We use cookies to make your experience better. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more
Our Story
A heritage of craftsmanship. A legacy of writing well.
Spanning five generations, Tom Hessin is more than a name — it’s a story of quiet innovation, enduring quality, and the written word. From its beginnings in 1870 Birmingham, where Andrew Charles founded T. Hessin & Co., each chapter of the brand has been shaped by dedication to craft and a belief that writing instruments should be built to last, feel good in the hand, and inspire thoughtful expression.
Every pen carries a symbol of our history — five diamonds, one for each generation that’s shaped who we are. But this isn’t just about the past. It’s about what we carry forward: precision, purpose, and pride in the details. Tom Hessin pens are made to be used, admired, and passed down — designed with the weight of legacy and the lightness of modern touch.
We believe writing is more than ink on paper. It’s a mark of character.
Where it all began
In 1870, Andrew Charles — a young man from Northern Ireland — arrived in Birmingham with ambition in his heart and craftsmanship in his hands. He founded T. Hessin & Co., named in honour of his grandmother’s maiden name, and quickly built a reputation for producing some of the finest steel pen nibs in the city. At a time when Birmingham was the global capital of pen making, the Charles family stood at the forefront of the trade. Their name became synonymous with quality, precision, and understated pride — values that would carry through five generations. What began in a modest workshop would leave a mark on the world through the written word.
tom hessin is born
In 1871, a year after founding his pen-making business, Andrew Charles named his son Thomas Hessin Charles — combining family heritage with a sense of purpose. Known within the family as “The Guv’nor”, Tom would go on to quietly shape the future of the company. He inherited not only the name, but the values that built the business: integrity, precision, and a belief in doing things properly.
Raised around the rhythms of industry and craftsmanship, Tom learned the trade from the ground up. His influence helped carry the family business through times of change, while staying true to its founding principles. Though few records survive of his personal life, his legacy lives on — not just in stories, but in every pen that bears his name. His was a steady hand at the helm, and a name worthy of the brand it now represents.
the war
Like many British businesses, the pen trade did not escape the effects of war. Materials were repurposed, factories retooled, and lives changed forever. But the Charles family adapted — supporting the war effort while continuing to preserve their knowledge of fine pen making. Through resilience and reinvention, they kept the spirit of craftsmanship alive. This period tested the family, yet forged a deeper connection between purpose and product. Pens remained tools of diplomacy, strategy, and personal expression — even in the darkest times. And the Charles name, though quiet, endured.
a new generation
Post-war Britain brought a wave of change — and another generation of the Charles family stepped forward to guide the business. Arthur Charles, Tom’s son, upheld the family’s quiet commitment to quality and integrity, adapting to modernisation while honouring the traditions that defined the brand.
Sometime later, Arthur passed the business to his daughter, Malissa Stockbridge (née Charles), and her husband, Nicolas Stockbridge. Together, they carried the legacy into a new era — balancing the values of heritage with the demands of a changing world. Their leadership helped keep the family story alive, not through grand statements, but through thoughtful stewardship and care.
These years were about continuity — about preserving a culture of considered craftsmanship while gradually evolving with the times. The family’s passion for well-made tools never faded. It simply adapted, readying the brand for what would come next.
a new era
Today, the Tom Hessin name is led by Charlie Stockbridge, the fifth generation of the Charles-Stockbridge family. With over 150 years of pen-making heritage behind him, Charlie has reimagined the brand for a new generation — combining legacy with modernity in a way that feels both fresh and familiar.
Under his direction, Tom Hessin has evolved from a family name into a statement of intent: a brand committed to timeless design, purposeful writing, and quiet distinction. The relaunch honours everything that came before — from the original T. Hessin & Co. nibs to the post-war resilience of the Charles family — while building something new for those who value meaningful craftsmanship.
Every pen still carries the five-diamond motif, a symbol of the five generations behind the name. But the story is far from over. With Charlie at the helm, Tom Hessin is not just looking back — it’s writing the next chapter.
