Category: Business

Police Force

Reading so much detective fiction set in Italy reminds me of a curious incident in Rome earlier this year.

Moving Money

I have reduced my holdings in individual companies from two to one.

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Categorised as Business

Blazer and Cords

I have made two additions to my wardrobe this year; red corduroy trousers and a blazer.

On Stage Coaches

In my terraced street there have been a few false starts. The pavements were taken up to lay cables for TV; roofs were adorned with giant white mushrooms for TV; a proposal to communally install solar panels did not gain traction; plastic caddies for bio-waste likewise did not get wide take-up.

Sir Walter

The most interesting of the Gilbey brothers is Walter. They were all good businessmen and philanthropic but Walter had a deeper hinterland. “In 1858, the year after his return from the Crimean War, Walter had married Ellen Parish, the fourth daughter of the landlord of the White Horse Inn at North Street, and soon after… Continue reading Sir Walter

From Gilbey to Guinness

W. A. Gilbey was founded in 1857 and was initially successful because wine imported from South Africa attracted less duty and the brothers passed on this advantage to their customers. That got them off the ground but almost immediately, in 1860, the rules changed.

The River Cafe

When I was a waiter at Mullaghfin (Co Meath) in my university holidays I may have had some sort of gauche charm but I entirely lacked professionalism.

The Devonshire

I thought I was going to write about the stock market but knew few would want to read so didn’t bother and went out to lunch.