Robert Wylie Hill
Robert Wylie Hill | |
|---|---|
| Born | circa 1851 |
| Died | 1939 |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, importer |
| Known for | Founder of R. Wylie Hill & Co. department store in Glasgow |
Robert Wylie Hill (circa 1851–1939) was a Scottish entrepreneur and importer who established the R. Wylie Hill & Co. department store located in Glasgow.
Stamp selling
During the mid-1870s, Wylie Hill traveled to South America to collect exotic birds, where he presumably encountered Neil Ross McKinnon from British Guiana. Subsequently, McKinnon entrusted Hill with the responsibility of marketing his prized British Guiana postage stamp collection within the United Kingdom, which notably included the renowned British Guiana 1c magenta stamp.
R. Wylie Hill & Co
Hailing from a distinguished retail lineage—his grandfather Robert and great-uncle William Lochhead were partners in Glasgow’s Wylie & Lochead furniture business—Wylie Hill commenced his professional journey at Stewart & Hill before founding R. Wylie Hill & Co., a commission merchant firm, in 1879. The following year, he inaugurated American & Continental Stores on Argyll Street, focusing on imported merchandise. By 1883, alongside his brother, he launched R. Wylie Hill & Co. at 20-24 Buchanan Street. The premises endured fires in both 1888 and 1903 but were subsequently reconstructed with architectural contributions from John Hutchinson and design elements by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Wylie Hill retired from active business in 1925.
In 1947, R. Wylie Hill & Co. expanded by acquiring Bow's Emporium in Glasgow, preserving close connections with the Bow family through their board involvement for approximately twenty years. Further growth occurred in 1954 when the Buchanan Street store incorporated the adjacent Cranston Tea Rooms into its premises. By 1960, the company reported a net profit amounting to £115,995. Additionally, R. Wylie Hill & Co. owned Playpen, a retailer based in Perth specializing in children’s bags and sports holdalls.
In 1973, the newsagent conglomerate John Menzies purchased R. Wylie Hill & Co., subsequently selling it to Prudential the following year for a profit. Shortly after acquiring the company, Menzies also divested its subsidiary Chalmers of Oban. The Buchanan Street building received Category B listed status from Historic Environment Scotland in 1970.
Personal life
Wylie Hill wed Isabella Muir Rowat, who was related to the embroidery artist Jessie Newbery. In 1894, he purchased the 1700-acre Balthayock Estate located near Perth, dedicating himself to breeding award-winning shorthorn cattle.
External links
- 1850s births
- 1939 deaths
- Scottish businesspeople
- Glasgow
- British chief executives in retailing
- Defunct retail companies of the United Kingdom
- Defunct department stores of the United Kingdom
- British companies disestablished in 1974
- British companies established in 1884
- Retail companies disestablished in 1974
- Retail companies established in 1884