Celebrating 125 Years
This year, Wellingtons has been in business for 125 years. We have specialised in the sale of domestic appliances for more than 60 of them. Generations of customers have come to us, safe in the knowledge that they will receive excellent advice, great prices and award-winning customer service.
Building on this success, we opened a second showroom in Bromley. Being part of the local community is important to us!
We strive to ensure a consistently high standard of care from purchase to installation, and after sales care, and we continue that same level whether you shop in store or online.
Established 1898
In 1898 Agnes Mercy Vowles opened a clothes shop on Bexley Road with her husband Frank Wellington.
In the early 1900s Agnes and Frank had eleven children who the shop was left to when she passed away in the early 1920s.
Her son George took over and expanded into furniture, the business was booming.
George was then joined by his siblings, Jack, Frank, Queenie, Lily and May in the Wellingtons team and they again expanded the shop to carpets and a bedding store.
When WW2 hit, Wellingtons were involved in rationing furniture coupons and after the war passed expanded yet AGAIN in the fifties to a tv and furniture store.
In 1955 George’s son Keith joined the team thereby adding a 3rd generation to the tree. Then in the sixties they extended again and focussed in on the electronics.
At this point Wellingtons had employed eleven family members, including uncles and cousins etc, the height of our family business!
When in 1977 George passed his son Keith became sole owner of Wellingtons LTD.
In 1984 the fourth generation was introduced Andrew, Keith’s only son, became part of the Wellingtons LTD enterprise.
In 1998 we were another family member down, Keith retired and so Andrew became the owner of Wellingtons. With Andrew taking charge, he wanted to bring back the family value and so brought in the in-laws, Angus and Kate.
Angus changed the ball game and helped launch Appliance online. It was hit and bought Wellingtons to a new generation, the internet generation!
2007 was a massive year for Wellingtons, we had the grand opening of our Bromley shop! A huge step for us as we had never ventured off Bexley Road, and now we were ready to take over a whole new postcode!
Since then, Wellingtons has gone from strength to strength as the 2nd oldest family business in Kent.