Jack Cohen (businessman): Difference between revisions
clarifying source of new material, and asking for more specific references for old material: is this all in Aris? |
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{{other people|Jack Cohen}} |
{{other people|Jack Cohen}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}} |
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{{Infobox person |
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|name = Sir Jack Cohen |
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|birth_name = Jack Edward Cohen |
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|birth_date = {{birth date|1898|10|6|df=yes}} |
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|birth_place = [[Whitechapel]], [[London]], [[England]], [[United Kingdom|U.K.]] |
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|death_date = {{death date and age|1979|3|24|1898|10|6|df=yes}} |
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==Early |
==Early Life== |
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He was born in [[Whitechapel]], [[London]],<ref>[http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/news/blue-plaque-tesco/ English Heritage Blue Plaque for Tesco Founder]</ref> to a [[Jewish]] family, the son of an Avram Kohen, a Polish immigrant who worked as a tailor, and his first wife, Sime Zamremb.<ref name=odnb>[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/30949 Sir John Edward Cohen at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]</ref> He began his working life as an apprentice tailor to his father but in 1917 he joined the [[Royal Flying Corps]] where he served as a canvas maker.<ref name=odnb/> Upon his demobilisation in 1919 he established himself as a market stall holder in [[Hackney Central|Hackney]], in [[London]]'s [[East End of London|East End]] by purchasing surplus [[NAAFI]] stock with his £30 demob money.<ref name=odnb/><ref name=EH/> |
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| ⚫ | He soon became the owner of a number of market stalls, and started a [[wholesale]] business.<ref name=odnb/> Initially the other stalls were run by members of the family but gradually non-family members were added. Cohen and his wife worked 7 days a week, starting at dawn and counting money until late. At each market the traders would gather and, at a signal they would race to their favoured pitch. Cohen could not run fast so he simply threw his cap at the spot and this could beat anyone.<ref name=Aris>{{Citation |
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In 1917, he volunteered to join the [[Royal Flying Corps]] where he used his tailoring skills as a canvas maker for balloons and other aircraft.<ref name=odnb/> He served in France, and also in Egypt and Palestine.<ref name=odnb/> He was on board a ship that was sunk by a mine outside Alexandria in 1917.<ref name=odnb/> He returned to England after contracting malaria, and was demobilised in 1919.<ref name=odnb/> |
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| ⚫ | He married Sarah |
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He continued to work after a [[colostomy]] operation in 1958, even after standing down as chairman of Tesco in 1969.<ref name=odnb/> He died in London.<ref name=odnb/> |
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==Career== |
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|last = Aris |
|last = Aris |
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|first = Stephen |
|first = Stephen |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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==Tesco == |
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In 1924, he created the Tesco brand name from the initials of a tea supplier, T. E. Stockwell (formally Messrs Torring and Stockwell of |
In 1924, he created the Tesco brand name from the initials of a tea supplier, T. E. Stockwell (formally Messrs Torring and Stockwell of Mincing Lane), and the first two letters of his surname.<ref name=odnb/> The market trading business became difficult to expand because partners tended to be unreliable so eventually he changed to high street shops without doors, looking and sounding as far as possible like market stalls.<ref name=Aris/> The first two Tesco stores opened at [[Becontree]] and [[Burnt Oak]] in 1931.<ref name=odnb/> By 1939, Cohen owned a hundred Tesco stores.<ref name=odnb/> His expansion was helped by the growth of new shopping centres. Retailers are often reluctant to be the first to sign a contract in a new centre lest they become the only ones. With his market experience and courage Cohen was often the one to take that risk and he had ways of drawing a crowd. Developers became keen to help him with his start-up costs because of his ability to get people into a new centre, with benefit to the other shops.<ref name=Aris/> |
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| ⚫ | In 1932, having opened his first Tesco-named shops,<ref name=EH/> Cohen travelled to the [[United States]] to review their self-service supermarkets. |
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| ⚫ | In 1932, having opened his first Tesco-named shops,<ref name=EH/> Cohen travelled to the [[United States]] to review their self-service supermarkets. At the time he was not impressed and felt they would never be accepted in the UK. After the war he took another look and listened to his son-in-law Hyman Kreitman, who was very keen. He opened one of the first British supermarkets. The new strategy was led by Kreitman who understood how to manage this new style of shop and the crucial tasks of mass buying, selling and logistics. Tesco grew strongly. It gradually drew ahead of its rivals and took over many of them.<ref name=odnb/><ref name=Aris/> |
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He expanding the company by take-overs and mergers, making it the fourth largest chain in the United Kingdom by 1968 (behind [[Co-op]], [[Fine Fare]], and [[Allied Suppliers]]).<ref name=odnb/> He campaigned against [[retail price maintenance]], tackled in the second half of the 1960s by the [[Resale Prices Act 1964]], and was a leading instigator of the [[Green Shield trading stamps]] scheme in 1963.<ref name=odnb/> |
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==Personal Life== |
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| ⚫ | He was married to Sarah Fox, daughter of an immigrant Russian-Jewish tailor: they had two daughters, [[Shirley Porter|Shirley]] and Irene.<ref name=odnb/> "Cissie" was a great supporter of her husband's business interests, so much so that the money they received as wedding gifts was invested in a wholesale venture.<ref name=EH>{{cite web|title=English Heritage Blue Plaque for Tesco FounderER|url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/news/blue-plaque-tesco/|publisher=English Heritage|accessdate=February 3, 2013|date=April 16, 2009}}</ref> |
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Cohen was knighted in 1969.<ref name=odnb/> He was master of the [[Worshipful Company of Carmen]] in 1976-7.<ref name=odnb/> |
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Sir John and Lady Cohen supported a range of charities |
Cohen was knighted in 1969.<ref name=odnb/> Sir John and Lady Cohen supported a range of charities, giving their name to the [[Jewish Care]] facility, Lady Sarah Cohen House at [[Friern Barnet]], north London.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lady Sarah Cohen House|url=http://www.jewishcare.org/lady-sarah-cohen-house-at-friern-barnet|publisher=Jewish Care}}</ref> |
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In 2009 an English Heritage blue plaque was placed at 91 Ashfield Street, [[Whitechapel]], London, where Cohen lived as a child.<ref name=EH/> |
In 2009 an English Heritage blue plaque was placed at 91 Ashfield Street, [[Whitechapel]], London, where Cohen lived as a child.<ref name=EH/> |
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Revision as of 21:35, 24 September 2013
Sir Jack Cohen | |
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| Born | Jack Edward Cohen 6 October 1898 |
| Died | 24 March 1979 (aged 80) |
Sir Jack Edward Cohen (6 October 1898 – 24 March 1979), born Jacob Edward Kohen and commonly known as Jack Cohen, was a British businessman who founded the Tesco supermarket chain.
Early Life
He was born in Whitechapel, London,[1] to a Jewish family, the son of an Avram Kohen, a Polish immigrant who worked as a tailor, and his first wife, Sime Zamremb.[2] He began his working life as an apprentice tailor to his father but in 1917 he joined the Royal Flying Corps where he served as a canvas maker.[2] Upon his demobilisation in 1919 he established himself as a market stall holder in Hackney, in London's East End by purchasing surplus NAAFI stock with his £30 demob money.[2][3]
He soon became the owner of a number of market stalls, and started a wholesale business.[2] Initially the other stalls were run by members of the family but gradually non-family members were added. Cohen and his wife worked 7 days a week, starting at dawn and counting money until late. At each market the traders would gather and, at a signal they would race to their favoured pitch. Cohen could not run fast so he simply threw his cap at the spot and this could beat anyone.[4]
Tesco
In 1924, he created the Tesco brand name from the initials of a tea supplier, T. E. Stockwell (formally Messrs Torring and Stockwell of Mincing Lane), and the first two letters of his surname.[2] The market trading business became difficult to expand because partners tended to be unreliable so eventually he changed to high street shops without doors, looking and sounding as far as possible like market stalls.[4] The first two Tesco stores opened at Becontree and Burnt Oak in 1931.[2] By 1939, Cohen owned a hundred Tesco stores.[2] His expansion was helped by the growth of new shopping centres. Retailers are often reluctant to be the first to sign a contract in a new centre lest they become the only ones. With his market experience and courage Cohen was often the one to take that risk and he had ways of drawing a crowd. Developers became keen to help him with his start-up costs because of his ability to get people into a new centre, with benefit to the other shops.[4]
Sometime around 1930 he changed his name by deed poll to John Edward at the suggestion of his bank manager whose staff had trouble distinguishing between the many Jacob Cohens banking at the Mare Street branch of the Midland Bank in Hackney.[2]
In 1932, having opened his first Tesco-named shops,[3] Cohen travelled to the United States to review their self-service supermarkets. At the time he was not impressed and felt they would never be accepted in the UK. After the war he took another look and listened to his son-in-law Hyman Kreitman, who was very keen. He opened one of the first British supermarkets. The new strategy was led by Kreitman who understood how to manage this new style of shop and the crucial tasks of mass buying, selling and logistics. Tesco grew strongly. It gradually drew ahead of its rivals and took over many of them.[2][4]
Personal Life
He was married to Sarah Fox, daughter of an immigrant Russian-Jewish tailor: they had two daughters, Shirley and Irene.[2] "Cissie" was a great supporter of her husband's business interests, so much so that the money they received as wedding gifts was invested in a wholesale venture.[3]
Cohen was knighted in 1969.[2] Sir John and Lady Cohen supported a range of charities, giving their name to the Jewish Care facility, Lady Sarah Cohen House at Friern Barnet, north London.[5]
In 2009 an English Heritage blue plaque was placed at 91 Ashfield Street, Whitechapel, London, where Cohen lived as a child.[3]
References
- ^ English Heritage Blue Plaque for Tesco Founder
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Sir John Edward Cohen at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
- ^ a b c d "English Heritage Blue Plaque for Tesco FounderER". English Heritage. 16 April 2009. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- ^ a b c d Aris, Stephen (1970), "7: Sir John Cohen", The Jews in Business, London: Penguin Books (Pelican), ISBN 0 14 02 1629 4
- ^ "Lady Sarah Cohen House". Jewish Care.