the business was established by alfred savill (1829 - 1905) in 1855 in london. by the time of alfred savill's death in 1905 his sons alfred, edwin and norman were established in partnership. in the 1920s the firm moved to lincoln's inn fields. during the second world war norman savill went to wimborne in dorset, taking vital records with him. the remaining partners stayed at lincoln’s inn field. by the 1970s, the firm was re-branded as savills. the firm was incorporated as a limited company in 1987 and was listed on the london stock exchange in 1988.