▁furn iture ▁store ▁in ▁K ens ington ▁was ▁sold ▁by ▁Camp ▁Bird ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 5 9 ). ▁By ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁the ▁firm ▁compr ised ▁the ▁offices ▁at ▁Ar ling ton ▁Street , ▁and ▁two ▁further ▁offices ▁( one ▁in ▁W im ble don ▁and ▁one ▁in ▁May field ). ▁ ▁By ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁discuss ions ▁were ▁under way ▁for ▁the ▁business ▁to ▁be ▁purchased ▁by ▁Ab aco ▁In vest ments , ▁a ▁company ▁led ▁by ▁Peter ▁Gold ie . ▁The ▁purchase ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁for ▁a ▁sum ▁of ▁over ▁£ 1 5 ▁million . ▁Ab aco ▁had ▁taken ▁over ▁the ▁commercial ▁ag ency ▁Lam bert ▁Smith ▁& ▁Part ners ▁for ▁£ 1 2 . 6 m ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁and ▁this ▁firm ▁was ▁am alg am ated ▁with ▁Ham pt ons . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁expansion ▁and ▁ac quisition , ▁with ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁historic ▁fir ms ▁being ▁purchased ▁and ▁re brand ed ▁as ▁Ham pt ons . ▁These ▁included ▁Christopher ▁Row land , ▁M essen ger ▁May ▁& ▁Ba ver stock ▁( with ▁ 1 0 ▁offices ▁in ▁Sur rey ▁and ▁Ham pshire , ▁purchased ▁by ▁Ab aco ▁for ▁£ 5 . 3 2 ▁million ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 8 6 ), ▁Le vens ▁( est ab lished ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 , ▁purchased ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 7