Austin Friar - The Furniture Makers Company

Austin Friar
The Newsletter of The Furniture Makers’ Company
No. 9 - Winter 2011
The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers
The City of London Livery Company for the British Furniture Industry
furnituremakers.org.uk
The merger of the Companies’ Charitable
Funds and the Furnishing Industry Trust
The Present
By 2010 it was agreed that a full merger of the two charities
was the way forward. The WCFM Charitable Fund would
merge with the FIT to provide an industry wide body to
manage and develop charitable activity at all levels and
throughout the furnishing industry. After much careful
due diligence work, the merger documents were signed last
September.
The combined charity is “The Worshipful Company of
Furniture Makers Charitable Fund incorporating The
Furnishing Trades Benevolent Association” operating as The
Furnishing Industry Trust (FIT).
The charity is governed by eight Trustees. They are Past
Masters Edward Tadros (Chairman), Roger Richardson,
Martin Jourdan, David Burbidge, Margaret Miller and Peter
Kelsey, and Court Assistants Tony Attard and Nigel Blake.
Our Clerk, Charles Kerrigan, who is the Chief Executive of
the combined charities will continue in his role.
The Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the unified
Charitable Fund is administered properly and correctly. They
are appointed by the Court.
The Master, Hugh Garforth-Bles, and FIT Chairman,
Edward Tadros, after signing the merger
In 2008 the WCFM and FIT took a carefully considered
decision that the jobs of the Clerk of the WCFM and the
Chief Executive of FIT should be amalgamated into one,
and that the two administrations should be combined.
This momentous step was not a mere cost saving measure;
it was the logical outcome of the extent to which the two
organisations had already come together. Two organisations
with almost identical roots and with many members in
common but which had mainly ploughed separate furrows
since their founding.
The Future
We are now a single charity which has significant funds under
its management to improve the conditions and opportunities
for those in the furnishing industry. We together possess the
wonderful facility of Furniture Makers’ Hall in and with
which to further the aims of the furniture and furnishing
industry.
There is now one united organisation to help those less
fortunate with grants and assistance, which for 108 years was
the area covered by the FTBA/FIT, and to provide bursaries
and training to enable others to realise their potential in the
industry, which was formerly the preserve of the WCFM.
To help the less fortunate members of the industry by
providing welfare grants and assistance, previously the focus
of FIT, we now have a united charitable organisation which
will also provide scholarships and training to enable younger
people to realise their potential, a field of activity which used
to be that of the Company alone.
After 60 years apart, one charity covers the entire charitable
and philanthropic activities of the industry.
This merger has been very carefully considered, and I am
certain that it is the right way forward.
The Furnishing Trades Benevolent Association, the FTBA,
was founded in 1903 and its Past National Presidents board
reads like a roll call of all the famous names in the furniture
and furnishing industry over the last hundred and eight years.
It was founded in times of great hardship for many members
of our industry and in every single year of its history the
FTBA has helped those in need. Two years ago it changed its
operating name to the Furnishing Industry Trust, FIT, and
also expanded its activities to provide assistance for training.
We now have much work to do to maximise the raising of
and usage of our combined charitable resources for the
betterment of those in our industry.
Hugh Garforth-Bles
The 50th Master
2
And here they are - the eight Trustees
Chairman of the Trustees, Edward Tadros, seen opposite with the Master, joined the Livery in 1979 and the Court in 1991.
He became a Trustee of the then FTBA in 1995. His year as Master (2005/6) is memorable for his Outing to Venice. As
chairman of Ercol he is at the helm of one of the UK’s most successful manufacturers.
Tony Attard OBE has been a Liveryman since 2004, a Trustee of FIT from 2009 and an
Assistant from 2010. Tony raised a princely sum for the charity through sponsorship of his
transatlantic trip under sail. Founding Managing Director of Panaz, a notable player in the
furnishing fabric field.
Nigel Blake co-founded the FTBA’s most successful fundraising event, the annual Big Shots
competition in 1994. One year it raised over £56,000 net in just one day. A Liveryman since 1995
and a Trustee of the FTBA from 1971, he originally joined the Court in 2001, then had time out
but came back this year. In business he was a Group Main Board Director of Courts PLC and
Chief Executive for Courts Caribbean and the Americas. Nigel was interim Chief Executive of
the FTBA for some months before Charles Kerrigan was appointed.
David Burbidge OBE was Master in 2004/5 and was the driving force behind our purchase of
the Hall in that year. Since then he has been the chairman of our subsidiary charity, Furniture
Makers Company Ltd, the owner of the Hall. A Liveryman from 1979, he became an Assistant
in 1990 and a Trustee in 2010. David is chairman of Burbidge & Son Ltd, a thriving supplier of
kitchen furniture components. He is also on the board of the Royal Shakespeare Company
and is a former chairman of the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry.
Martin Jourdan was chairman of Parker Knoll. One of his retirement jobs has been to found
and chair the British Furniture Confederation, the coming together of the industry’s trade
associations which now speaks with one voice to government and ministers. In this endeavour
he has the Company’s full support, a role which demonstrates its ability to lead the industry by
being central to it but apolitical. A Liveryman from 1962, an Assistant in 1976, Master 1991/2
and a Trustee since 2009.
Peter Kelsey joined the Livery in 1978 and the Court in 1997. He was Master in 2009/10. He
became a Director of Wades Departmental Stores in 1978 and spent most of his career in multiple
furnishing retailing. In 1992 he joined Courts PLC to start a Contracts Division and is now
Managing Director of Designer Contracts, a company formed from the previous Courts division.
The firm is a major supplier of floorcoverings and showhomes to the house building industry.
Margaret Miller was our first lady Master (2008/9). She joined the Livery in 1981, the Court in
2005 and is now a Trustee and a very vigorous chairman of the Membership Committee. With
Arnold Moore she built up Knightsbridge Furniture (now chairman) to become a major supplier
of upholstery to the health and hotel markets.
Roger Richardson, as chairman of the communications and PR committee, is the editor of this
magazine. He was admitted to the Livery in 1961, to the Court in 1975 and became a Trustee in
2003. He was Master in 1998/9, a record year for his business, the cabinet manufacturers Beaver
& Tapley, from which he retired in 1998 after 43 enjoyable years. Twenty years in the naval reserve
and twice as many as a yacht owner have led to his taking a noticeably binocular-clad look at the
details of his retirement job – looking at the Company in its many aspects.
3
The Bespoke Guild Mark
The pieces on these pages bear witness to a trend which has become increasingly
apparent. Whilst standards of craftsmanship are at least as high as they have
ever been, the ingenuity and complexity of design has increased spectacularly in
recent years. This trend is amply demonstrated by the two tables opposite made
in response to exactly similar briefs with both based on one of nature’s most
intriguingly challenging designs: the Ammonite/Nautilus.
Words in italics are quotes from the designers.
BGM 430
Marcus White
‘Opera’ Sideboard
Rippled Sycamore veneer, solid Sycamore, mirror-polished
stainless steel inlays and handles
“The client wanted a piece in light coloured veneer, with
shallow ends for unencumbered access to an adjacent door. I
wanted to use a reverse break-front design with the drawers
set back from the doors on either side of them and with those
set back from the outer pair. A Sydney Opera effect, hence the
name. Seen from above the geometrical solution was three
arcs meeting tangentially.”
BGM 431
Simon Yates
‘Grace’ Console Table
Home grown Ash and Brown Oak
“The brief was for a visually simple table that flowed forward
rather than stood. The design is a quarter of a circle and a
horizontal line with a much less visible second horizontal for
the base.”
BGM 433
Sarah Kay. (Made by Daniel Lacey)
‘Oasby’ Set of Four Chairs
English Sycamore
“The client wanted a design for his library that would reflect
his tastes for classical music, 1950s studio pottery and a
passion for Venice. I wanted the chairs to have a quiet but
sophisticated elegance paying homage to the beauty of
Venice. The luminosity and boul-like quality of English
Sycamore suits the sculpted nature of the design.”
4
BGM 434
Sarah Kay
‘Oasby’ Dining Table
English Sycamore
“The table is designed to form a set with four Oasby chairs
and equally to be light and sophisticated. To minimise both
weight and waste, the top was built up from rings of timber,
carved back and then sculpted with an Arbotech saw.”
BGM 435
Marc Fish assisted by Chris Funnell
‘Nautilus’ Coffee Table
Walnut and Sycamore veneers, aluminium, glass, Japanese
lace paper
“The brief called for a statement piece with a connection
with the sea. The natural mathematical perfection in the
Nautilus shell’s logarithmic spiral and its use of the golden
ratio seemed to be something to go for. It was an opportunity
to push the boundaries of construction techniques and to
combine sculpture with furniture. The veneers resemble the
natural colours of the Nautilus. The paper was chosen to
resemble the real shell’s divisions but with an added delicacy,
lightness and fragility. For the shell I developed a technique
of using overlapping small strips of veneer built up to form
a compound curve. There are 4000 pieces. I am not aware
of this having been done in furniture before. [Clinker-built
boats?] The inside is sanded and polished to a pearlescent
finish, the outside is unfinished but carved to resemble a
shell.”
BGM 432
Christopher Emmett
‘Avione’ Dining Table
English Elm and Oak, Ebony and an unknown (legally!)
reclaimed timber
“The dimensions were exactly specified by the client who
required neither the table to appear massive nor heavy, that
it be in keeping with a set of mid-20th century chairs, and
that it should have no applied decoration nor “ostentatious
display of materials or craftsmanship”. Also the table was
not to have corner legs but to be completely robust though
disassemblable by a reasonably competent person. Apart
from those considerations, I was free to design the table! I
think the solution is quite ingenious. The key is the central
joining component with twelve interlocking plywood tongues
and three full-length bolts.”
BGM 437
Ian Heseltine
‘Jurassic’ Large Low Table
Burr Brown Oak, Brown Oak, Bleached Madrona Burr for
the 60 cells
“The client asked for a large ‘feature’ low table with a
nautical theme and which had to be both practical yet
exceptional. The Ammonite concept had been discussed a
year earlier but put aside while I worked on a desk for this
client. I decided to interpret the beauty of these fossils in a
combination of high precision and free-form sculpting. The
fall away perimeter is part laminated and part coopered. The
three way base is stack laminated and free-form sculpted to
resemble eroded rock strata.”
5
Design Guild Marks 2011
The Design Guild Mark judges are strict in their
interpretation of ‘excellence’ and only eleven Guild Marks
were awarded this year. In this context it is noteworthy
that, in this the fourth year of the scheme, and out of a
total of 42 Guild Marks spread amongst 29 holders, Mark
Gabbertas has received four for three different clients, and
Samuel Chan also has four though for one client, his own
shop!
DGM 45 (Illustrated on the front cover)
Pearson Lloyd
‘Cobi’ chair for Steelcase
Words in italics are quotes from the designers.
“Cobi is specifically designed to foster collaboration and
to keep participants focused and engaged whilst allowing
a variety of postures whether seated centrally or off to one
side. A wholly new rocking mechanism reacts to the user’s
centre of gravity, not weight. Available in standard and
draughtsman’s versions.”
DGM 46
Leonhard Pfeifer
‘Farringdon’ Laptop Desk for John Lewis
“Aimed at the work-from-home concept,
the key to the visually attractive and
functional design is its elegant proportions
and minimal dimensions – inner city
urban living. The worktop and the panel
with a cable management aperture slide
to increase working space. The ‘quick
assembly’ leg frames are in solid Oak.”
DGM 47
Roger Webb Associates
‘DNA’ Desk and Table System for Verco Office Furniture
“A modular and flexible system that can produce a wide
variety of shapes and sizes of desks, benches, spines or
clusters. ‘Quick assembly’ construction provides a frame
of considerable strength and rigidity which can easily be
dismantled and adapted to changing requirements.”
6
The Manufacturing Guild Mark
A selection of new pieces from three of the holders
of this long established Guild Mark
Treske
The Victoria & Albert Kitchen
“The style of this kitchen is very distinctive and was developed from our
V&A range of furniture first made for the retail shop at the 2005 exhibition
“International Arts and Crafts”. The kitchen is usually made in Oak but we
also do painted versions.”
Treske are licensees of the Victoria and Albert Museum and can use their logo
(carved into the mantel) on this specific kitchen.
Somnus
The Diplomat Headboard and Base
“This new model has been designed using the finest Cumbrian
Fells Herdwick Eco Wool which is known for its natural
insulating properties and resilience, and natural cotton. These
luxurious fillings are combined with 4500 Sensa Pocket Plus
springs in the mattress and 550 pocket springs in the base,
creating the best possible specification and delivering the
unsurpassed quality and comfort you would expect from any
Somnus bed. A stylish headboard like this adds atmosphere and
luxury to your bedroom.”
Ercol
The Barton Group
A collaboration between two very well known names has produced this group designed by Terence Conran for Ercol. The
furniture is made using modern and traditional craft techniques including dovetail joints and steam bending. The title comes
from Conran’s country home, Barton Court.
As Sir Terence puts it “There are refreshingly few bells and whistles in the range. But this simplicity belies a clever use of
myriad geometric shapes and a wonderfully natural finish”.
7
The 2011 Students’ Evening in the Hall
September 28 was the date for this year’s edition of an event which has rightly become a fixture in the Company calendar. The
routine is reasonably similar each year with an exhibition of the prototypes made on the summer course by the MA students
of the National School of Furniture – Bucks New University, and, in pride of place, the winning piece from the annual
Gordon Russell competition, open to students from the NSF – Oxford and Cherwell Valley College, sponsored each year by
Hands of High Wycombe.
This year’s Gordon Russell winner,
Ben Croft, had already won the design
competition at Kinnarps during the
design students’ spring tour (see Austin
Friar 8, p11). This prize piece is along
the same lines but more elegant. It is
also superbly made.
The High Wycombe MA students,
seen here on their way to work, and
higher up afterwards, created, or
rather invented, the ideas for their
pieces during a week near Padua as
guests, for the third year, of Lago,
furniture manufacturers there with a
connection to KI here in London which
has sponsored the week right from the
beginning.
8
Perhaps the most ingenious piece on
show was this brilliant idea for almost
free adjustable seating. Just cover any
old tyre with fabric, position them
any way you like and, hey Dunlop,
have a good year! If the marketing
was as clever as the product, some
entrepreneur could make a very viable
business this way.
The inventor, René Olivier, discussed
the possibilities with the course leader,
Dr Lynn Jones, and Junior Warden,
Jonathan Hindle.
A make-yourself-comfortable, take-upany-position sliding seat by Nicholas
Buforn seemed to be the most popular
‘ride’ though Jonathan Hindle, MD
of KI, appeared to need explanations,
while Training Chairman Tony Smart
looked unconvinced. Past Master
Margaret Miller was perhaps the
happiest passenger.
Each of the students makes a short
presentation of their piece and the
evening always acts too as a reunion for
the students who were last together on
the course in June.
Here is this year’s group decorating
the staircase at FMH with the ‘staff’ in
front. They are Jonathan Hindle; Chris
Hyde, Chairman, Student Training;
one of the group; the Master, Hugh
Garforth-Bles; Lynn Jones; Tony Smart
and Paul von der Heyde from Kinnarps,
sponsors of part of the Manchester
tour.
It has to be noted that several of the
Liverymen and Freemen who were there
commented along the lines of “Here is
a display of unbridled creative talent.
Where are all the manufacturers looking
for new ideas and hoping to meet very
bright furniture postgraduates? It’s an
amazing opportunity. Take it!”
9
Syon Park and Strawberry Hill
The Master’s Outing 2011
The Outing this year was to Syon Park, the Duke of
Northumberland’s near-London presence, for a morning tour
of the house followed by a relaxed lunch, and then on to the
newly restored and extra-ordinary Strawberry House, Horace
Walpole’s small but perfectly formed gothic eccentricity in
Twickenham. It was considered the most famous house in
Georgian England. After guided tours, the Director gave
an informative illustrated talk on Walpole’s furniture. The
day ended with a dinner in the fantastic Gothic Parlour, one
of the first dinners there since its re-opening. The outing
was seen by all those who came as a perfect day for much
enjoyable networking amongst old and new furniture friends.
The Master causes Jonathan Hindle, the Junior Warden to
think before he answers
Mark Bench, our man in New York, tells Tony Portus how
it is as they take no notice of the magnificent long gallery at
Syon House
The Senior Warden, Charles Vernon, gets
stuck in but the Gallant Clerk, aka Chief
Executive of the FIT, hangs back. No
dietary requirement?
Are they discussing the first owner as they wait
to go into Strawberry Hill?
He was the son of Sir Robert Walpole, and a
cousin of the 1st Viscount Nelson.
10
A team went to Sandhurst…
In response to an invitation from our affiliated army unit, 7 Rifles, a strong team went to RMA Sandhurst in July to take part
in an inter-Livery skill-at-arms competition between the Grocers, Haberdashers, Goldsmiths and ourselves. Teams of four but
the best four scores of our three teams of four were used. The Grocers won with a well practised team and we were second.
Led by the Captain of Guns David Langford, the day was dedicated not only to winning but also to improving our fire power
in support of the British furniture industry. The team was David Langford, Junior Warden Jonathan Hindle, Matt Podesta,
Nigel Blake, Peter Kelsey, the Master, Hugh Garforth-Bles, our host Captain Mike Scott-Hyde of 7 Rifles Milton Keynes,
James Hudson, Jeff Serlin, Graham Marley and Sue Kelsey. It has to be said that their smiles somewhat belie their intended
aggression! The weapon was the 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun.
…and another processed through the streets of the City
The Furniture Makers again took part in the Lord Mayors
Show by following the Modern Liveries float manned by
some 18 of the more recently created Livery Companies.
The Master, Hugh Garforth-Bles, and his two Wardens,
Charles Vernon and Jonathan Hindle, stood head and
shoulders above the rest due to their conspicuous hats
designed as model armchairs and manufactured especially by
Liveryman Andy Corbett from different coloured foams from
Vitafoam.
gallant trio finally returned to the Hall for an excellent and
deserved (they thought so anyway) informal lunch..
A great start to David Wootton’s year as the 684th Lord
Mayor of London.
One has to believe that the large crowds enjoyed seeing the
Furniture Makers advertising their craft, and many broke
into broad grins and applause as soon they saw the three
chairs approaching in line abreast.
Next year we will be seeking sponsorship from DFS and
Furniture Village to give two of our Corporate Members
some valuable extra support..
The BBC were again covering the event comprehensively
with Clare Balding and Stephen Fry in evidence - the Lord
Mayors Show was the first ever televised outside broadcast
in the UK and it has been broadcast ever since. Past Master
John Reid’s son Dominic is the Pageantmaster who organizes
this amazing event every year.
The mild weather was perfect and the Show seemed to be
enjoyed by all. After their three and a half mile walk, our
11
A “Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design”
At Cheltenham in August
Billed as “The largest exhibition of contemporary designermaker furniture in the UK” this annual event brings together
a wonderful collection of furniture and many knowledgeable
visitors, some with cheque-books.
This year the Company initiated an annual competition
for the best exhibit in the show saying “This new award, of
£500, will be presented to the designer/maker of the piece
which is voted, by a panel of eminent independent judges
from the worlds of design and cabinet making, to be the
most outstanding item of furniture in the Exhibition.
It will be judged using similar criteria to those used when
considering applications for Bespoke Guild Marks.
The Company has awarded these Guild Marks for many
years so to make an award at the bespoke makers’ most
important annual show is a logical development”.
The judges this year were Geoffrey Harcourt JP RDI DesRCA
FCSD FRSA, John Makepeace OBE FCSD FRSA and Frank
Peters FCSD (and its Chief Executive), MIOD.
The Winning Piece
The Award went to Barnaby Scott of Waywood for his
sideboard in Fumed Oak, Steamed Pear and Cedar of
Lebanon. To quote his description “A sideboard / drinks
cabinet with three sculptured handles that gently sweep
out to reveal the contrasting Pearwood interior. The central
section with three shelves and two end cupboards is fitted
with shaped shelves for bottle storage. The back is made from
boarded Cedar of Lebanon.”
Further details and the price of this exquisite cabinet are
available from Waywood.
Footnote – The reception desk at Furniture Makers’ Hall is
also by Waywood who won the competition to design and
make it.
And a Masterly Visit – to Andrew Winch Designs in Mortlake in November
The Master’s workshops have made sofas and other
upholstery for no less than sixty-eight super yachts (defined
as over 80ft long). To do this he works with their interior
designers and so was able to arrange for a group of
Liverymen to visit the studios of one of the leading practices
in this field, Andrew Winch Designs.
We were welcomed by Andrew Winch himself and then split
into groups to take a closer look at the three divisions. Firstly
yachts where the firm is responsible for the superstructure as
well as their interior, Then aviation in which a raw unlined
aircraft and the Winch designs are handed over to one of the
world’s very few firms certificated to do this work, and finally
a relatively new division, architecture.
12
It has to be said that the unifying theme is money,
lashings of it. The firm is working on the inside of a
Boeing 787 Dreamliner for a private owner, the yachts
are the size of coastal cargo ships and architecture has
come in because the clients like the Winch style and
want to bring it into their new villas. Nothing is too
expensive. Here a sample board includes raised eel skins
to achieve a particular effect. The results may not be to
everyone’s taste but the clients of Andrew Winch are a
long way from being everyone. They know the look they
want, and with these amazing designers, they get it. The
levels of skill and dedication became self evident as we
went from studio to studio talking with the designers
and admiring their breathtaking work. It was a privilege
to have an inside look at a firm in a field in which the
UK is pre-eminent.
But in back October down by the Riverbank something stirred…
…the newly created Wine Committee’s first event
Liverymen and their guests, twenty of us in all, met at the
Spanish restaurant Bacchanalia on October 11. It’s on the
river below the Millenium Bridge and the view just after
sunset was spectacular. So was the array of glasses as we sat
down to taste eight very varied Spanish wines. We started
with a vintage Cava, then three whites and four reds followed,
each described, sniffed and slurped under the expert tutelage
of expert and aficionado Chris Hambleton. We emerged three
hours later wiser, very happy, not quite tapas dancing, and
having hugely enjoyed the evening. Liverymen who weren’t
there take note – the Wine Committee will arrange more
evenings like this. To miss them is unnecessary.
The view upstream
and downstream – the Shard takes shape
The curriculum
The Master was attentive...
13
...and so was Cliff Rust, Chairman of
the Wine Committee
The Master’s Desert Island Guild Marks
Parker Knoll PLC
Norton Recliner
The first chair I ever bought - in Harrod’s 1972 sale, for £250
- not cheap. Very comfortable, eventually given away but still
used every day and is it’s “as good as new”.
Liveryman Jonathan Arnold found came across and imported
the mechanism in the USA in 1965 and Parker Knoll bought
it in and designed their Recliner round it. and lt was launched
in 1966 during it the week when England won the World
Cup with the headline “Hers until he comes home”. Very
successful; sold 500 per a week at its peak and over 320,000 in
total all. and It was in the range for production for nearly 40
years.
Dudgeon Sofas
Markham Chair
The first chair that I ever designed; in 1988; in response
to a request for a chair that could sit in the corner of a
room. It still sells today, and it brought the company the
Manufacturing Guild Mark.
I have now designed, drawn by hand, and Dudgeon have built
around 50 custom sofas, chairs and ottomans every year for
over 20 years. 67 of them are in superyachts.
John Makepeace
The Holly Chair
Steuart Padwick
‘Darcey’ Dining Table for Benchmark.
A most beautiful chair of sublime lines and elegance which
looks almost impossible to make - only four were ever made;
Sold not at “cost plus” but at “the price that the market
will pay” - one was bought by the Chicago Museum of Art.
Memorable.
A beautifully simple design that won a Design Guild
Mark in the scheme’s first year. The Design Guild
Mark has given the Livery a push towards the centre
of the UK furniture industry and an increasingly
respected profile in the world of design.
14
Kinneir Dufort
“Easy Clean” Bedside Table
An amazing design for hospitals which is a largely neglected area for furniture
design. Why did no-one create something like this years has this vital aspect not
been designed inago for till now?
Eileen Gray
The ‘Dragon’ Armchair
Made in 1919 and sold for £21,900,000 at Christie’s in
2009, an incredible price for a scruffy old chair with
no particular design appeal. What price in the future
for a Makepeace or a Varah?
Andrew Varah
The Denbigh Chair
A Bespoke Guild Mark application where I was on the visiting jury. It was
which was a great day out. It’s innovative, complex, good looking and fit for
purpose and it won Andrew his first Claxton Stevens Prize in 2003
Philip Dawes
Chairs in the Gordon Russell style
Second in this years Gordon Russell
competition, and designed by a
Rycotewood furniture design student.
It’s so Gordon Russell, and so elegant.
Will it be made commercially?
15
Four plus One
Two new Liverymen were admitted on June 23
Mark Gabbertas, Proprietor Gabbertas Studio
Mark graduated from Durham with a degree in political philosophy. He went on to
work for Saatchi & Saatchi for ten years before training as a cabinet maker. Mark
was at the forefront of the renaissance in British design in the 1990s and a number
of retail outlets carried his work including Purves & Purves and The Furniture
Union. In recent years the Gabbertas Studio has been a finalist in many of the most
prestigious international design competitions. In 2011 Mark was awarded Design
Guild Marks for two pieces: the Haven Seating System and the Cloud Dining
Chair.
Anthony Rayworth
Anthony Rayworth is the Director of Studies at the National Design Academy
in Nottingham. He authored the new Foundation Degree and BA (Hons) courses
in Interior Design for the NDA and has developed curricula and courses within
a university framework at Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Research levels.
Anthony has over twenty-five years experience of management in furniture design,
interior design and decorative arts. He holds a Master of Design (Furniture)
Degree from the Royal College of Art, is a member of the European Academy of
Design and an Accredited Lecturer for the National Association of Decorative and
Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS).
And two more on October 20
Danielle Benson
With a BA Hons in Interior Design and having been a professional PR and
marketing executive for two decades, Danielle is now a consultant with her own
firm, dbPR , an independent London-based PR agency with an eclectic and diverse
range of clients – including furniture, architecture, art and design.
Colin Morrell
Colin is the owner and Managing Director of Fine Edge Designs Ltd where he
designs, manufactures and installs bespoke freestanding and fitted furniture.
Having started by studying electrical engineering and environmental science he
made a career move into furniture. He studied at Parnham College and then the
Technische Universität in Munich and the International School there. At Parnham
he was awarded the annual “Smallpiece” prize for design excellence.
Also on October 20 the company Blum UK was admitted as a Corporate Member
and Mark Richardson, its Managing Director, as a Corporate Liveryman
Mark Richardson has been with the company for 25 years and is now the
managing director having taken over as CEO in November 2009. He studied
Mechanical engineering at Westminster University and after a “bit of dabbling in
the financial services sector” joined Blum in 1985 as sales office manager.
Working with Blum all these years has given Mark a significant level of experience
in the cabinet furniture industry - both domestic and contract.
Mark’s hobbies include travelling, cinema, eating out and socialising. He is a keen
squash player, an avid Rugby Union fan and a regular swimmer. Happily married
with two young sons, Mark’s general comment on life is “So far so good!”
16
Obituary
Robert Heritage CBE RDI
In 1953 Bob left Evans and set up his
own practice with his wife Dorothy.
(They are still listed in Londononline
at Bob’s last studio though a phone call
sadly remained unanswered.) Bob then
started working for some of the leading
British manufacturers of high quality
modern furniture such as Archie Shine,
makers of one of Bob’s most sought
after designs, the Hamilton sideboard;
Beaver & Tapley, for whom he designed
two wall-hung cabinet ranges; Gordon
Russell with a dining room and unit
seating, and Heals.
The death last year aged 83 of the
distinguished designer and erstwhile
Liveryman, Robert ‘Bob’ Heritage
seems to have been overlooked even in
the design press. His wide ranging and
varied career as a furniture and product
designer made a major contribution
to 20th century design and ranked
alongside that of Robin Day OBE RDI (
obituary Austin Friar 8).
Bob was born in Birmingham and
trained at the College of Art there
from 1942 to1946 before going on to
the Royal College of Art where, under
Professor Dick Russell RDI (younger
brother of Gordon), he was in the
School of Wood, Metals and Plastics. In
1951 he joined G W Evans as a full time
designer. An ingenious and later much
copied three legged table he designed
there became an early entry in Design
Index, a file in the Design Centre of
items ‘approved’ by the CoID.
Roger Richardson takes up a bit of
the Beaver & Tapley story: “In 1960
after an unsuccessful first foray into
high quality furniture with the Penguin
Bookshelf, my father and I decided to
look independently through the Design
Index files for “the best designer”.
We came back with the same name,
Robert Heritage! Going with him to
Cologne in 1961, we both were struck
by ‘String’, a range of cabinets and
shelves held on the wall by wire ladders.
“Yes, wall fixed furniture, more floor
space for seating and the seated, but its
positioning is dictated by the ladders.
Why don’t we do it but with an individual concealed wall fixing behind
each item?” So came Beaver-Mural and
its less expensive successor, Tapley SL.
A ‘USP’ of both was that every fixing
batten had its own spirit level, a typical
Heritage thought-through feature. They
were on the market from 1961 to 1975.”
In 1967 Bob was chosen by Cunard to
design the dining chairs for the QE2.
His innovative design (the only chair
with two legs apart from chair(men)?)
included new technology in its use of
adhesive bonded aluminium castings.
The chairs were made by Ernest Race
Ltd.
Apart from furniture, Bob designed
lighting for Concord and Rotaflex, GEC
and Technolyte; cutlery for Yote and
clocks for Smiths Industry. In each of
these, his back to basics approach to the
technology and engineering and his flair
for the ‘look’ produced timeless classics.
Robert Heritage taught at Twickenham
School of Art from 1953 until 1955 and
was professor of furniture design at the
Royal College of Art for eleven years
from 1974. He was made a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI) by the Royal
Society of Arts in 1963 and was a Fellow of the Society of Industrial Artists
and Designers (FSIAD).
A modest person with a sardonic sense
of humour (which comes across in
the photo), he was appointed a Royal
Designer for Industry in 1963 and more
recently he received the CBE in recognition of his outstanding achievements
for so many sectors of British industry
over his long career.
Dorothy predeceased Bob by many
years. He spent his retirement largely at
his fishing cottage in Ireland.
17
FIT and the Worshipful Company have come together
and so have their magazines. The Austin Friar welcomes
Furnishing Life to these pages.
A helping hand
In 2011 the Furnishing Industry Trust (FIT) has so far
provided £127,728 in financial assistance to those in need
across the UK furnishing industry. This is a year in which,
as the economic crisis continued, many of our weekly
beneficiaries, already experiencing financial hardship, were
faced with rocketing food and fuel bills.
Mr O, a carpet fitter from Ryedale, was also forced to live in a
hostel following the loss of his mother who had been a great
support. He was finally offered a housing association flat and
FIT eased the transition with a grant of £200 for essential
household items as well providing a John Lewis duvet for his
new home.
The aim of our charities is to give support to a larger number
of applicants and also to give more assistance to those we
already help. We need to raise twice as much as we do now
even to go some of the way towards providing all the help
requested in full!
Mr F from Cumbria had his working hours cut earlier
this year. On top of this, his partner was suffering from
depression and was signed off work sick, throwing the couple
into serious financial difficulties. In his forties, Mr F had
worked as a driver for a furniture company for many years.
Thanks to a FIT grant of £600, Mr F was able to cover the
cost of essential vehicle repairs so that he could continue
working.
Here are just a few of the people we have been able to help:
We help students in tough times
Tom (18) hit hard times earlier this year and was made
homeless. Having worked on-and-off in the industry since he
was 15, Tom wanted to progress his career and enrolled on a
furniture making course at Warwickshire College.
His employer for some of the past three years - Steven James
Kitchens based near Stratford upon Avon - offered to pay
his college fees and provided Tom with a room for £20 a
week. Tom earns £40 for two days work per week, and with
high monthly costs on bus fares and living expenses, was
struggling to get by.
After applying to FIT for financial support, he was granted
£630 to cover 25 weeks of rent and one term’s bus fare. “I’m
really excited about training to be a cabinet maker but my
personal circumstances have made it hard. I’m extremely
grateful to both my employer and to FIT for giving me this
opportunity to focus on my education and development.”
Multiyork steps in
Having fundraised for FIT for many years, Multiyork
was able to refer its employee, Mr Jones, to us with every
confidence when he was faced with financial difficulty after
his mother suddenly died.
FIT lends a hand to the hardest hit
Among those to benefit from the total of £18,790 approved
so far this year in one-off payments by the Grants & Welfare
Committee was Mr C from Plymouth. He worked as a bed
maker for over 20 years before being made redundant in 2009.
He used his redundancy money to help fund a business to
provide a living for himself and his partner but unfortunately
it was closed down earlier this year. Mr C found himself
suffering from depression, surviving on a Job Seeker’s
Allowance and living in a hostel for the homeless. FIT
granted Mr C £400 to cover the advance rent on a new flat to
help him get back on his feet and gave him a brand new John
Lewis single duvet for his new home.
Unable to pay the funeral costs, and with no other family
members to support him, Mr Jones was afraid of going
into debt. Multiyork sent a request to FIT on his behalf and
quickly received a response with a grant of £600 towards the
funeral costs.
Multiyork’s HR Manager, Anna Proctor, said: “It was tough
to see one of our hard working employees faced with such a
difficult situation on top of his bereavement. After applying
to FIT, we were astonished at the quick turnaround and help
provided.”
If you, or someone you know, would like to apply for
financial assistance, please go to our website (www.fi-trust.
co.uk) and download the application pack, or phone 020
7256 5954, or e-mail welfare@fi-trust.co.uk.
18
Jingle Bells ring at Furniture Makers Hall
‘Supporters of the Year’ Awards 2011
It’s a jolly Christmas at FMH after nine companies supported
the 2011 Christmas card campaign and raised £960.
Individual - FIT is delighted to award its annual ‘Supporters
of the Year’ award for 2011 to Charlie Harrison and Alan
Smart of Furniture Village. Both Charlie and Alan organised
and ran the Big Shots event this year which produced the
largest single event total. They are already planning an even
bigger Big Shots in 2012.
Started in 1993, the scheme involves organisations across
the industry donating the cost of their erstwhile corporate
Christmas cards and postage in return for a listing in a
seasonal greetings advertisement placed in four key trade
magazines. Participants in the scheme also received a FIT
Christmas greetings e-card to send out to customers and
contacts.
Huge thanks go to those who supported the campaign and to
Furniture News, Cabinet Maker, Carpet & Flooring Review
and Interiors Monthly, the participating magazines.
Corporate – Only in the second year of holding its Bed
Show at Telford, the National Bed Federation has raised
over £6,000 for our charitable causes. This has been a great
fundraising start in such a tough economic climate. A worthy
winner of the corporate ‘Supporter of the Year’ award.
It was a difficult task to select worthy winners this year
because everyone who supports us is experiencing such tough
times.
Both awards will be presented at ‘Interiors’ at the NEC in
January.
FIT escapes with the loot
FIT managed to ‘escape’ from prison with £1,700! On high
alert, 45 people from across the industry attended our ‘Lunch
at the Clink’ fundraising event on August 24 at High Down
high security prison in Sutton, Surrey.
The Clink is the first and only commercial restaurant to be
built inside a working prison. The award-winning eaterie
offers inmates a chance to gain qualifications and experience
and so to help them find employment when released.
All chefs and waiters at the restaurant are actual prisoners
and the restaurant furniture is made within the prison.
Trustee Nigel Blake summed up “It was a fantastic event and
as a brand new fundraiser for FIT, we’re delighted with the
amount raised! It was certainly an experience to remember
and due to its success, we’re hoping to run ‘Lunch at the
Clink’ again next October.”
19
Big Shots 2011 – A fantastic hit
Interiors & Amazing Retreats, was followed by a lunch and
presentation sponsored by Furniture Village.
Big Shots, FIT’s single biggest annual fundraiser hit the spot
again this year, raising one of its largest amounts ever – an
incredible £52,000!
Hot shots of the day included John Dunn of Sherwood
Foresters who won Top Gun (Male) and Big Shots regular
Tracey Riddington from team Lost Samurai/Kyoto Futons
once again took Top Gun (female). The Top Team award
went to Sherwood Foresters (Mark Webster, Andrew
Sheldon, John Dunn and David Dye).
Some 43 teams, with a mix of all abilities, took part in the
17th one-day clay pigeon shoot at the famous Holland &
Holland Shooting Grounds at Northwood, Middlesex.
The shoot, sponsored by Mike Clare’s new venture, Stately
Peaks of success for FIT
Industry adventurers raised over £3,000 when they tackled the
notorious Three Peaks Challenge.
Starting at 4.00pm on July 2, a six-strong team - John Jones
from Dreams, Luke Palmer from Orangebox, Russ Evans
from NHC, David Fielding from Vita Cellular Foams and
Deni Shaw and Chris Robson from Multiyork – started with
the highest peak, Ben Nevis (4,409 ft).
From there, organiser and FIT board member Andy Corbett
(commercial director at Vita Cellular Foams) and work
colleague Shaun Rumball drove the group back to England
to climb Scafell Pike (3,210 ft) in Cumbria, then to Wales and
Snowdon (3,560 ft).
As Andy put it: “It was a fantastic, high spirited group. We
met as strangers and completed the challenge as firm friends,
bringing people from right across the industry together. The
weather conditions were perfect, but the team still had to
battle through sore knees and feet, encouraging each other
throughout, and going on to smash the 24 hour target by 50
minutes!”
The event was sponsored by Vita Cellular Foams who
donated £1,500, United Fillings, Platt and Hill, Multiyork
and AMF Lettings. Everyone interested in taking part in the
challenge in 2012 should contact Andy on 07774 145838.
20
And this is what our fundraising events
have raised so far this year
AIS Furniture Show Dinner
£1,893
Bed Show Gala
£3,000
Big Shots
£52,000
East Anglia Golf Day
£2,400
Kidderminster Carpet
Manufacturers’ Golf Tournament £7,500
Lunch at the Clink
£1,700
Three Peaks Challenge
£1,838
WIF Awards Lunch
£7,910
Kent Golf Day
£2,000
Manchester Furniture Show
£1,645
Somnus Golf Trophy Tournament £5,000
NEC Show 2011 £3,150
Harrison Spink’s Golf Day
£5,000
Teeside FIT Golf Day
£6,000
Christmas card campaign
£960
Total £101,996
And this is what we have spent so far this year
Annuities
£95,092
One-off grants
£18,790
Holiday grants
£3,046
Student bursaries
£10,800
Total
£127,728
Fundraising can be fun!
We depend on the generosity and ingenuity of many
companies and individuals within the UK furnishing industry
to raise the funds that enable us to continue our work.
There are many ways in which you can help:
Become a Patron by making a personal donation (by standing
order) of £120 a year or more by Gift Aid for at least four
consecutive years and increasing the value of your support by
completing a Gift Aid form
Become a Friend with a minimum annual donation of £10 by
standing order
Sign up for one of our sporting events. There’s everything
from clay pigeon shooting, sailing, golfing, fishing
Organise a fundraising event – either nationally or regionally
Remember us in your will
Take part in a sponsored event
Organise a collection of printer cartridges and CD ROMs or
send us your old mobile phone or iPod. We receive a donation
when these are recycled
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You
Make a one-off donation or give regularly through your
payroll or via direct debit.
A huge vote of thanks to our 2011 sponsors and to all those
who signpost our services.
Donate prizes for raffles
Sponsor all or part of a fundraising event
A big thank you too to all the other charitable organisations
and their caseworkers for pointing people to us and for
working with us to ensure the best possible outcome for
those we help.
A message from the Chief Executive,
Charles Kerrigan
“Without a doubt the past twelve months have seen a
significant milestone for FIT and the WCFM when it
was agreed that the two charities were to merge. Both
organisations bring with them a vast history of service to the
furnishing and furniture industry and they now look forward
to doing so more effectively as a single entity. The most vital
aspect is that this is not a takeover of one organisation by
another. It’s a true merger. Both organisations are so much
stronger as one.
This initiative is formalising what has happened over the past
couple of years when the two organisations have become
increasingly integrated having shared not only the same office
and equipment but, more important, the staff. The savings
for both organisations have been substantial and have already
led to a noticeably improved level of service and efficiency.
A typical example of working together is the award of
bursaries for students studying MA and BA degrees in a
furniture related topic. Both organisations brought their
considerable experience together to set up and run these very
sought after awards. Our work with the beneficiaries and
making these one off grants will obviously continue and now
because as one charity we will be able to reach even more
deserving cases.
The new organisation will continue to evolve and develop,
but formalising the coming together of the two charitable
entities represents a very exciting opportunity for us all.”
21
And now meet the rest of the team
Sally Kent
Colette Bell
“This is my second job working for a Livery Company,
and my role here as Assistant to the Clerk has changed
considerably over the nine years I have been with WCFM.
It has been a pleasure to see the Company grow and thrive
during that time. The merger with FIT means that we now
have a great team in the office to administer every aspect of
the new organisation and to provide a really good service for
both our members and beneficiaries.”
“I began my charity career working as a volunteer for
housing and mental health charities whilst completing a BA
in Psychology and Sociology and my MA in Counselling
Studies. I then worked for a benevolent fund for three years
before doing some travelling and finally arriving here. The
last three months here at the Hall has flown by, and I love
working with the team. Knowing that the work we do goes
some way to improving the lives of people in need is a great
feeling; I am very much looking forward to my increasing
involvement with the organisation and the exciting times
ahead.”
Colleen Fraser
Maggie Score
“I started working with FIT and the WCFM as Membership
Manager after relocating to the UK in July to be close to
my family. I bring with me almost 20 years experience in
database management, my previous role being a not-forprofit research organisation in South Africa. I love living
in London and I know that I am going to be very happy
working with this small but dynamic team.”
“As a part qualified accountant with over 20 years’ experience
in accounts and nine years in the not-for-profit sector, I
was pleased to be offered the position of accountant with
this charity. I have worked for both an armed forces welfare
charity and a bowel cancer charity in the past and wanted to
remain within the charity sector. I immediately felt at home
when I joined the team in mid-June and am enjoying my time
here. It’s never boring! We all strive to do our best for the
charity’s beneficiaries and the charity as a whole”.
22
‘Women in Furnishing’ winners
Four of the furnishing industry’s top female entrepreneurs
were honoured at this year’s Women in Furnishing Awards.
They were Teresa Reaney, Jessica Alexander, Kate Hardcastle
and Margaret Miller.
The winners were announced at a special lunch at Furniture
Makers Hall on Thursday June 2. The event, in its second
year, was sponsored by Willis and Gambier and the
Manchester Furniture Show.
The winners
Flying the flag for newcomers in the furnishing industry,
Teresa Reaney of Furniture Origins was named ‘Most
Promising Newcomer’. This award, sponsored by Furniture
News, was newly introduced this year. Judges felt Teresa’s
dedication and relentless hard work for Furniture Origins
had helped steer the company through a tough economic
climate to become a major industry player.
‘Businesswoman of the Year’ went to Jessica Alexander,
executive director of the National Bed Federation. Jessica’s
hard work has driven the organisation forward and her
inspiring campaigns such as National Bed Month and the
new annual Bed Show have made a new audience aware of us
and what we do.
Recognised for her lifelong career in the industry, judges
felt Margaret was a strong, talented natural leader – even
when she first started work in what was then a very male
dominated trade. Margaret made history when she was
installed as the first Lady Master of the Furniture Makers
Company in 2008.
The finalists
The two honoured finalists for ‘Most Promising Newcomer’
were Jodi Schofield of Burgess Beds and Louise Boyland of
Wendy Shorter Interiors. For the ‘Businesswoman of the
Year’ award they were Gillian Finch, national sales manager
at ‘Carpenter’ and Natalie Rawson of ‘Furniture 123’.
Finalists for the ‘Inspirational Woman/Women of the Year’
award were Claire Parker, Kirsty Oakes and Lorraine Price
from Hammonds Furniture.
The organiser, Theresa Raymond, remarked “There was such
a diverse range of achievements highlighted at the event.
These women have faced very different challenges, however
they have all demonstrated that with hard work, passion and
determination everyone can make a difference.”
The ‘Inspirational Woman/Women of the Year’ winner was
Kate Hardcastle, founding partner of Insight with Passion.
Kate has been the inspiration behind many initiatives and
projects including her own successful charity, Dream Girls.
The Judges felt she had passion and drive, and her great sense
of social responsibility had motivated her to work tirelessly
for many charities.
A special accolade, the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’, was
presented to Margaret Miller, chairwoman of Knightsbridge
Furniture, by Lord Kirkham CVO, former chairman of DFS.
23
Would you like to join us?
Are you “engaged in or with” any aspect of the furniture industry in the
United Kingdom?
Are you a furniture designer, a maker or manufacturer, a retailer, a
furniture specifier, consultant, journalist, teacher, a PR person?
If you are any of these, you are welcome to become a Freeman and, in due
course, a Liveryman of The Furniture Makers Company.
You do not have to wait to be invited!
Details are on the website, or contact the Clerk for the Company brochure.
The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers
The City of London Livery Company for the British Furniture Industry
Furniture Makers’ Hall, 12 Austin Friars EC2N 2HE 020 7256 5558
www.furnituremakers.org.uk