1792

• Henry Walton Smith and his wife Anna opened a small newsvendors in Little Grosvenor Street, London. Henry Smith dies a few months later leaving Anna to run the business.
• Anna Smith goes into partnership with Zaccheus Coates. This lasts until his death in 1812.

• Anna Smith dies and H W Smith, trading now as newsagents and stationers, is passed to her two sons, Henry Edward and William Henry Smith.

• William Henry Smith was the more capable businessman of the two brothers and the concern becomes known as WHSmith.

• The enterprise changes its name to WHSmith & Son when William Henry's son, William Henry also, was taken into partnership on his 21st birthday.

• WHSmith opens its first bookstall at Euston on 1 November. Other station bookstalls followed, taking advantage of "railway mania" in England. These bookstalls become outlets for cheap editions of other publications which were produced for railway travellers, the popular "yellowbacks".

• WHSmith & Son, now recognised as the principal newspaper distributor in the country, acquire wholesale distribution warehouses in Dublin, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. A substantial network of newspaper distribution is established across the country.

• Mr W H Smith I retires and William Henry Smith II succeeds as head of business.

• WHSmith starts a lending library venture which lasts until 1961, when changing social habits bring it to an end.
• The firm acquires its own printing works.

• Mr W H Smith II takes on a partner, barrister William Lethbridge, so he can devote more time to politics.

• Mr W H Smith II became an MP.

• Mr W H Smith II retires from active partnership and devotes his time to politics. The Gilbert & Sullivan song with the famous line "now I am the Ruler of the Queen's Nav-ee" from HMS Pinafore was aimed at his appointment as First Lord of the Admiralty.

• Mr W H Smith II dies. His widow is created Viscountess Hambleden and his eldest son, who became the second Viscount Hambleden in 1913, becomes the head of the business.

• A superannuation Fund for clerical workers is founded.

• A Pension Fund for manual workers is introduced.