Rollits celebrates 175 years in business
In 1841 the first edition of Punch magazine was published,Robert Peel became Prime Minister, and the Penny Black stamp wasreplaced by the Penny Red.
In Hull, a young Solicitor called John Rollit began practisinglaw with his Partner William Dryden - their firm was called DrydenSons & Rollit.
In due course, John Rollit set up his own practice at 62Whitefriargate and soon after welcomed his two sons Albert andArthur to the Partnership (now called Rollit & Sons). Both wereeminent and colourful characters of their time, particularly SirAlbert who later became an MP.
Thomas Farrell joined in 1879 and the firm's other "namedpartner", Dick Bladon became a partner in 1934. The firm remainedas Rollit Farrell and Bladon until shortened to Rollits in2001.
Over time Rollits has occupied various premises within a stone'sthrow of each other in Hull's old town …Cogan House and CoganChambers from 1878 to 1981; Elsworth House; Alfred Gelder Street inthe late 1960's; King William House in Market Place from 1981 to1991; Lowgate House from 1988 to 1991; Wilberforce Court on HighStreet from 1991 to 2016 and now from its brand new premises atCitadel House at the other end of the High Street.
Ralph Gilbert, Managing Partner said "On 9 June 1841, JohnRollit was admitted as an attorney of the Court of Queen's Benchand also a solicitor of the High Court of Chancery. His portrait isdisplayed in our reception at Citadel House today.
"The firm has developed and changed in untold ways over the last175 years. It has practised from various offices in the Old Town inHull but also in London, Beverley, Hornsea, Helmsley and, from1990, in York. There have been in the region of 80 partners andhundreds of staff who have made the firm it is today.
"Today's society, the legal profession and the firm itself wouldbe most alien to John Rollit as he embarked on his legal career butwe are rightly proud that we are the same firm (albeit possibly inthe style of "Trigger's broom") that started life 175 years ago andwe will be both commemorating and celebrating this "significant"birthday over the next 12 months.
"Rollits continues to provide commercial legal services from itsbases at Citadel House, High Street and Rowntree Wharf, York and isproud to be celebrating 175 years in business in Yorkshire."
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