Williamson, which for many years hung on the wall of the shop in Bedford Street, was unidentified until last month when a family historian on www.rootschat.com found out who he was. It is currently on display at Discover, North Shields Community Hub and Library.
