The company was founded by John Charles Francis Myland (1860-1932). John Started life as an apprentice French polisher, in the late 1870s. After a few years he started selling supplies to other French Polishers, from a base in Vauxhall. Although later on, he became a successful property developer in South London, his passion was for developing paints and wood finishes throughout his life.
In 1884 he opened his first shop in Stockwell near Brixton, South London. John sold distempers, French polishes, spirit varnishes and oils and pigments as well as distributing Berger paints.
The company now operates from South Norwood, and still maintains a full tange of traditional & modern woodfinishing products.