History
The company was founded by two brothers born in Kilrenny, Fife, Scotland, sons of James Fowler (c. 1794 – 9 December 1872), who kept a general store in Anstruther or Cellardyke [1] in Fifeshire. James Fowler (c. 1830 – 13 February 1858) and his sister Margaret migrated to South Australia on the Anna Maria, arriving in November 1850. [2] With financial assistance from his father, [1] he opened a grocery store in Rundle Street near Pulteney Street. He was joined by elder brother David (1826 – 11 November 1881), who arrived aboard Fop Smit in 1854. [2] Shortly afterwards they moved operations to 54 King William Street on a 14 months' lease. [1] James, who was responsible for all the book-keeping, died in 1858 after a long period of ill-health. The third brother George Swan Fowler, who had been associated with their father's business, emigrated shortly after, arriving in Adelaide by the steamer Indus in July 1860 with sister Margaret, who had returned to Scotland after the death of James. [2] He was made a partner in the firm, [3] while retaining the name of D. & J. Fowler. In 1863 they purchased the King William Street premises they had been renting. [1] By 1865 business had grown to such an extent that they opened a branch office in London, run by David, and a new head office building, completed in 1867, in King William Street, [4] of which George had control. In 1865 they divested themselves of the retail side of the business, selling it to Finlayson & Co. (employees William Finlayson jun. and George Brookman). In 1873 they took over rented premises at McLaren Wharf, Port Adelaide and two warehouses on Vincent Street, but these proved inadequate and in 1881 a large warehouse was built on Santo Parade, opposite New Dock, with storage for 30,000 tons of merchandise. In 1879 G. Fowler Stewart, a nephew, started work at the London office, started at the Adelaide office in 1881 and retired in 1914.
Branches were opened in Fremantle, where Fowler's Warehouse is a local landmark, Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie. They acquired the dealership for Shell products and set up a shipping agency to handle not only their imports but exports of wool, wheat, meat, flour butter and other materials. [2]
Manufacturing
When the South Australian Government adopted a protectionist policy around 1880, the management of D. & J. Fowler Limited, decided to begin manufacturing groceries. [5]
Around 1882 Fowlers contracted farmers in the south-east of South Australia to grow chicory, which would be used to make "Lion" brand coffee and chicory essence. [6]
They built the "Paou Chung Factory" on King William Road, and in 1883 their "Paou Chung" brand was the first packaged tea marketed in South Australia. Their best-selling line, "Amgoorie" tea, followed much later, in 1896. [6]
Around 1885 John H. M. Hawkes was appointed manager of the manufacturing side of their Adelaide business, with a staff of eight. [5]
They took over Barnfield & Turner's "London Condiment Company" at Phillis Street Maylands and H. B. Hanton's [7] in Fullarton, renamed it the "Lion Preserving Company" and expanded their range of canned fruits, jams and pickles. A new factory for "Lion" canned fruit was set up at Nuriootpa (later sold to R. McEwin and Sons of "Glen Ewin" fame). They took over the factory of Henry Harford (c. 1834 – 7 July 1886) in Mill Street, Adelaide, which became the Lion Confectionery Works. [8]
They took over the bankrupt Adelaide Milling Company's flour mill in 1895, [9] Adelaide Bottle Company (1912), the Robur Tea Company (1928), [10] and many others. [11]
Other items they produced were "Maori" and "Clan" brands of oatmeal.
In 1888 a fish preserving factory was set up in Port Lincoln, but was relinquished three years later, having found the unreliability of supply made the business unworkable. [1]
"Lion Factory"
A new building, the "Lion Factory", where their "Lion" brand of self-raising flour and other goods were packaged, [12] was opened on North Terrace in 1907.
The building was refurbished and converted in the 1980s and early 1990s, to be used as a music venue and arts centre, and in 1992 renamed the Lion Arts Centre. [13] [14]
Management changes
David died in England in 1881, leaving George as the senior partner.
In 1899 D & J Fowler was converted to a limited liability company, with 2,000 shares being allocated to the firm's employees, held by three trustees. James Robert Fowler was the company's first chairman of directors, retiring in 1932, [15] succeeded by W. Murray Fowler.
In 1982-3 the company was taken over by Southern Farmers Ltd. [16]
