Hancocks & Co
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedHancocks & Co is a historic London jeweller known for royal patronage and the exclusive manufacture of the Victoria Cross.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Hancocks & Co is a historic British retail jeweller and jewellery manufacturer based in London. The business was founded on 1 January 1849 by Charles F. Hancock, formerly a partner in the established firm Storr and Mortimer. Its first premises stood at the corner of Bruton Street and New Bond Street, placing the company in the area that was becoming one of London's leading centres for luxury retail and jewellery. The firm established a strong reputation during the nineteenth century through high-quality goldsmithing, jewellery production and service to aristocratic and royal customers. Eight months after opening, on 13 August 1849, Hancocks received a Royal Appointment from Queen Victoria. The company subsequently attracted the patronage of several European sovereigns and participated in major international exhibitions, including the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in 1851 and exhibitions in Paris in 1867 and Vienna in 1873. These appearances helped present the firm as a serious producer of fine jewellery and objets associated with the expanding Victorian luxury market. Hancocks became particularly associated with the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration in the United Kingdom and a number of Commonwealth countries. The company was entrusted with the design and production of the medal when the award was created in 1856. Hancocks continues to be identified as the exclusive maker of Victoria Cross medals, giving the business a distinctive role that combines luxury craftsmanship with military and national heritage. The company has moved several times within central London. It relocated from its original premises to Vigo Street in 1917, then to Burlington Gardens in 1970 and Burlington Arcade in 1998. In 2024 it moved to 62 St James's Street. The sequence of locations reflects its continuing presence in London's high-end jewellery district while also marking changes in the retail environment and the firm's preferred premises. In 1998, Hancocks acquired S.J. Rood, a London diamond merchant and jewellery manufacturer established in Burlington Arcade in 1873 by the Allen family. S.J. Rood had received a Royal Warrant from Queen Mary in 1921 and was associated with the 'For...' series of rings presented to Queen Mary's ladies-in-waiting upon their marriages. The acquisition broadened Hancocks's historical portfolio and brought another royal-linked jewellery name into the business. Hancocks's identity rests on a combination of bespoke and fine jewellery retailing, traditional goldsmithing, royal associations, historic commissions and specialist medal manufacture. Its public profile is more closely tied to craftsmanship, provenance and institutional heritage than to mass-market jewellery or broad international retail expansion. The available reference material does not establish a current parent company, public listing, ownership structure, named current executives or an official website URL.
History
Hancocks & Co was established in London on 1 January 1849 by Charles F. Hancock, who had previously been a partner of Storr and Mortimer. The firm's first gallery opened at the junction of Bruton Street and New Bond Street, an important location within London's developing luxury and jewellery district. The company received a Royal Appointment from Queen Victoria on 13 August 1849, only eight months after commencing business. This early royal connection became a defining feature of its identity. During the nineteenth century, Hancocks expanded its reputation among wealthy and aristocratic customers and gained recognition beyond Britain. It exhibited at the Great Exhibition held at the Crystal Palace in 1851, followed by international exhibitions in Paris in 1867 and Vienna in 1873. These events placed the firm's jewellery and goldsmithing work before wider European audiences and supported its reputation as a maker of high-quality luxury goods. The company's most distinctive historical commission arose with the creation of the Victoria Cross in 1856. Hancocks was entrusted with the design and production of the decoration and remains associated with its exclusive manufacture. The Victoria Cross gave the firm a role extending beyond commercial jewellery: it became a continuing maker of a major British military honour. The company also accumulated additional royal connections and warrants over time. In 1962, it received a Royal Warrant as Goldsmiths and Silversmiths to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Hancocks changed premises several times as its business developed. It moved to Vigo Street in 1917, Burlington Gardens in 1970 and Burlington Arcade in 1998. The Burlington Arcade move coincided with a major business development: Hancocks acquired S.J. Rood, a diamond merchant and jewellery manufacturer that had been established in Burlington Arcade in 1873 by the Allen family. S.J. Rood had been patronised by affluent London customers from around 1900 and received a Royal Warrant from Queen Mary in 1921. Its historical products included the 'For...' series of rings presented to Queen Mary's ladies-in-waiting when they married. The acquisition brought S.J. Rood's heritage and jewellery activities into Hancocks. It also reinforced Hancocks's position as a custodian of London jewellery traditions with links to royal households. In 2024, the company moved again, this time to 62 St James's Street. The relocation maintained its presence in central London's luxury retail landscape while giving the business a new contemporary base. The available historical material presents Hancocks as a specialist heritage jeweller rather than a large-scale chain. Its principal areas of distinction are fine jewellery, goldsmithing, bespoke work, royal appointments and the manufacture of the Victoria Cross. Information about its current corporate ownership, management, financial performance and wider operating footprint is not established in the supplied references.
- 2024
Moves to 62 St James's Street
[1]Hancocks established its current reported premises at 62 St James's Street in London.
- 1998
Moves to Burlington Arcade and acquires S.J. Rood
[1]Hancocks moved to Burlington Arcade and acquired the business of S.J. Rood.
- 1970
Moves to Burlington Gardens
[1]The firm relocated from Vigo Street to Burlington Gardens.
- 1962
Royal Warrant as Goldsmiths and Silversmiths
[1]Hancocks received a Royal Warrant as Goldsmiths and Silversmiths to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
- 1921
S.J. Rood receives a Royal Warrant
[1]S.J. Rood was granted a Royal Warrant by Queen Mary.
- 1917
Moves to Vigo Street
[1]The company relocated its London premises to Vigo Street.
- 1873
S.J. Rood is established
[1]S.J. Rood was founded in Burlington Arcade by the Allen family, later becoming part of Hancocks's historical portfolio.
- 1873
Exhibits in Vienna
[1]Hancocks participated in an international exhibition in Vienna.
- 1867
Exhibits in Paris
[1]The firm participated in an international exhibition in Paris.
- 1856
Victoria Cross manufacture begins
[1]Hancocks was entrusted with the design and production of the Victoria Cross when the decoration was introduced. The company remains its exclusive manufacturer.
Products and positioning
A heritage London jeweller positioned around royal provenance, traditional craftsmanship, bespoke fine jewellery and specialist manufacture of the Victoria Cross.
Military decoration · 1856
Victoria Cross
Hancocks is historically associated with the Victoria Cross and is identified as its exclusive manufacturer. The medal has been part of the firm's identity since the decoration was introduced in 1856, distinguishing Hancocks from conventional luxury jewellers through a continuing specialist role in British military heritage.
Luxury jewellery
Fine jewellery
The firm's broader offering is centred on fine jewellery and traditional goldsmithing. The available references do not provide a current catalogue or detailed product specifications, but Hancocks's historical positioning indicates a focus on high-value, crafted pieces rather than mass-market jewellery.
Diamond jewellery · 1998
S.J. Rood heritage jewellery
Following its 1998 acquisition of S.J. Rood, Hancocks incorporated the heritage of the London diamond merchant and jewellery manufacturer. S.J. Rood was associated with royal patronage and with the 'For...' series of rings presented to Queen Mary's ladies-in-waiting on their marriages.
Brand decisions
2024
Relocation to St James's StreetStrategyBackground
Hancocks had operated from Burlington Arcade since 1998 after earlier locations in Bruton Street and New Bond Street, Vigo Street and Burlington Gardens.
Action taken
The company moved its premises to 62 St James's Street in London.
Aftermath
The move continued Hancocks's presence in central London's luxury retail district. No further operational or financial consequences are established in the supplied material.
1998
Acquisition of S.J. RoodM&ABackground
S.J. Rood was a long-established London diamond merchant and jewellery manufacturer with a Royal Warrant dating from 1921.
Action taken
Hancocks acquired the S.J. Rood business and added its jewellery heritage to the Hancocks operation.
Aftermath
The transaction linked the two historic London jewellery names and preserved S.J. Rood's association within Hancocks's broader heritage.
Sources1 sources
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