Historical information
W.D & H.O.Wills (Australia) Ltd began manufacturing tobacco products in 1913 at its Raleigh Park factory in Kensington, Sydney. In 1945 an estate of 16 acres was purchased at East Bentleigh, Melbourne, with a further 22 acres purchased later and the Virginia Park manufacturing branch was established.
The 1950s were to be one of the most successful decades in the company’s history and it enjoyed a peak of 83 per cent market share in 1954. But this was also a period of increased competition as Phillip Morris and Rothmans entered the Australian tobacco market. By 1972, increased competition meant that the company’s market share had slipped to 39%. By the time tobacco advertising was banned on Australian radio and television in 1976, Wills' market share had fallen a further 6%. In 1985 Wills combined the separate factory operations in Sydney and in Melbourne into one site at Pagewood, Sydney which took on the name Virginia Park. In 1989 W.D & H.O.Wills (Australia) became a subsidiary of the British American Tobacco Industries group of companies. 1999 British American Tobacco merged with global competitor Rothmans International. Rothmans in Australia and Wills merged to form the wholly-owned subsidiary British American Tobacco Australia. The merger left British American Tobacco Australia, Phillip Morris and Imperial Tobacco Australia
Virginia Tobacco, or Flue-cured tobacco, is named after the US state where it was first cultivated. It is also called ‘bright tobacco’ because of the yellow to orange colour it achieves during curing. It grows particularly well in subtropical regions with light rainfall, such as Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas in the USA, Southern Brazil and Zimbabwe. In Australia, blends are predominantly Virginia, for example, Dunhill and Winfield. Virginia blends contain only flue-cured Virginia tobacco
Significance
W.D & H.O. Wills Pty Ltd - In 1945 an estate of 16 acres was purchased at East Boundary Road, East Bentleigh, Melbourne, with a further 22 acres purchased later and the Virginia Park manufacturing branch was established. The plant was closed 1985 when the firm moved to Pagewood, Sydney New South Wales
Physical description
A circular tin with a lid that is opened by twisting a coin in the rim and closed by screwing the lid down. Instructions written on base of tin. Contained ‘Log Cabin’ tobacco.
Inscriptions & markings
lid :LOG CABIN / FLAKED GOLD LEAF / TOBACCO /
base ; LOG CABIN / SKRU SEAL / To open twist coin / to reseal screw lid / TOBACCO
