Well-known estate agency celebrates 190 years in business
Winkworth has come along way since being established in central London in 1835 by an auctioneer.
One of the best-known brands in estate agency has begun celebrations of its 190th year in business, making it one of the oldest firms within the industry.
Winkworth, which was founded during 1835 in Mayfair, London now has a network of over 100 branches across the capital as well as country and coastal markets.
Last year, it sold £3.4bn worth of property, had 175,000 registered applicants, a database of over four million contacts and some four million visits to the Winkworth website.
Such figures would not doubt stagger Samuel Donaldson, the founder and in 1835 an already established land agents and auctioneer, who sold it on in 1893 to Henry St John Winkworth, who then significantly grew the firm via a specialism in renting homes within SW1 and W1, particularly during the London social season, while also selling country estates to the aristocracy and wealthy industrialists.
Agace family
During the 1960s, Winkworth went through several owners including a spell within the Mann & Co estate agency before ending up in the Agace family during the mid-1970s.
Simon Agace then transformed Winkworth into a franchised operation in 1981 after being inspired by the franchise model in America – the first ever UK estate agency franchise, growing to 10 offices across London.
In 2004 Simon moved from CEO to non-executive Chairman, passing the reins to his son, Dominic Agace.
Winkworth’s growth trajectory continued, with the company expanding to 52 offices across London in 2005.
It then began its national expansion, in regions such as Hampshire, Kent, and Lincolnshire. In 2009, under Dominic’s leadership, Winkworth successfully floated on AIM, which enabled further expansion across the UK.
China desk
This was followed by international growth, with the creation of a China Desk in 2012, now the APAC Desk to reflect grown and expansion in broader Asia Pacific markets.
“As we celebrate our 190th anniversary in 2025, Winkworth’s legacy as a trusted estate agency remains stronger than ever,” says Dominic.
“We look forward to continuing to serve our buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants with the expertise, innovation and personalised service that has come to define us since our foundation in Mayfair 190 years ago.”
