ABSTRACT
W. D. & H. O. Wills began life in a converted dwelling house and thus provides another example of a large enterprise springing from humble origins. The original business, of Wills, Watkins & Co., was, nevertheless, typical of tobacco manufacture of the late eighteenth century. No doubt, partly because of its small-scale nature, H. O. Wills I decided to seek his fortune in the industry. Little is known of his background, though it is clear that he was by no means penniless, since he entered Wills, Watkins & Co. as the senior partner through being able to provide the greater part of the capital employed in the enterprise. There were, also, certain other factors which can be taken as having influenced his choice. The tobacco industry presented no effective barriers to entry; and while his nonconformity naturally excluded him from a number of occupations, in this particular field it probably exerted a strong positive influence, for most if not all of his early partners were active Congregationalists.
