1816

On June 4th 1816 James Smith was born in Edinburgh. He was the second child and eldest son of James and Anna Smith. His father had been a shawl manufacturer in Paisley, but had moved to Edinburgh to set up a shawl merchants business there. By the time James was sixteen he had ten brothers and a sister, and was looking around for a career. The more he thought about it the more he was swayed by his friend Stephen Wellstood, who had emigrated to New York some years before.

So James set off to make his fortune in a romantic style, on foot. He had heard that a barque was soon to set sail from Greenock to New York. In New York he apprenticed himself to a metal worker, his friend Wellstood helping him by signing his indenture papers as his 'guardian'.

1841

After completing his apprenticeship, James worked with a manufacturer in the metal work business in New Orleans before setting up on his own in State Street, Jackson Mississippi.

The business appeared to have prospered immediately because after just two years, James could afford to visit Scotland to marry the girl he chose nine years before, at the age of sixteen. Her name was Anne Wells Brown and they set off for a new life in Jackson. While the business prospered, Anne's health did not. The hot climate was wearing her down, and after a dozen years of it, it became evident that something had to be done.

James made the biggest decision of his life. He had successfully been making and selling in America and it occurred to him that the type he specialised in was unknown in Britain. He would go home with his wife and five children and set up business there.

In the beginning

So it was that in 1854 James returned to Scotland and made arrangements to set up a business making ESSE stoves. He returned to the States to hand over his old business to his younger brother, Robert A Smith, and his adventures began all over again.

On September 17th 'SS Arctic', the steamer that he was aboard, was involved in a collision with the 'Vesta'. James spent three days and two nights awaiting rescue aboard a makeshift raft before being rescued by the 'Cambria'. James returned to Scotland and the business of manufacturing ESSE cookers and stoves flourished.

The start of ESSE's unique heritage

During the late 1800s James introduced his stoves and cookers to the wealthy Victorian market in Edinburgh.

In 1854, on a return trip to America, James was dramatically shipwrecked in the Atlantic and survived by floating in a zinc-lined wicker basket until he was rescued three days later.

Soon after, James formed a business partnership with his old friend Stephen Wellstood, and the company became known as Smith and Wellstood. Later, with the addition of a third partner, George Ure, the group opened an iron foundry at Bonnybridge called 'The Columbian Stove Works'.

It was at this point the ESSE brand was created, with the French-sounding name reflecting the fashion at the time.

A unique client list

Florence Nightingale was passionate about ESSE cookers and would use no other brand at her hospital in Balaclava. Famous British explorers, Shackleton and Scott, also relied on ESSE to provide hot food and warmth to their expedition team in some of the world's coldest and most inhospitable places. This tradition is followed by top British climber Alan Hinkes, who uses a specially adapted ESSE Solo to heat his base camp in the Himalayas.

Left: Scott's ESSE stove
Right: Florence Nightingales letter of appreciation

1910

Early ESSE stoves were primarily designed for the burning of different types of coal. Circa 1910 the ESSE Pioneer Stove was an innovative wood burning stove. The design allowed smoke re-burning to take pace above the firebox before the waste gases entered the flue. Many modern stoves claim to be the originator of this idea, but the ESSE Pioneer refutes these claims. The Pioneer was made in three sizes.

Today, wood burning has had something of a renascence and ESSE makes dedicated woodburning cookers and stoves, alongside multi-fuel appliances.

Warming hearts and homes

By the mid 1900s, ESSE stoves, fires and range cookers were warming all manor of households - from royalty to remote rural homesteads. The ESSE poster, circa 1950, captures the spirit of ESSE products.

ESSE gets its 'premier' with Roger Moore

Smith & Wellstood was acquired by the Ashby family, who owned the Ouzledale Foundry Company in Barnoldswick, Lancashire. They expanded the range of products with the Firemaster brand of open fires and dog grates. Each cooking range and stove was - and still is - hand built by skilled craftsmen at the foundry, using traditional methods.

It was at this time that an ESSE range cooker achieved its screen debut, appearing with Special Agent 007 James Bond in a 'View to a Kill.'

Award winning ways

Over the years, ESSE has introduced many new products to their range. 1999 saw the new 'Vista' win 'Best Oil/Gas Stove of the Year' at a major heating industry awards ceremony.

In the same year, ESSE also launched a revolutionary, oil-fired central heating cooker that was powerful enough to heat a home with five or six bedrooms.

A revolution in range cooking

ESSE continually develops innovative range cookers and stoves, and in 2000 launched the Electric ESSE, the ultimate combination of authentic range cooking and modern living convenience.

It features a high-tech ceramic hotplate, grill and a flueless central heating option.

The Electric ESSE marked another milestone for the company in range cooker design, and plans were made to launch a whole new line-up of range cookers.

New products, new trends and new markets

2002 saw the launch of a new range of stoves, including the revolutionary 500 Flueless gas stove. Using patented catalytic technology, unrivalled styling and engineering features, the 500 Flueless continued to position ESSE at the forefront of product development and design.

A new range of 'Fireart' contemporary stoves was introduced, mixing a variety of styles and materials to offer a new product range designed for 21st century modern living. ESSE also expanded their sales operation in British Columbia and Europe.

ESSE Plus 2

The Home building and Renovating show in March 2003 saw the preview of the new four oven ESSE. The 'Plus 2' model effectively doubled the cooking capability of any ESSE cooker and attracted lots of interest and significant forward orders.

Also new for 2003 were a range of new colours and a high performance extractor hood suitable for the Electric ESSE.

The award winning Ironheart

Launched in 2004, the Ironheart cooking stove was inspired by modern European influences for log burning cookers. Yet paradoxically, it revives some of the design principles behind the very first ESSE cooking stove dating back to 1854. This made it the perfect ESSE product to mark our 150th anniversary year.

The Ironheart combines the two things ESSE does best, joining a superb multi-fuel stove with a traditional range cooker.

Firewall^™ flueless gas wall heaters

We launched our stylish range of wall hung, flueless gas heaters in 2005. The 'Firewall' range has evolved since then and now incorporates a variety of formats and finishes - steel, ultra stylish black glass and glass reinforced concrete (GRC).

They bring warmth and style to any wall and can be placed anywhere with a gas supply. Perfect for any contemporary living space.

Introducing our carbon neutral Woodfired cooker

Launched in 2006, the Woodfired cooker is designed for continuous use and can easily be kept alight for long periods. Inside its unique firebox, combustion is so effective that virtually all of the fuel is 'incinerated' cleanly, producing maximum heat and minimal ash. As a result, it will require only occasional ash removal.

Today, the Woodfired is the cooker of choice for those seeking a carbon neutral alternative fuel, and it is the preferred brand at River Cottage. Gill Meller, head chef at River Cottage, also cooks on a woodfired ESSE at home.

Woodfired models include domestic hot water and central heating options, alongside the original cooking-only model.

350 convection stove

The latest model in the 300 series of convector stoves further illustrates our award-winning ways. It offers a larger output - up to 7kW/h - and like all 300 series models, enables an inefficient open fireplace to be quickly and easily converted. This provides greater efficiency and improved heating, with minimum installation disruption.

Above right: 350 award for design and innovation.

ESSE the cooker of choice at River Cottage

In 2008 ESSE became the cooker of choice at River Cottage HQ in Devon. Initially we installed an Ironheart as the sole source of heat while the ancient farmhouse was being restored. Next came an ESSE cooker for the farmhouse kitchen, which can be regularly seen in action on the popular Channel 4 series. Head chef Gill Meller and River Cottage front man Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall also use Woodfired ESSEs for cooking at home.

Above right: Head chef Gill Meller bakes bread in their Ironheart.

Contemporary stoves

The appeal of our woodburning stoves has continued to grow with the introduction of new contemporary styling options for our popular 100 and 500 models. The 125 and 525, as they are known, feature clean contemporary lines creating a chic and stylish overall appearance.