James Smith & Sons: umbrellas and walking sticks since 1830

James Smith & Sons is a fashion accessories shop at 53 New Oxford Street, WC1A 1BL, in the London Borough of Camden. It is very close to Tottenham Court Road Underground station at St Giles Circus and to the British Museum. Black cab drivers and locals often call it 'The Umbrella Shop'.

The shop specialises in umbrellas and walking sticks, all handmade. The umbrella range includes folding, sun, slim and solid models, with named designs such as The London, The City, The Slim, The Fit-Up, The Solid Stick, The Birdcage, The Pencil and The Walking Length. For walking sticks, you can choose the Country, Town or Ladies styles. The shop also offers a repair service for products it has made itself. The window displays include sword canes, which were legal until 1988, and a walking stick handle shaped like Lord Nelson. I don't have price information for the products, so you will need to check prices in the shop or on the website.

The firm was founded in 1830 by James Smith in Foubert's Place as a single shop. It moved to New Oxford Street in 1857, after James Smith II started using lightweight steel frames invented by Samuel Fox in 1851. The business once had branches on Savile Row and New Burlington Street, and a very narrow shop on Savile Place, where umbrellas had to be opened outside. That shop served customers such as Gladstone, Lord Curzon and Bonar Law. The Burlington Street shop was destroyed in a bombing raid during the Second World War, leaving only the New Oxford Street shop. In 1930, the founder's great-grandson arrived from Tasmania to run the business. The building itself, known as Hazelwood House, was constructed between 1844 and 1847 to clear the slums of the St Giles area. It is Grade II listed, the current shopfront dates from the 1870s, and the ground floor has been occupied by the firm since 1867. The interior is considered a rare survival of a high-class late Victorian or Edwardian shop. The shop has also appeared on screen: it was used as a storefront in the 2011 film Captain America: The First Avenger, where it was renamed Henry Cooper & Sons, and it featured in episode four of the BBC's Partners in Crime* in 2015.

The shop has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 on Google Maps, based on 769 reviews. Reviewers describe it as a historic family-run shop with expert staff and a wide variety of products. Many say the shop is full of character and craftsmanship, and some say it is interesting to look around even without buying anything.

Opening hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:00 to 17:30, and Saturday from 10:00 to 17:15. On Wednesdays, which is today, it opens later, at 10:30, and closes at 17:30. It is closed on Sundays and on bank holidays. To check details before you go, you can call +44 (0) 207 836 4731 or visit the official website.