From the Archive: The Origins of the Lund Milestone

The 1912 William Lund Catalogue informs us that “There stood on Cornhill the ‘Standard’ milestone from which all road measurements in England were taken. Tradition fixes its site immediately opposite ‘LUNDS’ whose manufactures are a “standard” of excellence and durability.” This catalogue still had for sale, the Spherical ball-joint roundlet for 3/6 and 4/6 as well as a Lund’s lever (with the milestone trade mark) for 2/6 or 12/6 nickel plated. Interestingly the shop kept the original fascia from the 1800s at the top of the shop front, advertising “an Improved Cork Extractor by the Queen’s Patent.” Thomas Lund first established his business in 1804, moving into John Wilkes’ Pen and Quill Warehouse at 57, Cornhill, London, expanding next door in 1814.His main business at the time was manufacturing pens and quills, and importing filtering stones for water. By 1820 he added a copying machine business. There is no evidence that he was making corkscrews at this time other than the fact that he was making dressing cases, which usually included a small corkscrew, from about 1812.The firm continued trading under the name of William Lund and Son, as jewellers, diamond merchants, silversmiths and watchmakers, until their demise in 1972 at premises in Old Broad Street.