High Wycombe's Furniture Industry 1900-1950

Thesis submitted in accordancewith the requirementsof the

University of Liverpool for the degreeof Doctor in Philosophyby
Karen Anne Wilson

October 2003
 High Wycombe's Furniture Industry 1900-1950

Thesis submitted in accordancewith the requirementsof the

University of Liverpool for the degree of Doctor in Philosophy by
Karen Anne Wilson

October2003

During the 19'hcentury High Wycombe developed as a chair-making

centre, with a particular reputation for Windsor chairs. This study focuses on the
first half of the twentieth century, when chair-making in Wycombe was declining,
but manufacture of flirniture increasedand three major Wycombe manufacturers
came to the fore of the British fin-niture industry.
Using contemporary documents,publications and primary materials the
manufacturing, education, and industrial researchin the town have been explored.
Casestudies of seven manufacturers were usedto test the methodology of
interpreting data from Kelly's Directories, the Cabinet Maker and Complete
House Furnisher advertisementsand articles, and various documentary evidence
from the firms themselves.
A history of technical education in the area was compiled. This showed
the development of Wycombe Technical and Art Schools, (eventually becoming
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College), where technical education for all
areasof the fin-niture industry continues to the present day. Industrial and
educational links with researchat the nearby Forestry Products Laboratory were
investigated through industry publications and personal correspondence.
This thesis is presentedin three sectionsthat cover the three topics
outlined above: namely manufacture, education and research. These are prefaced
with a background history of the area and the chair-making tradition of High
Wycombe, followed by the methodology and analysis and overview of the
methods and data sourcesused. Appendices include tables of High Wycombe
manufacturers as they appeared in different in
categories Kelly'Directories, and
tables of advertisementsand exhibition entries covered in the Cabinet Maker and
Complete House Furnisher magazine.
 Contents; commencing page number

1898map of High Wycombe Inside front cover pocket

Introduction I

Chapter I Chair-making in High Wycombe 15

Chapter2 Part A: Methodology 28

Part B: Analysis and overview of
Methodology 41

Chapter3 Manufacture of furniture by firms in High 73

Wycombe 1900-1950

Wm Birch 75
Wm Bartlett 87
Bames Branch 98
Ercol (Furniture Industries) 104
W Skull 116
E. Gomme 123
CastleBrothers 135

Chapter4 World War 11,Furniture and timber in 146

High Wycombe

Chapter5 The History of the College at High 173

Wycombe

Chapter6 Researchand Training for Timber 207

Technology in the High Wycombe area.

Chapter7 Conclusion 220

Appendix I Bibliography 228

Appendices: Provided on CD ROM

2 The History of Technical Education in

Britain 1900-1950

3 Kelly's Directories data presentedfrom

Buckinghamshire Directories (local)

4 Kelly's Directories data presentedfrom

Directories to the Furnishing trades
(national)

5 Cabinet Maker and Complete House

Furnisher Exhibitions coverage

6 Cabinet Maker and Complete House

Furnisher advertisementsdata

7 Bibliography (databaseformat)
 List of Tables and Illustrations Page

Figure 1.0 Left: Utility Dining Chair c. 1943 Copyright Wycombe Museum.
Right: Windsor Armchair, late 18"' Century, copyright GeffTyeMuseum 16

Table 2.0 Results from Kelly's Directories for firms registeredas cabinetmaldngor
fin-niture manufacturing, and chair-maldng. 33

Table 2.1 National Kelly's Directories Totals of firms in Wycombe registeredto

advertiseunder the category statedfor eachyear. 34

Table 2.2 Regional Kelly's Directories Totals of firms in Wycombe registeredto

advertiseunder the category statedfor eachyear 34

Table 2.3 Information from a December 1926review of Wycombe Furniture

Manufacturers in the CMCBF. 39

Table 2.4 Cabinet furniture referencesnoted for High Wycombe firms in the January
1927 exhibition. 39

Table 2.5 The percentageof furniture representedin working and middle classhousing
in the Hole and Attenburrow researchof 1966.50

Table 2.6 Categoriesof furniture appearing in Kelly's and other local Directories for
I-EghWycombe firms. 54

Table 2.7 Classified Categoriesused for advertising in the Cabinet Maker and
Complete House Furnisher magazine(until 1916), in which Wycombe firms 55
appear.

Table 2.8 The titles of types of furniture used in exhibition articles, and usedby
manufacturersin advertisementsin the CMCHF from 1921.56

Figure3.0 Wm Birch's new factory at Leigh Street,CMCHF October 8h 1901,p93.79

Figure 3.1 CMCHF advert for Wm Birch, October 7t" 1905.80

Figure3.2 Wm Bartlett CMCHF Advert October 15* 1910, showing some items from 91
the Grenville dining suite in oak.

Figure 3.3 A Utility-style breakfast suite. Wm Bartlett & Sons,CMCHF, Wycombe 97

Special Issue, October 291 1938, p 141.

Table 3.4 Entries under Salesin Barnes Branch accountsledgers for 1930-1944.100
Figure 3.5 CMCHF advert January 24 th 1931 showing an Ercol sideboard. 106

Figure 3.6 CMCHF October 30 1931 pl7l. Modem design sideboard by Ercol. 112

Figure 3.7 CMCHF advertisement for W. Skull and Son, June 12'h 1905. 117

Figure 3.8 CMCHF September 17th 1932, p520. Modem bedroom suite by W. Skull. 121

Figure 3.9 CMCHF December 20 th 1926, advert for E. Gomme showing Fireside 128
chair and company logo.

Figure 3.10 CMCI-IF October 2 8h 1933p 138. Modem divan fitment in oak by E. 132
Gomme.

Figure 3.11 Part of a full page CMCHF January 3 1" 1931 advert for Castle Brothers, 136
including the company logo.
Image 5.0 High Wycombe Science and Art School, image of refurbished building
taken in the 1980s. 175

Table 5.1 The student numbers in each category of occupation, taken from the 1927
report. 185

Image 5.0 Buckinghamshire College, the final building phase, 1958. 198
 List of abbreviations commonly used in this study.

CMCHF Cabinet Maker and Complete House Furnisher.

JTS Junior Technical School.

TRADA Timber Researchand DevelopmentAssociation.

TDA Timber DevelopmentAssociation, est 1934.BecameTRADA (1962)

FPRL Forestry ProductsResearchLaboratory, under the DSIR- Housedat Princes

Risborough, Bucks. 1927- 1975.

DSIR Department for Scienceand Industrial Research,which becamethe Ministry

of Technology.

FIRA Furniture Industries ResearchAssociation.

WFTEx Wholesale Furniture TradesExhibition

BIF British Industries Fair

BFM British Furniture ManufacturersAssociation (sic)

WW11 World War H

 Introduction

When I was interviewed in 1997 for the possibility of undertaking a Whil

degreewith the University of Liverpool the conversation naturally turned to my

own background training and interests. I had left school at eighteen with good
'A' Level passesin both science and art subjects, and wanted a training that

would involve both my creative and my practical inclinations. Engineering would

have been a first choice, but the indications were that engineering was a rather

uncreative career in Britain. I took a year out to do an Art Foundation course in

Liverpool, during which I considered three-dimensional design as an option. I

eventually applied to a number of Colleges for just such degree courses,including

what was then titled Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education. By accident,

I also discovered a small pamphlet describing a non-degreecourse at the same

college. This was a three-year Higher National Diploma course entitled Fine
Craft Furniture Management and Design, for which I applied, and was
interviewed for on the sameday as for the Three Dimensional Design degree

course at the same institution.

The degreecourse interviewers rejected my application at the end of the

session,and in any casethe course, (like all of the other degree courses I was
interviewed for), seemedunsuitable for me becauseit offered no real opportunity
to learn about the nature and behaviour of materials. I do not believe that
designing can be done without an understanding of structures and materials. An
hour later, in the interview for the HND course, I found myself deep in

conversation about construction techniques, mechanics,tools and machines. I

was offered a place, and embarked on a course that was the modem equivalent of
a furniture apprenticeship, at least in terms of content. When talking about
Buckinghamshire College, and its location in the town of High Wycombe, I was
intrigued to find two very different reactions. Wycombe, it seemed,had a dual
identity in that many people had never heard of it at all, and some (usually older)

people instantly recognised the name of a famous centre for furniture

manufacture. Looking further into the matter, books and articles about the town
have often referred to it as the 'Home of English Furniture'. Yet at the sametime
it has been described at various points in the twentieth century as a centre for the

production of cheap domestic chairs and later for the manufacture of middle and
lower class mass-producedfurniture. The dichotomy of these two views was
intriguing. Ten years later, I decided that the history of the of High Wycombe's
furniture-making reputation would be the subject of my Ph.D. project.
The intial focus of this study was to be basedmainly on the college in
Wycombe as a centre for training for the industry, working on the basis that this
had evolved out of a previously flourishing industry. The courseson offer

covered the full range of education levels. These encompassedday-releasecourses

in City and Guilds qualifications for junior employees of the trade, through to
(practical) Higher National Diplomas and (more academic) Bachelor Degreesin

craft, design, technology and management. At higher level there were Masters
and PhD researchdegreesin all areasof furniture design, conservation &

manufacture, and timber technology. Researchingthe connections between the

college and the local industry inevitably led to background information on local
manufacturers,or rather, the lack of information. A few nationally recognised
firms had been well documented and explored in published literature, but there

were still a large number of manufacturers in the town that had ceasedproduction
leaving very little information about themselves. As regardsthe former, High
Wycombe produced three nationally recognised furniture manufacturers: E.
Gomme originators of G-Plan furniture; Furniture Industries Ltd. later known as
Ercol; and Fred Parker and Sons who also manufactured ftu-niture under the
identity Parker Knoll. There was a range of medium-sized manufacturers, some

of which are still in production today, and have longevity comparable to the three
mentioned above. Until the second World War,,there were also a great number of
chair manufacturers, starting up and going out of production over short periods,
changing addresses,changing management, adding up to over 400 manufacturers
over the period covered by this study. Looking at the position of these
manufacturers in the furniture industry and at the college as a centre for training
generatedthe working title for this study, High Wycombeas a Centre of
Excellence in the Cabinet Making Industry. It rapidly became apparentthat the
background history and methodology for this work was not immediately

available,,and that gathering this information in itself would form a large part of
the study.
Cabinet-making became a significant component of the Wycombe
furniture trade around 1900, which is where this study begins. The punctuation of
changesin the town during the 20th century made the late 1940sa reasonablepoint

at which to conclude the study. The periods during this divide into: 1900 up to

and including World War 1; the inter-war period sub-divided into the 1920sand
1930s in terms of style and production; and World War II which had a major

effect on style, production, public expectations and national needs.Utility

Furniture and the aftermath of restrictions in furniture production continued into
the early 1950s.
Initial researchrevealed three areas,,with accessiblematerial, in which High
Wycombe might have had some impact in the furniture industry generally.

1. Manufacture.
Discovering and interpreting material about the manufacturersand what they
were like has become the major part of this thesis.
2. Education.
The role that the college played in education for the Ru-nitureindustry feeds
into this picture.
3. Research.
The contribution of researchat the local offices and their relationship with the
college and the manufacturers has been the third strand. Related to education
and industry, it forms a small section in chapter 8.

1. Manufacture of furniture
Whatever the opinion of the type of furniture made in Wycombe, there is no doubt
that a great deal was made, and many people from all over Britain bought it.
Three of the largest manufacturers of the post World War II era originated there,
E. Gomme,,Ercol, and Parker Knoll. There were a number of medium sized
in
manufacturers Wycombe, many of which survived the 1930s economic
depression,and the Second World War difficulties, carrying on producing into the
last decadesof the twentieth century. These mid-size firms were less likely to be
known by name to the public, and were marketed differently to Ercol and Parker
Knoll. Many had successfulrelationships with retailers, and also with larger

organisations requiring contract furniture.

Earlier in the twentieth century there were a vast number of small makers
in Wycombe, the family names appearing and disappearing with different
forenames, addressesand specialities. Nearly all of these were chair-makers, in

particular producing the wooden chairs known as Windsor chairs, but also making
cane and rush seatedchairs for domestic and public use. The craft of chair
making gradually decreasedover the decades,from being the major industry in
the town during the it
nineteenth century was very limited by the 1940s. The
starting point for background information is, in this case,local histories. The

most widely cited works on High Wycombe's chair-making history include L. J.

Ashford's 'The History offfigh Wycombeftom its origins to 1880' (1960), L. J.
Mayes' 'The History of the Borough of High Wycombefrom 1880 to thepresent
day [1958]'(1960) and 'The History of Chair Making in high Wycombe'(1960).
Ashford's work describesthe evolution of the area into a chair-making centre
basedon various aspectsof the geographical position and historical events. Prior

to the early 18'hCentury, Wycombe had been a producer of paper and lace, and
earlier than that, wool. Chair-making had been a growing staple industry for the
town for several decadesbefore cabinet-making beganto appearin the 1890s.
Becausethere has already been much written on the subject of chair-making this

study focuses on general furniture manufacture, rather than chair specialists, and
so starts around 1900. Ashford's is
work a starting point for basic history on the
craft of chair making in the High Wycombe area, and the transition from that
in
work cabinet making the town.
to
Mayes' book chronologically continues the work of Ashford and covers
the first half of the twentieth century. His work often uses oral histories from
many local craftsmen, augmented by his in
own expertise as the subject of chair
making generally. Mayes was an Assistant at the High Wycombe Museum from
its opening in 1932, and Borough Librarian with the library initially housedin the

same building as the Museum. After War he

service was appointed Curator of the
Museum in 1948 and his work recording the local craft of 'bodging' includes

some pioneer audio recordings of craftsmen, which now reside at the Museum-'
The final two chapters of Mayes' The History of Chairmaking in High Wycombe
deal respectively with the effects of World War 11and the resulting industrial

changes,including a reflective view of Wycombe and the British Furniture Trade

Today. Both of these chaptershave been written as first-hand experienceof an

author situated in High Wycombe, and as such are contemporary.

Further Wycombe industry information came from other local writers.
One such was Ivan Sparkes,Borough Librarian and Curator at Wycombe Museum
in the 1970 and 1980s. Sparkeswrote a variety of accounts of Wycombe,
including The Book of Wycombe(1979), High WycombeAs It Was (199 1), and

4
also a comprehensive guide entitled The English Count?y Chair (1973) illustrated

with photographs. Sparkes came to High Wycombe in 1971, and retired in 1989
to Suffolk, where he still writes for publications such as the Regional Furniture
Society j ournal. The craft of chair-making set some precedentsfor later
developments in machine production and massproduction of furniture. 2
High Wycombe has been regarded as a suitable subject for several studies
focussing on the microcosm of industry there, both by local studentsand
from institutions. 3 Dorothy Patricia Lowe's MPhil thesis on The
researchers other
Development ofthe Furniture Industry offfigh Wycombebefore 1960, (1960) was

particularly relevant to this study. Lowe lived and worked in High Wycombe for
19 years, and observed the decline in the number of ftu-nituremanufacturersfirst
hand. Her use of statistical analysis of the type and scopeof ftu-nitureproduction
in Wycombe corroborates the view of the town as a major place of furniture

manufacture in Britain. Jill Andrew's PhD thesis on The Post War Changesin the
Industrial structure offfigh Wycombe(1969) similarly revealedvaluable
background information of a general nature, and some statistical analysis that was

useful for putting the manufacturing into context.

Other dissertations based on the Wycombe areausedthe town becausethe

structure of a small but successfulmanufacturing area might reflect the larger

in
national structure some way. Although they all had a different subject focus

they provided useful pieces of information and helped form a general opinion of
Wycombe and the study of smaller subjects to miffor a larger 4
structure.

Whilst gathering data on individual Wycombe firms, it becamenecessary

to accumulate some information regarding businesshistories in order to put some
that information into context. 5 Nenadic, Church, and Baines & Johnson all
of
offer valuable information on the actuality and preconceptionsof family and small
businesses. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century there were

numerous very small businessesin Wycombe. The smallest of these were

transient and gradually decreasedin proportion to larger affairs. The medium-

small sized manufacturers remained prolific in the area until after World War II.
The vast majority of firms in Wycombe were named for the family that

owned them. For small manufacturers this was par for the course, but for larger
businessesthe use of a family name or otherwise reflected certain attitudes to
businessand marketing. Nenadic's article examined the attitudes and

expectations of family firms and their employees, whereasBaines and Johnson

looked at the structure and managementof family firms, using statistics to explain

the different aspectsof family-run businesses.

High Wycombe's furniture factories were built, for the main part, in a

congestedcentral area of the town. A large number of men, women and children
were employed in the furniture industry at the end of the 19th century, and it
would have been easy to assumethat all factories and manufacturersoperatedin
the sameway. In fact there was a broad range of quality and types of ftu-niture
in the town from 1910 6A
made about onwards. more general view of the national
furniture industry was required for comparison with Wycombe. J.L. Oliver used

case studies of manufacturers as a basis for a statistical methodology that could be

applied to the industry 7

generally, whereas Sizer created a list of categoriesfor
size of manufacturers and the type of work they produced. This could be addedto
with categories devised by Worden, Edwards, and Attfield. The type of

manufacturer could be inferred by referencesto particular retailers that ordered

from them, information about production being less readily available.
Worden, Edwards and Attfield have all focused at somepoint on
'ordinary', working-class and middle-class furniture such as that made at High
Wycombe. This type of furniture, and the factors influencing its design and
8
manufacture, was the centre of Worden's thesis. Popular ftimiture had mostly
been ignored in accounts of twentieth century furniture. Worden felt that this

neglect was unreasonablegiven that statistically this ftmiiture was in the highest
demand. She identifies types of ftu-niture made, how they were designed or

evolved, what social needs they fulfilled, how they were produced, and whom
9
they were sold to. Edwards work focussed on the furniture industry during the
last century, encompassingthe dramatic changesin new materials, technology.
distribution consumption. 10 Information from a variety of sources
production, and
about various ftuniture retailers,,and the hierarchy in that trade, provided a basic

structure for fragmented archival information on individual firms. A comparison

of Utility and 'reproduction' styles also contributes to the discussion on the
'modem' style prior to World War Il. 11 Physical primary material, in the form of

photographs, advertisements,articles and archival information from

manufacturers, took the place of actual fin-niture items for the purposesof

6
categorising furniture Putting such information into context required
-
information about style, design, manufacturing processesand economics.
Many images of furniture manufactured during the 20'hCentury are

available, most from contemporary press articles and advertisements.which in the

caseof this study came from the Cabinet Maker and Complete House Furnisher
12
(CMCHF). Some photographs from firm archives are also available, but are
difficult to date simply by looking at them in the absenceof any supporting data.
The reproduction-type ftirniture produced for general consumption at the
beginning of the 20'h century continued to be popular through the following
decades,overlapping with and eventually being replaced by a 'modem' style,
basedon the earlier 'new' styles of the 1920sand 193Os.Billam's analysis of the
CMCHY enabled some of the primary data gatheredfor this work to be given

appropriate weight, with the possible biases of the press and the furniture industry
itself. 13 For the first half of the 20thcentury the retailing and marketing of
ftm-iiture was taken out of the hands of manufacturers, and resided with retailers.
Of particular note in High Wycombe was the relationship of the medium-sized

and smaller bespoke makers with different 14

types of retailers. This relationship
evolved during the twentieth-century, and altered dependingon the statusof the
firms involved. Storie looks in particular at IndependentRetailers, a group that
figures significantly in the ledgers and day-books of Wycombe manufacturers.
Many types of retailers were covered, and combined with Worden's categories
theseprovided some scale for analysis of data where retailers were mentioned, for
example in manufacturer's salesledgers. The information in this arearelated
to
mostly post-war production, and so has not formed a large part of this
dissertation.

2. Education
In the 1990s Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College (known as
Buckinghamshire College of BE until 1990) was the only centre in Britain,

possibly much of Europe, offering qualifications in all areasof furniture making.

Its forerunner, the School of Technology and Art, was createdin 1893 in response

to a need for post-elementary education for local children. This also makes 1900 a

reasonable starting point for this study. 15 Traditionally, training for the furniture

trade was by apprenticeship only, and entry to the trade guardedby guilds. The

7
move away from this was slow and gradual. Developments in the late 20"'
century craft training saw various attempts at resuming something akin to
apprenticeships,which required industry to have some involvement in the training

process.
Blachford wrote of the difficulties of finding and training suitable

teachers,and the many influences governing the curriculum. His book was
particularly useful in bringing together, in context, the various Education Acts that
have formed technical education in Britain today. As general education for

adolescentswas gradually provided for an increasingly older agerange, craft

education becamethe responsibility of colleges for Further and Higher
16
Education. There was a fundamental divide between manufactureand craft.
The difference was seenin the furniture industry between the small & medium
firms to the large manufacturers,the methods of production and training

requirements for both being quite different. Craft and design are linked closely
together, but design within manufacture has been a somewhatneglected area.
The Slojd system of handicraft education originated in Sweden,and came
to the attention of British educatorsduring the later 19"' century. It primarily used

set exercisesand hand tools to provide experiential learning for children as young
as five years and upward. There for
were classes handicraft teachersin England
provided along the lines of the Slojd school during the late 19'hand early 20th
century. Examination of documents from the School of Art and Scienceat
Wycombe were inconclusive as to the influence of Slojd in the town, but there it
is possible that Slojd generally had ail effect on technical/handicraft education.17
Post World War II, Education for adults (post 16) increased,and general

schooling was extended successively beyond the agesof 13,14 and 15 years of
age.18 Many changes to technical education were advocatedas a result of The
Working Party Report (1946 HMSO), which also highlighted shortcomings in the
technical education prior to World War IL It is possible that this report
specifically had some influence in the post-war developments at Buckinghamshire
College, given that at least one member of the work group was a prominent

member of the High Wycombe furniture manufacturing community and a course

leader in furniture at the college. 19 Government involvement in technical

education included a shift of responsibility from national to local government

during the inter-war years, but there was always an unfilled divide in

8
 Technical/vocational education provision between what was available at
20
Universities and technical schools. There was a general and continuing view
that technical education was inadequatefor the needsof British Industry, and that
British technical and technological education fell short of its European
21 There are reasons
counterparts. why British technical educationwas not so
progressive as it might have been. The counter-productive attitudes of anti-
German post World War I British nationalism held back developmentsin
technical education by pushing evolution deliberately away from the German
model. Earlier efforts to educateyoung offenders in craft occupationsmade
technical education a less popular choice comparedto commercial education.
Gertrude Williams also pointed out the shortageof skilled labour was due in part
to a reluctance of firms 22
to take apprenticeson. Changesin manufacturing
processesin the ftu-niture industry (mass-production and machine-assisted

manufacture) were slower perhaps than in other industries, and slower still in
High Wycombe. The history of the development and (lamented) demiseof Junior
Technical Schools, as related to the ftu-niture industry, can be mappedin the
CMCFIF over that period of time as there were often editorials and articles
discussing this and related educational topics.23
The history of technical education, forming a background for the chapter
High Wycombe's is located 24
on college, with the appendices. Buckinghamshire
College itself has no definitive written history, so information came from

prospectuses, pamphlets, interviews, local and national press articles, and Board
of Education literature. The development of secondary education in High
Wycombe led to a certain variety of courses being offered, serving both local and
25 Linking the
national needs,which was unusual. changesin technical education
to the evolution of the college in High Wycombe required more than a
comparison of education acts and coursesoffered. The influences on education in

that area have been from government, industry locally, and other filmiture
industry organisations.26Amongst the Government reports on education that

affected technical education were the following:

The Ministry of Labour, General report on Apprenticeship and training
for the Skilled Trades in Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1925-26). Volume
11,included a report on Furniture and Allied Industries. It describedthe furniture

apprenticeship at that time, how learners were treated generally, wages,trade

9
unions, and workshop training. Definitions of conditions in specified occupations
were also included. Volume VII housed the generalreport, covering methods of
training such as workshop and technical training.
The Education of the Adolescent, by Sir William Hadow (1927) gave a
historical overview of the development of post primary education in England and
Wales from the early nineteenth century until the 1918 Education Act (which saw
the introduction of a national schemeof public education). The report

recommendedmany changesto what is now called secondaryeducation.

Sir William Spens' Report ofthe Consultative Committee on Secondary
Education, (1938) with special reference to grammar schools and technical high

schools outlined the changesin technical education since the Hadow report, in
particular the evolution of Junior Technical Schools. This report was reprinted in
its entirety 1958, with additions. The implication was that there were still

continuing difficulties with the areasoutlined in 1938. The occurrenceof World

War 11would, no doubt, have interrupted any progressthat might have beenmade
for at least part of the interim. Between the 1938 and 1958 printing of the Spens
Report, the Working Party Report of 1946 (WPR) had been compiled, but the
1958 reprint of the SpensReport would seemto imply the WPR had no noticeable

effect nationally.
The problems of apprenticeshipand recruitment for the ftu-nituretrade

continued to worsen after World War 11,in spite of the Working Party Report, and
the Spens' Report reinforced this in 1958. Changesin technical education from
the 1944 education act reflected the ongoing difficulty of attracting suitable

students,and offering the appropriate breadth and depth of subject knowledge as

27
compared to apprenticeships. The responsibilities of the trade to itself in
its in
providing apprenticeshipsand supporting young employees progressing
their skills was a continuing debatein the pages of the CMCHIF.

3. Research
The third area of this study covers researchcontributions to the industry.
The Forestry Products ResearchLaboratory (also known as FPRL, and Princes
Risborough Laboratory PRL) was created in Princes Risborough a few miles form
High Wycombe, and remained in action from its inception in 1927 until the 1970s

when the work done there was divided off. Rendle's history of the FPRL

10
provided a glimpse into an era when researchwas funded for its own sake,and

much long term work into timber behaviour and usagewas done in the early days
28 Dr. J.D. Brazier,,retired director the FPRL, kindly filmished
ofFPRL- of me
with a long letter in answer to my query about the possible collaborations between
the Laboratory and the High Wycombe college and manufacturers.
Buckinghamshire College housesa collection of publications by the FPRL, and

also their FIRA technical reports. Mr. Gervais Sawyer of the Forestry Products
ResearchCentre (now housed at BCUC) is also a resident expert on the history of
FPRL and associatedresearchbodies. The involvement of the college in training
for industry has been distanced from its provision for fin-niture design, even down
to separateadvertising for the two types of education. It is undeniablethat the

provision of both is what makes BCUC quite unique even today.

The Timber Researchand Development Association's head office
(TRADA), and the British Furniture Manufacturers' Association (known as the
BFM) regional office, were both basedin High Wycombe itself for a period.
TRADA basedmost of its coursesat the Wycombe office, or utilised the College
for some of the timber technology coursesoffered, as did the FPRL after World
War II when some of its work in training was split with TRADA. BFM's

contribution lies more with the training of apprentices or the equivalent, and a
taped interview with Mr. G. Vockins of BFM, along with information from local
firms, gave an updated picture of BCUC's contributions to education for the
industry.
Wycombe's proximity to London was undoubtedly part of the decision for
these organisations to site their offices there. It is also true that the established
furniture industry and college might have been useful to these organisations,and

to
an attempt establish those links has been made here.

There are a number of contemporary primary sourcesthat were used

extensively in the study. Putting these into some sort of historical context and
interpreting the data they offered required some background knowledge, much of

which was provided by the unpublished research of other researchers. During the

six years that this study has so far taken, the advances in the Internet have

provided opportunities to find such dissertations and thesesthat might previously

have been impossible within the time constraints. Primary contemporary sources
 included Kelly's Directories, The Cabinet Maker and Complete House Furnisher.
Bucks Free Press,and various manufacturers' ledgers andjournals from archives

and collections. While contemporary sourcesrequire background information to

put them into context, they provided the most fresh, immediate and reliable
information. It is the interpretation of such information that provides the clearest

picture of an era. Secondary sourcesprovide a collected overview, but the

interpretation by the intermediary writer can offer biasesas well as informed

opinion.
On the internet cataloguesand archival listings were of great benefit to
distanceresearch. The actual historical data tends not be on the internet itself, but
information as to the location and accessof documentsand data was most
invaluable. The British Library Public Catalogue,http: \\www. theses.com, the
Public Records office at Kew London, Bretton Hall archives Yorkshire and the
Jeffiye Museum London were all sourcedand accessedvia the internet.

This thesis is presentedin three sectionsthat cover the three topics

outlined above: namely manufacture, education and research. Theseare prefaced

with the first chapter, which gives a background to the history of the areaand the
chair-making tradition of High Wycombe, (followed by the methodology and
literature review). It was felt necessaryto include this becausechair-making
brought certain things to the later furniture industry, specifically in the areasof

skills, structure of the industry, and attitudes to furniture types. My own

background training as a furniture maker has, I think, added some more
information to this in terms of explaining the importance of certain aspectsof

chair-making as a skill. Although the initial aim of assessingHigh Wycombe's

furniture manufacture in the wider context of the industry generally was not

entirely fulfilled, this work presentsa foundation toward that aim. The body of
data amassedand presentedin an accessiblefashion, coupled with the

methodology, will enable much ftuther work to be continued in severalrelated

areasand contribute to the local and wider pictures of the furniture industry.

I -)
 REFERENCES

1'Bodger' is the term usedto mean a pole-lathe turner who

works in the woodland on green
timber, cut and convertedon site. The term is disputedby someresearchers,but is in common
use.
2Authors on the subject of vernacular and windsor chair-making include Dr. Bill Cotton, John
of
Boram, and again Ivan Sparkesin the Regional Furniture SocietyJournals. Nancy Goyne Evans'
work 'A History and Background of English Windsor Furniture' (1979) in the Furniture History
Journal was also used. Thomas Crispin's TheEnglish Windsor Chair (1992) is a valuableresource
containingmany examplesof chairs datedby provenanceand illustrated very precisely with
photographsand descriptionsof features.
Someof theseare housedin the local library and are poorly referenced,and this can also be a
problem with undergraduateor privately undertakenresearch.For instance,Tilley's work for BA
Hons Geographyhasno college addressattached.
Lowe had also included a survey of local manufacturers,divided into furniture and non-farniture
production. Unfortunately, as with many studies,specific manufacturerswere not namedand
contactwith the Lowe has revealedthat the original data is no longer in existence,renderingthe
work less specific.
4Harding, P.J. TheFurniture Industry in High Wycombe.Industrial Expansion
and Survival to
1913 (Dissertation level unstated,Durham University, 1984).
Pitcher, R.J. The High WycombeChair Industry (Dissertation level unstated,Shoreditch
College,1963).
Tilley, J.E. TheIndustrical Evolution ofHigh Wycombe(BA Hons, Location not given, 1958
5Nenadic, S. 'The Small Family Firm in Victorian Britain' BusinessHistory (October, 1993,Vol
5, No4).
Church, R. 'The Family firm in Industrial Capitalism' BusinessHistory (October, 1993,Vol 35,
No4).
Baines,D. and Johnson,P. 'In searchof the 'traditional' working class:social mobility and
occupationalcontinuity in interwar London' EconomicHistory Review(1999, LII, 4) p692-713.
6 Constable,L. An Industry in Transition, TheBritish Domestic Furniture Trade 1914-1939(PhD
Thesis,Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College, High Wycombe,2002).
This covers a generaloverview of the trade pre WWII. BCUC is currently part of Brunel
University. Constablebrings together the work of Worden and Edwards(amongst others)to
consolidatemuch of the knowledge gatheredto date. Her distinction betweenmacro and micro-
economics(external, uncontrolled influences versusinternal, controlled factors) provides a way of
examining manufacturers' actions and reactionsto the economic factors of the time.
7Oliver, J.L. The Developmentand Structure ofthe Furniture Industry (London, PergamonPress,
1966). This focusedon practical aspectsas well as economic.
Sizer, P.W. Structure of the British Domestic Furniture Industry (University of Aston
ManagementCentre, 1974) Sizer's study was written at a time of growth in the industry.
8Worden, S. Furniturefor the Living room: An investigation ofthe interaction betweensociety,
industry and design in Britainfrom 1919 to 1939 (PhD Thesis, Brighton Polytechnic, 1980).
9 SuzetteWorden is currently (2003) ResearchDirector for the Faculty of Art, Media and Design
at UWE, and other related researchof hers includesthe history of electricity and the role of
women in design betweenthe wars.
10Edwards, C.D. Twentieth Century Furniture, Materials, Manufacture and Markets (Manchester
University Press, 1994). Clive Edwardsteachesand supervisesat Loughborough, and has an
extensivepublication list in the area of furniture history, production and design.
11Attfield, J. The Role ofDesign in the Relationship BetweenFurniture Manufacture and its
Retailing 1939-1965,(DPhil, SussexUniversity, 1992) Judith Attfield lectures and supervisesat
Winchester School of Art (2003), and has written on furniture design and related subjects.Her
dissertationexamined design with massand machineproduction manufacturers.
12Hereafter referred to as the CMCIHF.
13Billam, M. The Cabinet Maker and CompleteHouse Furnisher as a commentatoron
developmentswithin the British Furniture Trade 1920-1939(MA Thesis,RCA, 1986).

13
 14Storie, W.K. Furniture Retailing towards the Eighties (MSc Thesis,Universit-v Strathclyde,
of
1974).Although basedin Scotland,this provided a generalbackgroundfor the relationship
betweenfumiture manufacturersand their retailers.
15Blachford, G. A History ofHandicraft Teaching(London, Christophers,1961). This
account
that tracesthe evolution of apprenticeshipsthrough to the era of educationfor all children,
including the influence of Slojd in Britain on elementaryhandicraft education.No evidencewas
found in the courseof this study for Slojd having any direct influence on English handicraft
teaching.
16Ashwin, C., Channon,A. and Darracott, J. Educationfor Crafts:
a study of the educationand
training of craftspeople in England and Wales(Crafts Council report, London, Educationand
ScienceDept., HMSO, 1988) This included a survey of institutions and coursesavailable at that
time, in order to recommendsuitable training routes for new entrantsinto crafts.
17Whittaker, D.J. TheSlojd System:A Scandinaviancontibution to education
with special
referenceto Britain (MA Thesis,Liverpool University, 1965).An accountof manualtraining in
Britain prior to 1890,and of the introduction of Slcjd to the training of handicraftteachers.
18Wardle, D., English Popular Education 1780-1970(Cambridge,University Press,1970)
Bailey, B. 'The Development of Technical Education 1934-1939' History ofEducation (1987,
Vol 6, No 1). A generalview of education and the demiseof apprenticeships.
EvansB.J. 'Further Education PressureGroups: The Campaignfor Continuedand Technical
Education in 1944' History ofEducation (1982, Vol 11,No I).
'9 Mr. H. Cutler, also known as 'Bert' to thosewho knew him. Mr. Cutler was also greatly
involved with Utility Furniture design.
20Argles, M. SouthKensington to Robbins; An account ofEnglish Technical & Scientific
Education since 1851 ( Longmans,Green and Co Ltd., London, 1964).
21Hennock, E.P. 'Technological Education in England, 1850-1929:the usesof a Germanmodel'
History ofEducation (1990, Vol 19, No4).
22Williams, G. Apprenticeshipsin Europe (TheLessonfor Britain) (London, Chapmansand Hall,
1963).
23Sanderson,M. TheMissing Stratum: TechnicalSchoolEducation in England 1900-1990S
(Octopusbooks, London, 1994).
24The information gatheredwas worthy of inclusion becausethere was no definitive volume found
on the subject.
25Etherington,E. A Study of the History ofFurther Education in High Wycombeand the
Surrounding Area, (Dissertation level unknown, GarnettCollege, 1969).The history of local
education is the focus. This includes an accountof High Wycombe College's responseto local
needsfor industrial training up to the date of writing.
Green,H. One Hundred YearsofEducation in South WestBucks (High Wycombe,
BuckinghamshireEducation Committee, 1970).Anaccountof generalprimary education,and
secondaryeducationopportunities for children in that area,which seemto have beenprolific given
the areacould be regardedas provincial. Greenwas a Headteacherand local historian, and so
brings personalexperienceto both aspects.
26Mackinnon, D. Education in the UK, Facts and Figures (OUP, 1995). This included a
comprehensiveguide to all English Education Acts since 1870.The informal namesof eachand a
precis of eachact are included.
27Williams, G. Recruitment to Skilled Trades(London, Routledge,Kegan and Paul, 1957).
28Rendle, B.J. Fifty Yearsof Timber Research,A short history of the Forestry Products Research
Laboratory (HMSO, 1976).

14
 Chapter I
Chair-making in High Wycombe

High Wycombe enjoyed a reputation for being the 'Centre of English

Furniture' for a period at the end of the 19ffiand beginning of the 20thcentury. The
town was acknowledged in the press and with retailers as the Home of English
Furniture, but the type of furniture it was best known for was not fine cabinet-

making, but the Windsor Chair is

which a vernacular article that hardly merits
mention in many history books of English furniture. This is in spite of the fact that

variations of the Windsor chair were found in the homes and public meeting places
of all classesof society. Specific Windsor designs were peculiar to the areathey were
made, and developed over time by the methods employed in construction.

It is useful here to describe in brief the details of Windsor Chair-making in

order to differentiate it from other forms of furniture making, and also to show how
in
skills this craft contributed to the developments in the industry in High Wycombe.
Firstly, chairs are different to all other forms of furniture in that they are the only item
that must conform to the human form if there is to be any degreeof comfort in its use.
Beds, tables, sideboards,chestsetc. are essentially all boxes, which can vary Mi form

enormously without detracting from their purpose. A chair does not have this luxury.
It also occupies far less space,takes far less timber than other ftu-niture, and must be

consideredin three dimensions at all times as standardelevations cannot show the

essentialcurves fitting the human form. Working drawings of traditional hand made
Windsor Chairs are, if they exist at all, drawn after the fact. The Windsor chair
developed in the late 17"' Century as an outdoor or garden chair, no doubt evolved
from the earliest form of stick (turned wood) fimiiture such as stools and simple
benches.' Advantages over its rivals, rush-seatedand caned chairs, included its

sturdiness,durability and stability. Repeateduse of the chair reinforced its joints, and
use outdoors would increasethe moisture content of the wood, swelling joints still
fin-ther to tighten them, which was an advantagein garden ftu-niture.

15
Windsor Chairs differ from ordinary chairs in this way. A regular chair has two front
legs, which join the seat,and two back feet that run past the seatand up to a chair rail

at the top of the back. It is mostly made from squareor plank stock, and morticed
and/or dowelled together. It usually has an upholsteredframe seatof some sort. A
Windsor chair has a solid-wood carved seat,four splayed legs socketedinto this seat,

and some form of spindle back in turn socketedinto the seat.

W
I ____

k2611
--
Left: Utility Dining Chair c. 1943 Copyright Wycombe Museum. Right: Windsor Armchair, late 18"
Century, copyright Geffrye Museum. Figure 1.0

Although still conforming to the human fon-n in some of its curves, the dining type

chair owes more to cabinet-making skills in its need to be shapedandjointed by the

sametools and techniques as used in cabinet-making generally, supplementedwith
other techniques and skills for various decorative additions. This is not to say
generally that a cabinet-maker can make chairs - in the author's experienceit is
generally concededthat a chair-maker can make cabinets but not vice versa.

16
Table A. Windsor Chair-making
Chair part Techniquesinvolved
All parts Conversionof timber
someto wide plank -labour intensive- for the seat
rest can be rived into billets from wet timber -saving of time and labour
Seat Bottomer adzessaddleshapeof seat
Seatfinished smooth
(due to cutting and drying time for thesepiecesof timber this is a
bottleneck of the process)
Legs, stretchers Billets rived from set lengths of wet timber
Billets trimmed with drawkiiife
Billets turned whilst wet/greenby bodgers.2
Backs,splats,arms, All benchwork, including stem bending,carving of scrollbacks,
ftetwork fretwork, if applicable.
Assemblyby framer Mortice and tenonsfor back parts into seatand other components,round
and square
Seatdrilled for legs and back inserts(complex compoundangles)
Legs and stretchersdrilled for assembly
Through and fox wedgedtenons,clamping and gluing for assembly

References:3

Table B. Chair-making generally

Chair part Techniquesinvolved
All parts Conversionof timber to plank, no componentswider than the thickness
of any member*
Seat Lengths of timber form integral seataspart of structure,and drop in
fi=e seatif needed,can be curved or straight
Webbing and upholstery or caning/rushwork
Legs, stretchers Lengths of timber cut and shaped
Shapi g of front legs and back feet
Backs, splats,arms, All benchwork, including steambending, carvings, fretwork
fretwork
Assembly Mortices for chair sides into legs and feet and for back. Compound
angle in the splay of backlegsnot always necessary
Gluin and clamping

*It is very seldomthat a member of a chair would needtimber wider than 7" acrossthe grain,
evenallowing for generouscurving of back feet. Stable,wide planks (i. e. quarter sawn) are not
for
essential ordinary chairs whereas they are necessary for Windsor chair seats,which is a
disadvantage.However, it is in the Windsor's favour that the other componentscan all be rived
from short lengths of wet timber.4 Theseprovide blanks, which can be turned immediately
without seasoning,and dried after turning ready for assembly.

As can be seenfrom the comparison of Tables A and B, there are as many if not more
diverse techniques and processesinvolved in the production of a Windsor chair

compared to an ordinary chair. This is especially the caseif the ordinary chair is of
the samedomestic (i. e. less ornate) level as the Windsor chair. All these techniques
require a degree of skill and experience,and while these can be found in one

practitioner the processeslend themselvesto a division of labour.

17
 The Windsor chair could be regarded as the first type of furniture to be

produced in componentspassed from one type of worker to another in a production

5
line system. The turning of componentsfor the Windsor,,and the conversion of

timber to plank both took place (until the 1900s) in the beechwoodssurrounding the
town. Beech trees were plentiful on the chalky Chiltern hills, and turning in the green
(wet, freshly cut wood) was faster than dry turning by a ratio of 4:3.6 Before the

advent of machinery for the task, pole lathes made from springy saplings still
growing in the ground were in
constructed woodland. It made economic senseto
sawyersto convert very heavy wet timber from the round on saw pits dug close to the
felling site, the wood being more transportable in smaller sizes. Pole lathes and the

accompanying huts were constructed for similar convenience. Beech was a

particularly plentiful and responsive timber for turning in this way, and most of the
timber for Windsors was converted and turned on the spot. Parts were taken to the

workshops for assembly after drying.

The useful construction timber to be had from a tree is in the bole, which is
that part of the trunk from the ground to the first branches. Beech timber is relatively
defect-free and durable, and the beech in Buckinghamshire grew tall with long boles.7
Elm is commonly used for the seatas it is available in wide planks and, comparedto

cabinet-work, stability was not an issue as the construction of the chair allowed for
8
some movement. Ash wood bends easily for making bow-backs and curved
underframe parts. Ash, elm and beech (also known as the 'Buckinghamshire Weed'
in many accounts) grew plentifully to the extent that beechparticularly was exported
to other parts of the country for use in joinery and chair making. Although these
timbers are regarded as inferior for use in fine fur-niture,they were eminently well
suited for their purpose but perhaps seenas unfashionable compared to imported

timbers. It is natural that the High Wycombe trade should take advantageof such
9
abundant local supplies and thrive upon it.
The earliest Windsor chairs on record are Comb-back,,with extremely square

seats (reminiscent of the three and four legged stools they are derived from), multiple
straight spindles rising from the to
seat a curved arm rest. The back spindles continue
through the arms, finishing at a cresting rail. Variations on this include a simpler

18
comb-back without arms usually requiring back-staysfor support. lengthening and
bowing of the top rail down to meet the arms forming a bow-back, lengthening the
bowed top rail to meet the seat,socketing the arms into the bow, omitting arms

altogether (requiring back-stays for support), and the smoker's bow with one curved
arm running round the back and curved top rail affixed to this at lumbar height. All
of these (except perhapsthe smoker's bow) had variations with and without back
splats in lieu of central spindles, and the comb-back sometimeshad lumbar-curved
slats in lieu of spindles altogether. Some varieties emulated featuresof contemporary
dining chairs, appealing more up-market.
In the early to mid 19'hcentury Windsors were made for the upper classesand
their establishments.For indoor use Mahogany and occasionally other more exotic

woods were used. Higher-class examples often had cabriole legs at the front, and
occasionally at the back as well. The preferencefor more exotic timbers would have
limited the Wycombe market to lower-class work since the timber available to
bodgers and makers in the town was unlikely to be other than that which grew
locally. London's prolific cabinet-making centre and proximity to ports that imported
foreign woods would most likely have mopped up the top end of the market, with
Wycombe supplying the outlying areasin quantity rather than quality (in the fashion

senseof the word). According to Crispin's study of regional varieties of Windsor

chair, the Thames Valley region (encompassingBucks, Berks, London, Kent, Sussex,
Middlesex and Surrey) is the only area to have produced Windsor seatswith cabriole
legs, a feature notable for the higher class market. However Crispin indicates that it
is the Surrey and Slough areasthat makers of such items have been traced to, not the
Wycombe area as yet. ' 0

After turning of spindles stretchersand legs and bottoming the seat, all other

parts of the process could be in

continued workshops in the town. The supply of
components from the bodgers and bottomers in the woods was equally available to
the larger firms and the small individuals working from a garden shed, back room or
hut in or near the woods. A man could supplementhis livelihood with evening work

of such a nature, and many very small businessesrose and fell as seasonaldemands

19
 and trade fluctuations dictated. This is not to say that anyone could becomea first

class chairmaker without training. Large fmns employed master andjourneymen

craftsmen at different rates to 'unskilled' labour, reflecting the quality of work
"
produced.
The local Kelly's directories recorded 78 chairmakersin Wycombe in 1895,

only one of whom was a 'chair turner' according to Lowe. 12 The turners had
increasedin number to forty by 1903, and chaixmakersin generalnumbered 113 by

this time. Chair turners were unlikely to have been listed accurately in Kelly's
directories becauseof the itinerant nature of the occupation.
The trade for this kind of fin-niture was thriving in Wycombe and London (as

well as other areas)to the point where it was 'almost a national utility chair in the 19'h
Century, for us both indoors and outdoors, in taverns, homesteadand garden'.13 The
design of Windsor backs had diversified, from the comb-back in the early 1700s,
through the bow-back introduced around the 1750s,to the smoker's bow type of the
secondhalf of that century, and many other combinations since. Its usagehad
diversified as well to 'service areas,gaming, and wardrobe rooms, small parlours, and
the multi-purpose hall. The requirements of public taverns, inns, library rooms... '

statesGoynes Evans, as it was 'popular, economical and even substantial seating... '.
Comfortable wooden seating was very suitable for smoky inns, taverns and similar

social venues as there would be no upholstery to gather bad odours, and which would
be impossible to clean.
It should be mentioned at this point that caneand rush seatedchairs were also

a staple product of the town. These are traditional dining-type chairs in that they
have two back legs running up into the back of the chair, but the seatis of caneor

rushwork. This was more comfortable than some wooden seats,but cheaperthan
upholstery. Rush-seatedchairs were for domestic by
use servants,or bought for

working classhomes and sometimes for churches. The simple turned construction
to
was suited small makers or large manufacturers, and the cane and rush work were
ideal home or workshop occupations for women. Essentially this was a mass

production line, the work broken down into 14

sections. Cane and rush-seatedchairs
are lighter in appearanceand weight than windsor-chairs, but are less durable for that.

20
 The market for Windsor and other domestic chairs was progressing

considerably according to directories during the early 15

1800s. One major stimulus to
Wycombe production was the introduction of 'Wycombe Chair vans', initially horse-
drawn and later steam driven. These vans would travel regular routes, with loads of
to
chairs sell along the way. As businessprogressedorders for chairs would be taken
and pattern books were produced for this purpose. In 1836 Benjamin North of
Wycombe took chairs as far as the West Country, Midlands and East Anglia (in spite

of these areashaving someproduction and tradition of chair-making themselves)and

later as far north as Sheffield and Leeds. The ability of a small town like Wycombe
to supply chairs in great numbers to areasfar afield is perhapsdue to the
concentration of industry on Windsor furniture. The availability of suitable timbers,
the manpower and skill to create and sell the wares, and a willingness to tap into a
level of production enabled a niche to be found in the market.

Until the 1920sWycombe was only supplied with DC electricity and so any

machinery for use in the industries there was either from this DC power supply, or
from gas or oil engines owned by the company or a group of companiesin the same

vicinity. This limited to

machinery smaller hand-manipulated devices, which
speededup the already skilled maker by taking a physical load off him, rather than
taking the skill out of the work at this point. Essentially ftu-niture making remained
as a machine-assistedhand-skill until the arrival of AC power sometime in the 1920s
or 1930s.16 The many small factories in the town involved in furniture making were
mostly narrow three or four-storey buildings. Building upwards was the only option
when there was no room to build out, preventing the physical expansion of business

premises to include massproduction and machine techniques. This also prolonged

the hand work methods of making (albeit assisted by small machines). Larger
manufacturers were able to obtain land, with some difficulty, on the outskirts of the
town and build new single storey factories with scope for expansion and the
introduction of new machinery." However, the real advantageof power at this time
in
was the conversion of timber the most arduous task that created a bottleneck in
-
the all industries using wood. The time taken for two sawyers to convert timber from

21
the round was considerably improved with the advent of steamand oil powered saws,
thus increasing the capabilities of output for the Windsor chair market and increasing
in 18
employment the assembly end of the process.

The introduction of machinery into the agriculture of Wycombe created

unemployment amongst farm labourers who were then made available for working in
the furniture industry. Turning was something that itinerant labourerswould have
turned to during the winter months, when farm labouring was slack, so there was a
precedent for itinerant labour in the industry. Prior to 1900 the largest categoriesof
in
employment the area had been servantsand farm labourers.'9 The previous main
industry of papermaking in the mills along the Rye died out during the end of the 18'h

century, perhaps with the advent of more economic powered mills in the larger towns.
If the utilisation of large machinery in the farms and workshops made some men
it in
redundant, created a new set of work maintaining the machinesand setting them
correctly and this to
would apply all industries that were taking advantageof the

machine age. Thus the in

employment the area came to be mostly settled on the one
industry, which as it grew and realised some industrial improvements, required more

manpower rather than less.

The first Wycombe facto on record was that of Samuel Treacher and
Thomas Widginton in 1805, but a flourishing trade in the town was evident before
this and Mr. Treacher was registered as a 'Chairmaker' there in 1794. A special

censustaken in 1798 listed the occupations of men between 15 and 60 years of age,
of which 33 out of 395 were chairmakers (borough of Chepping Wycombe), reckoned
20
to be 'far too numerous to be engagedin strictly a local consumption industry. '. in
total the 58 chairmakers throughout the Wycombe area registered did not include men
over 60, and as Mayes said 'chairmakers are a long-lived race.', so undoubtedly there

were a large number missed off the list. Subsidiary occupations to the manufactureof
chair-making are not mentioned in the censusexcept the turning of legs which was
still best in
suited the 1790s to bodgers in the woods using green timber. The next
big change for turners was the introduction of power to drive lathes which could be

11)
used on the factory premises. This happenedgradually in Wycombe, and later than in
larger towns throughout the 19'hcentury. Turning with ready seasonedwood takes on

average25% longer than green timber, and the timber supplied in the factory would
be converted by saw and dried like all the other timber used. It is interesting to note
that timber which has been sawn and not rived has more chanceof defectsand cross-

grain components, so staying with the Bodgers and their greenturning would have
kept up the quality of the windsor chairs produced well into the 1900s.
Throughout the 19thcentury there was a flourishing trade of Windsor chair

making, and an increasing cabinet-making sector in the Borough, but progresswas

delayed by transport limitations. The railway came to Wycombe in the 1840sbut it

was some time before the line was converted from a branch off the main line to
through access,and the direct line to London arrived in 1906. There has always been
limited successin using railways for transporting fin-niture, firstly from the difficulty

of packaging and handling being entirely entrustedto the railway company who,
unlike the retailer and the buyer, have no vested interest in the goods' survival.
Furniture is difficult to transport and requires careful treatment, but chairs are easier
to deal with than other forms of cabinetry so it is surprising that they could not be

accommodated. The Times newspaper,throughout the 1840s,50s and 60s relates

severalproblems with Rail companies simply leaving consignmentsout on the
21
platform where weather could reduce a great proportion of the stock unsaleable.
'Knocked down' chairs, (in batchesof components finished except for final assembly

and gluing), were produced but found in

more success salesabroad to countries 'like
22
Australia, where the worst of the pioneering was over'. Although more expensive,

road transportation has remained the single best mode of distributing goods for the
furniture industry. High Wycombe was ideally placed on the main London road
linking to roads for the Nfidlands, North West, Gloucestershire,Yorkshire, and East
Anglia.
Wycombe's involvement in chair-making continued during the First World
War, with large consignments of chairs required for military purposesestimatedat
half a million throughout the period of production. However, the town's factories
to
were also given over aircraft production, and the supply of ammunition boxes and

23
other similar equipment. Factories that were using massproduction techniqueswere
ideally suited in equipment, skills and methods for this type of work. The
interruption to production by the call up of men for active service in some ways

counteracted the increasein trade, but the break in tradition of training and
apprenticeshipswas a considerable factor in the changesto the chair-making trade
after the hostilities were over.
There were many disputes over conditions for apprenticesin the borough, and

also over wages for all members of the trade. Prior to the first war there had been
severaldecadesof sweatedlabour, and strike action had produced wage rates that
were diversified for different gradesof work as well as occupationswithin chair-
23
making. The centuries-old method of training by apprenticeshipwas less common,
and the break of apprenticeshipscausedby military service disrupted the systemto
the extent that demobilised apprenticeswere given dispensationof some years from
their apprenticeshipaccording to the time served in the military. The national
discussionarising from this encouragedlocal interest and investment in High
Wycombe Technical college (establishedin the 1890s)which servedthe local
furniture trade. The college was renamed after having moved premises,and started
day classesfor studentsof thirteen years old and over in 1920, over 80% of whom
furniture its 24
were 'engaged in the manufacture of and branches'. Up to 50% of the
training for boys in the trade was undertaken in the Junior Day Technical School. but
the student was still dependenton the maker he was assignedto at his employer's for
the basics of training. This had a deep effect over the next twenty years on the town's
skill-base, taking it away from traditional craftsmanship.

During the 1920sthere was some diversification in the products made in the town,
Windsor furniture decreasingin its popularity and other types of seating coming to
the fore and being joined by new styles of occasional and fireside furniture. One

in
change the type of work undertaken was the to
move contract fin-nishing, in which
firms would undertake ranges of furniture as contracted by retailers or companiesthat

required mass produced articles, for example cinemas, hospitals, schools, theatres,

and ships. Wycombe was able to produce work at lower prices than many areasof

24
the country, having negotiated local rates of pay that were below the nationally
agreedrates. Between the two World Wars there was an economic shift from the
(patron class who commanded great personal fortunes before World War F to the
25
buying public wanting some style of furniture for reasonableprices. Wycombe
in
carved a niche the reproduction market - tradition and quality being the emphasis
in design. This was reflected by the traditional training emphasisof somecoursesat
the college, and press descriptions of the exhibitions held during this era.26 Again,
the reproduction ftmiiture was not innovative or top class- Wycombe still held a
reputation for quantity, and certain level of quality, but nothing really new. But as
one interviewee put it - 'it's always best to be just about secondif you can, and then
let everybody else copy about two years later when you've got the next thing
27
coming'. The ethos of many Wycombe firms was not to be new, or innovative, but
to be a substantial copy. Other enterprising firms would use the past as inspiration,

applying newer techniques to createthe illusion of reproduction furniture.

Inevitably within the ftu-niture industry as a whole, lower pricing becamethe

competitive edge and quality of work began to suffer as machine techniqueswere

usedto cut costs rather than enhancework. Wycombe also encountereda hiatus of
union troubles at this time, and the town becamedivided into two factions. These

were High Wycombe Furniture Manufacturers' Association, who were against

negotiating national rates of pay, and High Wycombe Furniture Association (newly
formed in 1940) created by other companies in the town who did wish to be

representednationally. Dissent causedby this situation was ongoing until a major

crisis during the allocations of contracts during World War II. Wycombe's expertise
and experience won out eventually, and in the contracts that were won chairs were
by
made groups of smaller manufacturers, under the auspicesof a lead firm in each
group. Larger manufacturers (notably Castle Bros., Dancer & Hearne, E. Gomme,
28
J.B.Heath, Parker Knoll) had their production turned over to aircraft manufacture.

The Board of Trade design panel saw an opportunity during World War 11for

a new era of quality in design. However, after the austerity of the war years, the

general public were keen to have ornament and decoration back in their lives. and

25
cheaply constructed furniture with applied ornament reappearedon the market.
Furniture in all price ranges was offered in ranges or suites of a particular style.
Thesecould be added to over time. The larger Wycombe firms designedand

manufactured all the finmiture in their ranges, smaller firms provided chairs for

various companieswith applied designs or variations in legs/doors/handlesetc. to

customisethose ranges to the contracting company.

Post war, the firm of E. Gommes made significant progressin two ways.
Firstly by producing their own showrooms for the public (bypassingthe retailer) to

show their new G Plan in

range room settings, using their own designersand
exhibition team to travel round the country. Secondly by producing rangesof suites
that cateredfor different tastes(modem and traditional) which could be addedto

gradually and extended for any size of home. These rangeswere very enduring so a
29
family could gather pieces over time. Gommes survived in Wycombe until the
1980s,and the G Plan range is still manufacturedtoday.
Ercol handled businessin a similar way to Gomme, and are credited with
taking the Windsor chair form and truly adapting it to massproduction techniques,
not just using machines for aiding hand-work. The firm produces a variety of types
of ftu-niture based on the derived Windsor design which is their trademark. Colonial
Windsor furniture is popular in the United states,and Ercol has been using American

elm, as a substitute for Dutch In

elm, and ash. order to save costs timber is converted
in the statesprior to shipping.
In this study, these firms and others are examined in more detail according to

evidence available. The precedentsof chair-making in Wycombe and its legacy are

also explored.

REFERENCES

I Goyne Evans,N., 'A History and Background of English Windsor Furniture',Furniture History
ýVolume XV, 1979) p8
A bodger is a term for a woodturner working on a pole lathe in the woods. Pole latheswere made
from springy saplings, so no machinery was required. Wet or greentimber turns much more quickly
than dried timber. Turned billets dry slightly oval, which can be rectified on assemblyby the
and easily
useof open or fox wedges in the joint.

26
3 Information outlined from
Mayes. L. J., The History of Chair-making in High Wycome,(RoutledgeKegan and Paul, London,
1960a).
Hermel, T. 'The Windsor Chairmaker', Architectural Review,(December1941), p 178-180,
Crispin, T. 'English Windsor chairs: a study of known makersand regional centres',Furniture
History, (volume XIV, 1978) and
Crispin, T. The English WindsorChair, (Alan Sutton PublishersLtd., Stroud Gloucs., 1992)
All information endorsedby the author's experienceas a practitioner.
4 'Rived' meanssplit using a small hand axe rather than the very laboriousprocessof
sawingalong the
grain. Riving is much quicker and easierthan sawing but can only successfullybe accomplishedon
shorter components.
' An exampleof the difference betweenmassproduction and machineproduction.
6 Mayes, L. J. (I 960a) p8, and corroboratedby the author's highly enjoyableexperienceof turning
greentimber.
7 Webster, Constance,Timber and board material used in the furniture Industry (FPRL publication)
Wood suitable for cabinetsoften structurally inadequatefor chairs. Beech is cited as the best in terms
of structural integrity.
8 Stability here meansthe movement of timber shrinkageacrossthe grain, warping, cupping,twisting
-
and bending. If a section of timber is taken from acrossthe radius of the trunk, movementis
inevitable. Large pieces of timber have this problem unlessthey are taken from treesthat havea larger
radius than the finished plank. Mayes, (1960a) p8, and author's experience
9 Goyne Evans (1979) from the Dashwoodrecords at West Wycombe.
'0 Crispin, T. (1992)
Mayes (I 960a) p 105-107,and
CMCHF during 1918,1919,1920followed the strikes and union movementsthat led to the
national and local Agreements for wages.Wycombe's own agreementson wageswere listed with
individual occupationsand their hourly rates
12Lowe, D.P. (MPhil) TheDevelopmentofthe Furniture Industry offfigh Wycombebefore 1960
(University of London, Birbeck College, 1983)
13Crispin, T (1978)
14Sparkes,I. G. The English Country Chair (Bourne End, Spurbooks,1973,revised 1977)
15Joy, Edward (1977) English Furniture, 1800-1851(Sotheby, Park and Barnet, London) and Kelly's
ries.
16Mayes (I 960a) p 173
17Lowe, D. P (1960)
p87
18Mayes (1960a)
19Mayes, (1960a), from local registers.
20Mayes, (1960a) p 25,26
21The Times newspaper,London, Various articles on the Railways in Wycombe; I Feb 1848p8,29
Feb 1848p5,20 May 1861p7,20 Dec 1861 p4,20 Nov 1874p6,2 Nov 1874p6,31 Dec 1896p9,31
July 1897p12
22
Mayes (I 960a)
23Mayes (I 960a) p99
24Editorial comments in CMCHF I ldSept 1920 CMCHF 14dAugust 1920
25 Mayes (1960a)
26CMCHF 1919& 1920,the British Industries fairs and WholesaleFurniture Trades exhibitions, as
well as regional exhibitions.
27Mr. Leslie Dandie
28CMCHF, (June 16d' 1945), the entire edition was given over to descriptionsof Wycombe's
contribution to the War effort.
29Various G Plan the bulk held at Wycombe Museum are 1971
cataloguesshowing continued ranges,
G Plan was launched in 1952.
-1982,

27
 Chapter 2, Part A
Methodology

Introduction and background to research in this area.

Data gatheredon High Wycombe firms was of several types and from different

sources. Archives and actual documents from furniture manufacturersor retailers,

which were housed with the firms or within library or museum collections, were
of particular interest as primary sourcesof information. The interpretation of data
gathered from them had to be put into some sort of context, given the fragmented
nature and limited amount of such sources. Contemporaryj ournals and
directories, which contained articles and/or advertising, were comparedwith

archive material to help interpret both sets of information. The historical context
and market of the journals used have also been considered in order to draw some
conclusions about the information presented. Thesesand publications by previous
researchers,which have included information on the area of High Wycombe and
the subjects covered in this work, have enabled an analysis of data gatheredfor
this dissertation. It has been evident that some studies are themselvesuseful
information points from which to build related work. Some primary information

on specific businessesin High Wycombe was included from these studies. The
data sourcesfor some are not now available. Conversely, the author has found

sourcesthat have not previously been used in such studies. Wycombe has been
in it
used many studies as is regardedby some as a smaller but similarly
structured version of the national furniture and other industries.

These sourcesand the way they were utilised are explained more closely next.

Archival material.
Francis Goodall has this to say in his methodology preface to A Bibliography of
BusinessHistories; that some information is gathered from interviews, but that

most is archival, which is

-notoriously difficult to fmd and use. Partly this is becausethey are often guarded
with proprietary interest but they also tend to be disregarded. To some degree
they are composedof uselessephemera. However, advertisementsand summary
" I
progressreports, graphics and memorandaare all of potential value.

28
 Often archival material is incomplete or impossible to put into
context or date
very accurately. This is so in the caseof cataloguesand design books, which
rarely have any dates included, or if they do, there may be severaldatesindicating

a spanof time. In the caseof design books there might be an initial date at the
commencementof the book, but numbered designs could be enteredover a period
of years, and the book itself could be held and used for referenceover several
2.
decades Cataloguesheld by retailers often even had the identity of the

manufacturer obscured perhapsto discouragedirect salesby the manufacturerto

3
the public. Such direct saleswere in any casea rare event in the industry until
after World War II. Other archive material includes correspondenceand business
records such as ledgers, day-books, and estimatebooks. Theseare often
encounteredin isolation from the original context and so are open to interpretation
only with consideration of other information.
In the caseof a number of High Wycombe firms there was a considerable

amount of archive material available for reference,someof which could be put

into some sort of context either relative to other archive contentsor to different
information. A considerable number of items of note were held locally at the
Chair Museum in High Wycombe. Other records were located at the local
Library, Aylesbury Records Office, and in two casesat the manufacturer's offices.
In the case of other manufacturers, there was a limited amount of material, which

was more difficult to use. For many more companiesthere was no archive
material located.

Contemporary Journals and directories.

The data gathered and analysed from Kelly's Directories and the Cabinet Maker

and Complete House Furnisher (CMCHF) publications is the only information

found on some firms to date. The policy for this study has beento collect as much

material as possible on any High Wycombe firms in

encountered the courseof
research. In some casessupporting material might establish whether the analysis
of data from Kelly's Directories has been interpreted logically, and therefore
might aid the use of such directories in the future.

29
Kelly's and other Directories
Kelly's Directories were produced from 1835 until the mid 20thcentury under the

auspicesof Frederick Kelly, Chief Inspector of Inland Letter Carriers for the Post
Office. The directories contained lists of traders,businessesand principal

residentsof towns, and were published in volumes of counties, or sometimesup to

six counties together with separatecounty editions produced at the sametime. In
addition to the county directories, there were various trade-specific directories
produced. Specific to this study were Kelly's Directories to the Cabinet. Furniture

and Upholstery Trades for the years listed above. Data was gatheredby agents
(initially employeesof the Post Office) visiting establishmentsin person. If there

was no one available then a form was left for the necessarydetails to be 4
entered.
Initially, there was some reluctance from someparts of the population to

submitting such details, but once the commercial benefits were realised it is
reasonable to hope that most businesses wanted to be included in the directories,

especially as copies would be available nationally, not just 5

locally. These
directories, both National Trade and Regional by County are a starting point for
identifying firms in High Wycombe who produced work other than Chair-making.
In the County directories, businesseswere included in two sections.
Firstly in alphabetical order of businessname, for each town, including the

addressand type of business. Secondly, they were listed later in the directory

under type of business for each town. There was an option to be enteredmore than
once, under different categories, in this secondsection. Any extra entries entailed
the payment of a fee, but might been very useful to Wycombe firms as a variety of
6
furniture types could be made under one roof. Being pigeonholed under one

category would have been limiting. On it

analysis, would appear that firms were

enteredonce only in the alphabetical county Commercial section, but more than

once,,and occasionally under different headings, in the Trades section. Very

occasionally a firm has been in

mentioned one and not the other.
For the purposesof categorising firms on the basis of the type of furniture
they produced more emphasis has been laid on the Trade entries. The reasoning
for this is that multiple entries under this category indicate the businessowner

making a decision to pay an extra fee, and deliberately choosing the extra
In
categories. contrast, a single entry under the Commercial heading restricted the

businessto one category, which was not necessarily descriptive of the entire scope

30
 of the firm's work. It also implies that the Trades entry was the one that
prospective c ents would be looking at for sourcesof particular work. 7
Businessesthat were very small may have been missed
out of directories
becauseof their transience (appearing and disappearingbetweendirectory issues)

or location. Many chair-making outfits worked from the back of public housesor
homes, and occasionally these are listed in the Commercial section the County
of
directory. Some chair-making related work took place in non-residential

woodland areas,with no addressfor the directory. Thesecould be quite seasonal,

and dependedupon agricultural workers free for work in the winter months.8
However,.for the purposes of establishing more prominent businessesthat

contributed to the furniture industry generally, the entries to Kelly's Directories

could be consideredreasonably thorough.

Kelly's Directories were used to create a databaseof all firms

manufacturing furniture in High Wycombe for the period of this study. The
databaseprovides a reference point to consult for the existence,title and address

of any firm during that year of the Directory (provided the firm was entered). The
actual details also entered are of use in analysing any manufacturer,so a
background to how the directories were compiled, and how the information might
be viewed, is offered here.9

Categories of furniture work in the Regional Directories:

Chair making was the most prevalent type of work in High Wycombe between
1895-19319the era covered by Aylesbury Record Office's selection of Kelly's
(County) directories. Within chair-making there were many categoriesof related

work used in the Buckinghamshire Directories and these were:

Chair-making, chair frame maker, chair leg turner,

chair back maker, chair seatmaker, wood tumer.

As can be seenfrom the listing of entries (table 1), not all these categoriesapplied

at one time, and their occurence certainly declined towards the end of the era of
Kelly's Directories.
Categories that were not necessarily in the realm of chair-making, or Windsor

chair-making included:
Cabinetmaking, furniture manufacture,

office furniture, wood carver, upholstery.

31
There were no agreed classifications used by the compilers of different
directories, so a comparison of this data, contemporary advertisements,and
documents from firms in question (when available) was usedto form a view of

what category titles might actually have meant. For instance,Cabinetmaking and
Furniture Manufacture could technically be interchangeableterms but obviously
didn't mean the samething in this context.
A contrasting set of categories is found in Kelly's Directories of the
Cabinet, Furnishing and Upholstery Trades (National). Theseused categories

used nationally, whereas the county directories would necessarilyreflect local

industry requirements.
Categories in theseNational directories during 1895-1935included the following
for Buckinjzhamshire:
Antique Furniture Reproduction,Art Furniture Manufacturers,BedroomFurniture
Manufacturers,BedsteadManufacturers- wood, Buhl and MarqueterieCutters,Cabinet
Makers - Wholesale,Cabinet Makers - Art, Chair Manufacturers,Chair Frame
Manufacturers,Chair Turners, Church Fittings and Furniture Manufacturers,Mattress
Manufacturers,Invalid-Furniture Manufacturers,Music seatand CabinetManufacturers,
Office Furniture Manufacturers,Upholsterers- Wholesale,Wood Carvers,Wood Turners.

Thesecategories relate more closely to the advertising categoriesused in the

Cabinet Maker and Complete House Furnisher publication, and some were over

and above the nominal range of categorieslisted in the index at the front of the
directory. Categories were created, it seems,to suit the local needs.

In the course of this researchnames and addressesof firms in Wycombe

producing ftu-niture were taken from each of Kelly's regional and national
directories, and the categories under which they were enteredwere noted. It was
important to take as full information as possible of the firms becausename and
initial changesmade it difficult to track individual firm's entries. There were also

many entries under the same family namesthat neededclarification. The listings

have been presentedin alphabetical order, so comparisonsof entry for similarly

named firms be
can made. The database was created in Microsoft Excel, in order
that different be
sorting terms can used to identify similar firms. The data can
be
also used to piece together 'scores' for firms the more entries a firm had in
-
different categories,presumably the more the company had to spendon

32
advertising and marketing. A comparison of regional and national entries also
shows to some extent which market a firm was targeting, and the data for some
firms with known history is used in the next chapter to assesswhat the output for
Kelly's directories might mean in context. Assuming that the information for
both types of directory was gathered at more or less the sametime,,there are
differences that can sometimes Provide conclusions.
Table 2.0 showsthe results from Kelly's Directories for firms registeredas
cabinetmakingor ftu-nituremanufacturing, and chair-making. No other ftu-niture
categoriesare included here.' 0
Trades (national) Trades (national) Bucks (regional) Bucks (regional)

Company names Years of Cab Years of Chair Years of entries Years of entries
Making entries Making entries F= Furniture for Chair-
Mfr making
Barnes Branch & Co. 1911-1936 0 1907-1931 C 0
BartleM WM 1936 1899-1936 0 1895-1939
Birch, Wrn. 1903-1936 1899-1936 0 1895-1939
Bond Brothers Pinions 1936 0 1924-1931 F 0
Caine & Walker 0 1925-1931 1924-1931 F 0
Castle Bros. 1921-1936 1911-1936 1928-1931 F 1911-1924
Cox, Jas 1925-1931 1899-1936 1907 C 1895-1931
Dalmott & Harding 0 1925 1920-1928 F 0
Ellis, W. E. 1925-1936 1903-1936 0 1903-1939
Forward & Donnolly 1925-1931 1925-1936 0 0
Furniture Industries Ltd 1931-1936 1925-1936 1924-1935 F 0
Gomme, E Ltd 1911-1936 1911 1928-1935 F 1907-1924
Goodearl Bros. 1915-1936 1899-1936 1920-1935 F 1895-1915
Hands, Wm. 1931-1936 1911-1931 1931 F 1907-1928
High Wycombe Joinery and Cab wks 1931-1936 0 0 0
Hughenden Chair & Furn wks, 1931-1936 1931-1936 1928-1931 F 0
Hull, Loosely & Pearce 1911-1931 0 0 0
Keenl Wrn 1931-1936 1899-03,1925-36 0 1895-1939
Lane, J.C. 1915-1936 1903-1936 0 1903-1939
Lord Brothers 1925 1931-1936 1920-1928 C 1931-1935
Milbourne, V. M. 0 1925-1936 1911-1935 F 0
Mines, R.H. &C. 0 1925-1936 1903-1911 C 1903-07,1920-39
Morris, Tho 1903 0 1903-1911 C 0
Nicholls & Janes 1925-1936 1899-1936 1928-1935 F 1899,1907-1939
Parker, Frederick & sons 1925-1936 1911-1936 1928-1931 F 0
Pixton, Geo & Co. Ltd 0 1925-1936 1938-1935 F 0
Plurnridge, Wrn 1931-1936 1931-1936 0 1928,1935-1939

Rolls Brothers 1911-1931 0 0 0

Skull, Walter & son Ltd 1911-1936 1899-1936 0 1895-1939

Smith Brothers & Co. 1925-1931 0 1931 C 0

Stanton & West 1915-1931 0 1924-1935 C 0

Syred,F.W. 1915-1925 0 1920-1924C 0

Tyzack. Ralph 1925-1936 1911-1936 1931-1935F 1907-1928
Vere, Wm. 1931 1925,1936 0 1920-1928
Vine, C.P. 1936 1911-1936 1915-1931F 0
Table 2.0

33
 Table 2.1 showsNational Kelly's Directories Totals of firms in Wycomberegisteredto
advertiseunder the category statedfor eachyear.
1899 1903 1907 1911 1915 1921 1925 1931 1936
directory incompL
missing dir. entry
Cabinet 1
6 10 13 25 27 29
Chairs
87 95 93 96 121 117 115
Table 2.1
Table 2.2 showsRegional Kelly's Directories Totals of firms in Wycomberegisteredto
advertiseunder the category statedfor eachyear
1899 1903 1907 1911 1915 1920 1924 1928 1931 1935 1939
cabmkrs 0 2 5 3 2 4 11 7 3 3 4
Fum mfr
na na Na 2 4 11 20 15 20 35 33
Chak n* 95 102 97 81 85 100 126 126 127 128 117
Table 2.2

Note that the years of directory's publication becamedifferent after 1915 for the
National and Regional versions - this could indicate that information for eachwas
taken at different times after 1915. The total number of firms advertising for each
year (or approximately the in
sameyear) each category is different in the two
directories. It is likely that some firms would be smaller concerns,not interested
in national advertising, which would account for a lessernumber choosing to

advertise in the national directories. However, although this is marginally the

casefor chair-making, numbers advertising cabinetmaking nationally increase

above those advertising regionally. The nwnbers involved are quite small, and so

no strong conclusion may be drawn from this. However, the Regional directories

include a Furniture Manufacturer category, which the National directories do not.

How a firm would indicate which category it wished to go under is unknown, but

a fee was required for each entry after the first in It

any category. seems
firm enteredunder multiple categorieswould have
reasonableto assumethat a
that they truly worked in. This would be particularly so for
picked out areas
National advertisementsreaching a greater audience, as it would be
to in the hope of large orders that could not be
counterproductive offer a service
fulfilled.

Analysis of table 2.0

The 35 firms included in the table had significant numbers of adverts in the
in the Regional or the National Directories. Both
cabinetmaking category either
into Table 1.0 in the two directory
were put order to make a comparison of

entnes.
e Nine firms did not advertise under the Chair-making categoriesat all.

34
 Five advertised themselves as cabinetmaking firms both nationally
and locally
(Barnes & Branch, Tho Morris, Smith Brothers & Co., Stanton& West, F.W.
Syred.).

e One fmn, Bond Bros., was categorised locally as a Furniture Manufacturer.

nationally as Cabinetmaking.

* Three advertised themselves9ýWyas cabinetmaking firms nationally (Rolls

Bros., Hull Loosely & Pearce,High Wycombe Joinery Co.).

* Four advertised as Fumiture Manufacturers locally only (not nationally) (Geo

Pixton,,V. M. Milbourne, Dalmott & Harding, Caine & Walker) and one as
Cabinetmaking locally only (PH&C Mines).
However, all of these advertised as chairmakers nationally, but not locally.
This gives rise to a query as to the meaning of "Furniture Manufacturer" and

what fin-niture that includes.

There was significant primary material found (albeit different types of

information in each case),for several Wycombe firms. Theseincluded Bartlett,
Birch, Barnes Branch, Gomme, Castle Bros., and Furniture Industries (Ercol). In
the caseof Birch and Bartlett, both firms had the sameadvertising record in
Chair-making, and only advertised their cabinetmaking nationally. However,
Birch started advertised their cabinetmaking much earlier than Bartlett, and yet
Birch had a stronger reputation for chair-making. An initial comparison of

material for these two firms reveals Bartlett to have a strong cabinetmaking
tradition, and Birch to be more focused on chair production. Therefore it would
be unwise to rule out any firm in table 2.0 on the basis of the type or scopeof

entries in Kelly's. All of the firms on the list would seemworth investigation
(material availability allowing) on the basis of this researchindicating their

continuing business success.

The Cabinet Maker and Complete House Furnisher.

The CMCHF was a weekly publication for the furnishing trades, founded in 1880.
The journal was assessedby Michael Billwn as a contemporary commentary on

the ftu-niture trade during the inter-war period. " Billam comparesthe publication

with four other observers of the period, including the Working Party Report on
British Furniture of 1946 which he puts forward as offering the most

comprehensive evidence for the period of the four, also being the "fullest and least
classist and ideological". 12

Worden used the CMCHF as an aid to dating archive material from firms,

and found that the journal's editorials tended to support the larger entrepreneurial
manufacturers over the 13
medium and cheaper section of the market. However,
there is still much information within the articles and advertising sectionsfrom the

medium and lower-class manufacturers, and the CMCHF is the journal

acknowledged by Worden and Billam to be more influenced by commercial
reality than by fashions or trends of the time. It was primarily read, it would
seem,,by members of the furniture manufacturing and retail trade rather than the
public, although there were many articles aimed at educatingthe generalpublic to
exercise taste and judgement of fin-niture quality.
Articles, editorial commentaries and advertisementshave been usedto

amassdata on specific manufacturers in Wycombe. In particular during the 1920s

when advertising ceasedto be so prolific and specific, the coverageof exhibitions
and the manufacturer's displays was often quite detailed and revealing.
Annually during the 1920s and 1930s an October issueof the CMCHF

would be dedicated to High Wycombe and would include a synopsisof the work
of many Wycombe firms, with details of expansionsand photographsof the
factories and fin-niture. 14 Some issues focused on the developmentsof factories
in the area,but most included a write up of each firm. Latterly, images of items
by
made manufacturers were also included, sometimeswithout an accompanying
text. It is difficult to say on what basis manufacturerswere included in these
issues,but the September2nd1933 article 'High Wycombe's Invitation to Buyers'
(advertising the annual Wycombe Week show in the town) shows a map of the
firms in the Furniture Manufacturers' Federation 15. It is unknown if this included

all the members of the Federation at that time. All these firms were included in

the Wycombe issuesbut so were many others at different times. There seemsno
indication that the members of the High Wycombe Furniture Manufacturers'
Federation members had a monopoly on advertising, exhibiting, or articles in the
CMCHF. Advertisements were printed in a supplement at the back of eachissue

and until early 1916 several pages of classified categoriesof ftirniture (or related
industries) preceded these, with firms arranged alphabetically in each category.

36
With each narne came a page reference if that registered firm also had
an
advertisement in that issue's supplement. Wycombe firms appearedunder
multiple categories including the following:
Antique Carved Furniture, Bedroom Furniture, Bedsteads(wood), CabinetGoods
and
Upholstery, Chair Manufacturers,Church and Mission Chairs, Invalid Furniture
and
Carriages,Office Furniture and Requisites,Pahn Standsand Tubs, Screens,Sideboards,
Tables, Upholsterers.

It is unfortunate that Cabinet Goods are grouped in with Upholstery, as thesecan

be two very different things and the combination of terms doesnot allow for
differentiating between firms for whom upholstery was a small part of a much

more cabinet oriented business. Some relevant furniture categoriesthat Wycombe

fmns did not advertise under at any time included:
Bookcases,Caneand wicker Furniture, Card Tables, FrenchFurniture, GardenFurniture,
Mantlepieces(Wood), and School Fumiture.

The absenceof Wycombe firms in Garden Furniture is slightly surprising because

Windsor Chairs were mainly for use in the garden by the upper classesduring the
16
18'hCentury. These categoriesrefer to the 20thCentury. School Furniture is
interesting in its omission becausethere was a great drive at the beginning of the
20thCentury to provide schools for compulsory education. There was quite a lot of

work for Education Committees that generatedcontract ftirniture, which might

well have been allocated directly or indirectly (subcontracted)to Wycombe firms.

A databasewas created in Excel that included entries under different categories

for each quarter or thereaboutsduring the years 1900-1916. As well as these

classified entries, a few Wycombe firms also placed illustrated advertisements. It

was unfortunately often the casethat the supplementswere not always intact, and
pagesof advertisementswere missing. Manufacturers that might be in
entered the
classified section under several categories usually only pictured one type of
ftu-niture in their illustrated advertisements,perhaps the type they wished to be
known best for.

Twenty-seven Wycombe firms in total advertised during the 1900-1916era. Of

these 8 appear in Table 1.0, but all appear in Kelly's Directories at some point.
(The 8 are: Wni Bartlett, Wm Birch, Jas Cox, W. E. Ellis, E. Gomme, J.C. Lane,
Walter Skull, and Stanton & West) All eight had entries that could incorporate

337
work other than chair-making, but those with the most significantly diverse entries
were Bartlett, Birch, E.Gomme and Skull.
Visual evidence from illustrated advertisementsfor theseeight firms
would seem
to show the following:

o Wm. Bartlett illustrated diverse ftmiiture types, usually full-page

advertisements, and included many cabinets, sideboards,tables and occasional

furniture. This is as well as fine reproduction chairs, and fully upholstered

suites.
9 Wrn. Birch illustrations include fine reproduction and various style chairs and

upholstered suites.
* E. Gomme did not have any picture advertisementsat this time

* W. Skull illustrations show reproduction and various style chairs and

upholstered suites, sometimeswith a small table or sideboardas well.

Interestingly, Skull, and another finn B. North, only advertisedunder their
London showroom addresses.

Wycombe firms ceasedadvertising during 1916, and this was probably due to the
First World War. Indeed the Cabinetmaker publication itself changedduring this
time. The quality of paper used for the magazine was poorer, and similarly the

page size was reduced. Articles becamepredominantly about aeroplane

production and design, and most firms in Wycombe were either working on

aeroplanesor on commissions related to the war. After the First War ended
classified advertisements did not resume, and illustrated advertisementswere
limited for quite some time. Looking through the supplementarysectionsfewer
Wycombe firms were taking up this line of marketing, and very few indeed show

cabinet articles in the advertisementsif they show any illustrations at all.

38
 Table 2.3 provides information from a December 1926review of WycombeFurniture
Manufacturersin the CMCI-IF.
Firm Production of finmiture other than chairs
E. Gomme Sideboards,dining room suites
Skull Bedsteads,small tables, dressers,bureaux,benches,dining
tables, sideboards.
Frank Ellis Tables
Birch Dining Room suites
J.W.Wolf Table and sideboards
Table'2.3
Thesefmns were also involved in chair production but were the only ones of
those listed in the article to statethese other types of furniture were in
17
production.
The following January, (1927), there were descriptions of work on the standsof
firms from all over Britain exhibiting at the London exhibition. Wycombe had its

own section.
Table 2.4 Cabinet furniture referencesnoted for High Wycombe firms in the January
1927 exhibition.
Finns Non-chair fumiture mentioned
CastleBros. Show upholstery and cabinetwork chairs, dining tables,and bedsteads.
E. Gomme Sideboards,dhiing tables, hall robes,bureaux
GoodearlBros. Sideboard(one amongstmany chairs)
J.C.Lane Setteebed, fireside chair, bedsidetable
R.Tyzack Sideboard,benchesin oak
C.P.Vine Fire screens,stools,bookcases
Table 2.4

Again, although these manufacturers also made chairs, they were the only firms

amongstmany who showed cabinet work in their displays, in

albeit still the
'occasional furniture'. 18
category of

Theses and publications by other researchers.

Background reading in the area of this researchcame from a number of writers of
the period 1890-2003, most of whom are discussedin the introduction to this
thesis. The accessto unpublished dissertations was greatly facilitated by the
intemetsite htt-p:\\www.theses.com.

in
The ways which all these information sourceswere used are explored in the
in
analysis and overview the secondpart of this chapter.

REFERENCES

1Goodall, Francis, A Bibliography ofBritish BusinessHistories, (Gower, Londom 1987),p5.

2 Mr. Roy Travis worked for and with a number of High Wycombe firms after the secondWorld
War and recalled the design ledgers fi7omearlier in the century still being in use at that time.

39
' CMCHF (March 1', 1924). The leading article
outlines the dangerof direct trading. This was
before orders (even contract work) were negotiateddirectly betweenthe manufacturer
andthe
body commissioning the work. Manufacturersat this time could be wholesalersbut
4 Shaw, Gareth and Tipper, Allison BRITISH DIRECTORIES. A Bibliography not retailers.
- and Guide to
Directories published in England and Wales(1850-1950) and Scotland(1773-1950).(London:
LeicesterUniversity Press, 1988) Chapter 1.
' Personalemail correspondencewith Dr. Gareth Shaw, Exeter University,
author of British
Directories, August 2001.
6 Shaw and Tipper (1988) p23.
' Very occasionally, a businesswould be enteredin the
alphabeticalCommercialsectionbut not
included in the Trades section at all.
' Census1931 reflects that agricultural workers were the
most prominent sectionof the Wycombe
borough's workforce at that time.
9 Kelly's Directories of Buckinghamshire
1891,1895,1899,1903,1907,1911,1915,1920,1924,1928,1931,1935,1939
(Aylesbury Record Office, High Wycombe Library, both in Bucks)
Kelly's Directory of the Cabinet, Furniture and Upholstery Trades
1894,1899,1903,1907,1911,1915,1921,1931,1936
(Brown, Picton and Homby Libraries, Liverpool, British Library London, High Wycombe
Library).
10Full Directory
entries for High Wycombe fmns are included in tables in the appendices.
" Billam, Michael, The Cabinet Maker
and Complete House Furnisher" as a commentator on
developments within the British Furniture Trade 1920-1938, (V&A and RCA MA Thesis, 1986).
12Cabinet Maker
and Complete House Furnisher, (Emest Benn, London). For this study the
collection of 1895-1945 at Brown, Picton and Homby Library, Liverpool was used extensively.
13Worden, Suzette, Furniturefor the Living Room: an investigation of the interaction between
society, indust? y and design in Britainfrom 1919 to 1939 (PhD Thesis Brighton Polytechnic,
Faculty of Art and Design, Design History, 1980) introduction.
14Other issues throughout the
year might cover other areas such as Scotland and Birmingham.
The Wycombe Issues were a regular annual item for many years.
15'High Wycombe's Invitation to Buyers', CMCHF, (September 2,1933), nd p280.
16Crispin, T, 'English Windsor Chairs: A
study of known makers and regional centres' Furniture
History, (XIV, 1978) p3940 and
Goyne Evans, N., 'A History and Background of English Windsor Furniture', Furniture History
(Volw-ne X, 1979) p8.
17Tour
of Wycombe, CMCHF (October 1926), p263-268. CMCHF only appeared monthly at this
point.
18 'London Trades', CMCHF, (January 29h 1927) p271 and (February 5'h 1927), p 340-34 1,
Wycombe Section.

40
 Chapter 2, Part B
Analysis and Overview of Methodology

Data gathered on various firms, and how it was interpreted for this
study.
The products of ftu-niture manufacturersmight be categorised,and an indication
as
to their intended market estimated, in a number of ways;
1. The style or design of the fin-nitureproduced.
2. The actual items of fin-nitureproducedand what they were titled.
3. The categoriesthat manufacturerslisted themselvesunder for classified listings in the
CMCHF, and in Kelly's and other directories.
4. The timber or other materials usedand the constructionmethods.
5. The size, style and content of advertisements.
6. Exhibitions, which, when and what was shown
7. The reputation of the manufacturer,portrayed in the pressand interviews.
8. Archival information. Limited information and its interpretation.

What each of these factors might mean, given the context of the sourceof
information,, follows next.

Thestyle and design offurniture; 'Modern'and 'Reproduction'.

Billam identifies the 'modem style' with which the manufacturersof middle and
lower-class furniture broke away from the popular 'reproduction' and 'period-

adapted' styles that had dominated their work until that time (c. 1924). The
appearanceof this modem style during the inter-war period is possibly related to
the effect of the Arts and Crafts ethos on working and middle class furniture, and
is a precursor to Utility Furniture. As Goodall had stated,dating 20thCentury
furniture is difficult due to the much quicker changes,with overlaps and hybrids

of styles. Previous periods had extendedto a few years or decades,even centuries.

Also, with 'modem' furniture design changeswere of a superficial and decorative

nature. Basic structures and units remained the same so the overall look of
fin-niture changed very little during that period.
With respect to the commentary on styles of ftirniture Billam statedthat

there were discrepancieswith the CMCHF view of reproduction or 'period

adaptation' ftu-niture, narnely that the CMCHF views differ to those of outside
in
observers,especially respect to volume production. However, D. Joel (cited in

Billam's work) agreeswith the CMCHF in terms of the 1920sadaptedJacobean

41
 filling the retail shops.I Joel statesthat parents assistingfinancially in the
style
purchaseof fin-niture for young marrying couples unduly influenced the choice
towards conservative styles.
Becausereproduction styles comprised such a large proportion of the

market (estimated to be 90% of the trade prewar) they should not be discountedin
accountsof the period. The type of work reproduction work shown in the
CMCHF can sometimes be differentiated as 'period adaptation' or genuinely

crafted reproduction furniture, and in these casesthe type of work from such

manufacturing fmns can be determined more accurately.

Billwn outlined of three stagesof 'modem' furniture that might give a guide to
dating some pieces from that era. From the CMCHY he determinedthat;

The initial modem style was an 'unacceptable' squarebox construction with no

adornment at all. This was noted by the CMCBF in the higher-classfurniture
manufacturers and criticised as too harsh and severe for human comfort.
2. The secondmodified style had softer angles and was 'simplicity with a
difference.'
3. The third stagewas more eclectic, combining someelementsof the past and
to
present, and was a response a revival in interest in reproduction furniture. It
was typified with "broad smooth surfaces" veneered,with no applied carving or
mouldings. 2

Applying these criteria to the visual evidence presented in manufacturer's design

books might provide a possible date for those designs. However, Edwards feels

that this is not really an accurate option, and that materials and construction
3
techniques might be more useful in this matter. The most popular type of modem

and reproduction styles produced later in the 1930s were both of this third type

above, which came about primarily because the introduction of plywood and
lamin board. It would seem that Edwards' point about assessing on material and

construction is an objective one, but that Billam's criteria might be applied to

specific pieces of furniture to establish its reliability.

For the purposes of deciding which level of the market fin-niture was
(i.
aimed at e. lower, medium or higher class/price), most aspects of furniture style

are useful.

42
Billam's outline of the period as a whole as commentatedby the CMCIIF is as
follows:
1924-25: proto-developments"clamour for modem"
1926-28: first appearanceof "modem" furniture in the mediumclasstrade
1929-31: modem style "settling down", becomewidely established
1932-34: style seenas "mature", a period equivalent
1935-39: maturity extendedto a form of eclectic period andmodem mixture 4

However, it is difficult to extract a clear picture from the CMCHF on the position

of middle class manufacturers themselveson the production of 'modem' furniture.

Billarn points out that the CMCHF was in some part trying to influence the
industry (albeit for the good). The influences in the trade of the modem

movement, in the form of lectures, articles and photographic examplesshowing

'20thcentury furniture' published in the CMCHF during the 1920sand usedby
Billarn, are not reflected particularly in the advertisementsplaced in the journal by

manufacturersduring that decade. In other words, very little modem furniture of

any description appearsin advertisementsuntil the later 1930s. Modem style
furniture occasionally appearsin articles or profiles of manufacturersand their

work, but rarely the 'ultra' modem style. More often it was a softenedversion,
not unlike the standardconstructions of fdr-nitureto which reproduction features

were applied. It is entirely possible that firms were producing modem style
ftuniture but were reluctant to use expensive advertising spacewith limited

to
photographs show anything other than (e.
a popular style g. reproduction) or
type (e.g. chairs) of fdr-niture. Also, manufacturersmight not have consideredthe
CMCHF as a suitable spaceto advertise modem style work. 'Softened' modem
do in
suites appear cataloguesof the later 1930s,but they are interspersedwith

reproduction suites. How popular they were is difficult to gaugeat this point

without evidence.
Worden uses Pevsner's explanations of the modem styles at that time to define a
difference between extreme modem styles, that disgustedmuch of the middle and
lower class industry, and the more accessiblemodem styles that were evident and
5
becamepopular in the 1930S. Pevsner's overview in 1937 was, according to
Worden, more of a moral judgement than stylistic.
Modernistic (extreme) Jazz, Walter Gropius, unexpected jags;and angles,epitomisedin
-
the Paris Exhibition 1925.
Modem (acceptable)- fit for purpose,vitality, new, different.

43
Within this moral categorisation of fin-niture the popular reproduction / period

styles were also viewed as unacceptable,but Worden points out that the CMCH:F
editorial comments try to find a middle ground betweenthe trade favour for period
furniture and the modem movement's advocacy of a complete break from that

tradition. The Journal's editorial view was that new styles came about as a result

of that which had gone previously, and that becauseof its dominancein the shops
the majority preference for 'mixed up reproduction' must be acknowledged.6 The

main objection to that era of period furniture was that it was not a faithful
reproduction of period furniture, and that it was made with modem construction,
It
methods and materials. often incorporated features from different erasin an
incongruous manner, and applied them in a superficial way to items of furniture

that didn't exist at the period in history. In addition, featuresor details might be

applied rather than integral to the construction of the furniture in order to saveon
costs. The consensuswas that in aspiring to upper middle class values,the middle
to
and working classesaimed re-create the look of the antique ftu-niture.
Advocates of the modem movement were anxious to move away from this type of
furniture, which was felt to have little integrity and to lack quality. The integrity of
design was a matter of opinion, and the quality could only be judged in context.7
Editorials on the subject of educating the public in furniture matters seemedto

concentrateon style and taste rather than construction and fitness for purpose.
The profiles written for the CMCHF of various firms enabledthe scopeof
firm's production to be expandedon, but not the style of ftirniture made. Details

of exhibition entries did sometimes include a comment on the furniture styles

though, and this has been taken into account where possible. Whether the firms
had any influence on what was written about their exhibits is unknown. For each

exhibition covered there was an initial 'official' write-up. In the later 1930sthis

would have been followed by a closer analysis of smaller groups of exhibiting

firms. Later in the 1930s Wycombe firms were often completely left off the initial
CMCHF article covering an exhibition, but were included almost as an exclusive
in
group a subsequent issue. Why this should happen is unknown, but it might
imply a difference of opinion between Wycombe firms and either the publishers of

44
the CMCHF, or the other exhibitors, or organisersof the exhibitions. Pre WWH
Wycombe did not have good relations with other sectionsof the fimliture industry.
Examples of images and articles on the 'modem' style have beentaken
into account in an attempt to categorisefurniture that appearsin cataloguesand

advertisements. Furniture of this type did not becomeprevalent in the middle and
lower class market until the later 1930s. During the early 1920smodem-style
fin-niture was not commonly popular, but Ultra modem styles might have been

acceptedby the upper classes. As the features of modem ftu-niturebecameless

extreme, and the public became more usedto the new look, there was a gradual
acceptanceof a version of modem ftu-niture that becamemore popular in lower
and middle class furniture into the 193Os. The Social Survey (1945)
commissioned by the Council for Industrial Design discoveredthat there was a
45% preference for the dark oak traditional style wardrobe, but that 'modem
Utility -like designs were preferred by the generationup to age 34 as well as high
8 is
wage earners. This an interesting angle on who would be buying such
furniture. Both Worden and Edwards make the point that during the interwar

period, working and middle-class aspirations were towards what was perceived as
a respectablemiddle class style - that is to say someform of reproduction
9
fumiture. Middle and upper middle class purchaserswith greaterincome could

opt for better class reproduction, genuine antiques, artisan or modem furniture. If

a firm was found to be aiming for a particular class of market, then the type(s) of
finniture they manufactured might be confirmed, or vice versa. However, style

to is is
without reference construction,, subjective so perhaps not the best criterion
for analysis. This is especially so, given the primary material in this casewas

photographic images rather than actual pieces.

After World War II, the antipathy towards Utility Furniture and its

connotations of utilitarian stigma initially held back the popularity of a simpler

more modem style. More ornate styles of fin-niture, including reproduction,

becamepopular again, immediately after restrictions on ftu-niture manufacture

were lifted. During the 1950s, after the end of Utility rules, furniture retailers
found competition for the higher disposableincome of that generation with newl-,

45
available consumer durable items, such as radios, cars, and electrical goods like
refrigerators and televisions.
During the inter-war period, the working class situation improved

compared to the 1920s, with respect to education (which becamemore available),

and where employment opportunities for semi-skilled and unskilled labour in the
growing manufacturing industries also began 10
to take effect. This continued after
the SecondWorld War, and in order to keep salesup in a market of mass

production manufacturers neededto create ever-cheaperproducts to tap into the

newly available lower class markets. Once the speedof filmiture manufacturewas
by
raised massproduction methods, it becamenecessaryto find a new market as
replacing furniture was not keeping pace with the rate of manufacture. The
cheaperftu-niture would be necessarily of a lower quality, and possibly self-
perpetuating in that it would wear out and need replacing more quickly. For mass
to
production systems work there must be a 'continual market with inflexible
demand' a constant demand." This is not naturally the casefor furniture

manufacture in two respects- firstly it is not necessaryto buy furniture more than
a few times in a lifetime, and secondly the furniture industry was notably
cyclical. 12 For these it to the in
market order to
reasons was necessary expand
flourish, and the lower class market was one new area to move into.
Manufacturers who had an interest in marketing different qualities or styles

of ftu-niture as well as expanding their market took their advertising out of the
hands of the retailers, and put more effort into reaching the public directly. It was
felt that the retailers, rather than the public, imposed a conservative preferencefor

reproduction furniture. Finns that had establishedtheir own brand of ftu-niture

advertisednationally in the media, forcing retailers to stock their goods by the

demandthey incurred. 13 As an example of the successof investment in branding

and marketing nationally, Parker Knoll, G Plan, and Ercol were three in the top 10

known brand names in the Mintel survey of 1972.14The company of Fred Parker

used the Parker Knoll identity for their more modem sprung upholstered range,
keeping the Frederick Parker identity for their more traditional work. Similarly E.
Gomme used the name G Plan for their modem ranges,and Furniture Industries

used the Ercol trademark for theirs. This distancing from the traditional reputation,

46
by establishing a separateidentity as it were, enabledmore modem designsand

models to become popular without compromising previous and continuing

successes.Advertising and style articles in women's magazinesof the 1950s,in
conjunction with exposure on television, enabledmodem styles to become more
rapidly acceptedtowards the end of that decade. 15 Style, therefore, would be a
less objective guide to the intended market of filmiture made after the end of
World War 11given the rapidly expanding and merging middle and lower class

markets that were acquiring the same 'look' or style but at different prices and
qualities.

The actual items offurniture produced and what they were titled
The middle class values mentioned in the previous section extend to the type of
furniture made as well as the style. Worden and Edwardsboth identify certain

types of furniture made. The type of furniture bought was dependenton its
functions in the home. Smaller housesnecessitatedthe optimal use of spaceand

multipurpose ftu-niture was an answer to the reduced living space.

Edwards identified the following at the turn of the century (I 900s) as

representativeof the typical furnishings purchasedby the increasing lower to

middle class market. 16

Windsor chairs ("made at High Wycombe and its environs" 17

Seven piece suite, incorporating sofa, two easychairs and four dining chairs.
Oak or satin walnut bedroom suites
Oak or walnut sideboards
Common deal furniture, pine, usually painted (this latter was in a classof its own)

Worden identified these types of fin-niture as popular before World War I and
during the inter-war period, waning towards the mid to late 1930s. 18

0 Three-piece suites, fully upholsteredincorporating settee/sofaand two easychairs

Dining suites of sideboard,table and four or six dining chairs
-and specifically during the 1920sand 1930s
Fireside chairs 19

Worden also noted different types of chairs;

Easy chair - fully upholsteredand sprung. Castors or stumpy feet. Squareor round in
construction. As often as not part of a three-piecesuite.

47
 Fireside chair - wooden arms. Upholsteredseatand back. Loose cushioned
seat,sometimesa
loose cushionedback as well. Tension spring or ply base.Slatsor panels
under arms. Short
legs (less than 8"). Oak was favoured for construction. More popular in the 1930s
than 1920s.
Adjustable chair - somewherebetweenthe previous two with woodenarms. Heavier than
a
fireside chair due to the mechanism.
Dining Chair - drop in seat 18" high. Carvershad woodenarmsincorporatedinto the design.
Occasional chair - betweena fireside and a dining chair. Included in this category
were
bridge and gossipchairs. A smart version of a dining chair with lightly upholsteredseat
and
back.

Three-piece suites were a way of showing opulence, and as well as being a

measureof disposable income they were an example of the increasedleisure time

of the owner. The matching suite of fully upholstered fumiture was a middle and
working class emulation of the upper class style of fimlishing towards the end of
the 19thCentury. Worden's discussion of room usageand its changesduring the

period 1919-1939 show that the three-piece suite had a strong role to play as a
convenient, affordable and useful acquisition for the (converging) middle and
working classpopulation. Convenient becauseit fitted into the size and shapeof
the living room, and could be placed around the hearth. Affordable in that a settee

was almost as cheap to manufacture as an easy chair, and a suite was actually 5
seatsin three items of furniture. Useful, in that convertible setteescould also
double as beds, and the suite could be for informal relaxation and for formal

entertaining. Within the of it

craft upholstery was easyto createvariety with the
cover fabric and trim, and yet maintain a set of standardshapesfor the form of the
chairs, again keeping costs down. A three-piece suite would suit a home that had

for
space such a large piece of furniture. This meant that in the earlier part of the
twentieth century a working class, two up two down type household would either
have room for a three-piece upholstered suite, or a dining suite, but not both.

Worden wrote at length of the "universal plan" for houses,a common

in
structure the middle and working class home in which there is a kitchen area
(cooking and washing), a living/dining room (where the hearth is a separateheat

source to that in the kitchen is

and not used for cooking), and a dining room/
be from two 20
parlour. The evolution of this room system can explained angles.
Nineteenth century middle class families commonly had several rooms, eachused
for a particular specific function. During the twentieth century the size of houses

48
 was reduced and the need for extra rooms for servantseliminated (as were the
servants). The living room was a result of amalgamatingthe functions of the
dining room, drawing room, morning room and parlour of the ground floor.
Working class families, on the other hand, commonly had only one two
or
downstairs rooms, one of which was the kitchen in which cooking, eating
and
often laundry and washing took place. An additional third room - previously
perhapsonly a scullery, could become the cooking room/ kitchen if large enough,
and eating then took in
place a secondroom, enabling the third room to be
available for formal or informal use. In either of thesecases,whichever room had
the secondaryheat source (separatefrom the kitchen/ cooking heat source)became
the living room. If eating occurred in the third (usually front) room thesewould
becomerespectively the living room and dining room. If eating took place in the

second(back) room then they would becomerespectively the living/dining (back)

room and lounge/parlour/sitting room (front). This living/dining areain part
explains the evolution of the fireside chair, of which more in this chapter.
The Tudor Walters Committee report of 1918 explored optimum designs
for both one and two day room houses, advocating that the latter (parlour type
21
houses)were preferable for family living. It was also suggestedthat cooking

should be moved from the living room to the scullery, and that the scullery should
be expandedto accommodatethis with laundry work being moved elsewhere.
The review of user studies at the Building ResearchStation in 1966 found that

although these guidelines were advocated, they hadn't particularly come into play
during the intervening years. At that time 45% of housing in their surveyswas of

the 'inter-war non-parlour' (single dayroom) type with living-room cooking

facilities and this was still the most common layout for post-war (World War II)
housing (both private and Local Authority). 77 A further 10% was of the single
dayroom type, with cooking moved into a larger kitchen. Post-war style houses

with the living-room partly or completely divided to form two, dayrooms,with a

working kitchen, formed 25% of the survey, and the inter-war parlour-type with
two day-rooms (living/dining for
and parlour) accounted a further 15%. The

remaining 5% were traditional cottage type with cooking in kitchen/living-room

and a separatesitting room. So 50% of housing was still single-dayroom in 1966.

49

LIN!%
However, the preferencefor two dayrooms or living areaswas widespread.
and the
demand for a larger kitchen was greater than the provision in Local Authority
23
housing. The ftu-nishing of one and two dayroorn housesdiffered little,
with
only occasional tables significantly less in
evident the foriner. 24
Table 2.5 showsthe percentageof furniture representedin working and middle classhousing in
the Hole and Attenburrow researchof 1966.
Furniture present 1 Dayroom 2 Dayrooms
Dining suite 86% 85%
3 piece suite 77% 76%
Occasional table 54% 68%
TV 30% 30%
Piano 8% 10%
Miscellaneous 54% 60%
Table 2.5
The aspirations and need for the two living-room layout, with cooking (and some

non-formal meals) taking place in larger kitchens separatefrom the living area,
was evident, even if the housing provision did not always reflect this.
The terminology used to name rooms would signify classin the following way.

Middle class/middle classaspirations;

Lounge, parlour, sitting room, dining room, scullery (if functioning separatelyas a kitchen from the
living room)

Working class;
Living room, kitchen (if usedas a living room as well)

Hence referencessuch as drawing room, parlour, lounge, or referencesto any kind

of occasional ftu-niture used in those rooms would indicate the higher end of the
market.

Dining Suites commonly had an extending table, useful in smaller rooms, with a
dual purpose of living/dining, and could seatbetween 4 and 6 people. Dining

chairs were simple upholstered seat chairs with carving to match other pieces.
The sideboard was the most prominent piece of the set, a focal point for display

that rivalled the mantelpiece. 1920s sideboardswere commonly symmetrical,

with two or three drawers aligned horizontally above two or three cupboards,or
drawers an-angedin a vertical row central to two cupboards. They were usually of

a reproduction style or had period features, between four and eight legs, with

stretchers. In the 1930s sideboardswere more likely to have a carcaseor plinth to

50
the floor,, or very small, uncarved feet, which allowed the carcase to extend
downwards and thereby increased the storage volume. Doors were more likely to

be flush than fltted, and made from veneered panels of ply or lamin board. There

were fewer decorative features in terms of carving or turning, but more

concentration on pattern, texture, proportion and shape. Veneers were used more
decoratively as simple panels rather than complicated marqueterie. During these

two decades the status of the sideboard remained the same, mainly for storing non

perishable foods, tableware, some china and glassware. Worden points out that

this functional piece of finmiture was difficult to replace in a 'servantless house',

hence its continuing popularity in various forms. Unit furniture for the living

room has often been some sort of extension of the sideboard, either physically, or
in fimctional terms. Dining suites could be of any class of work, but were

generally not working class or kitchen quality furniture. Purchase of a dining suite

indicated for in kitchen itself. 25

possibly a room eating other than the

The forerunner of three-piece suites and dining suites, was the sevenpiece suite
identified by Edwards, which would have only been possible for middle class
families to purchase for quite large rooms.

The fireside chair arosefrom a need for a light, cheap,comfortable chair required
for use in homes of two different types. There were two situations for its use:
1. there was only one living/dining room and the fireside chair was an addition to

the dining furniture but a less bulky and expensive option to fully upholstered
ftu-niture,or
2. there were two rooms in addition to the kitchen but the secondroom was 'kept
for best'. The living activities were again in the living/dining areaand fireside
in living room, to the upholsteredsuite in
chairs were a cheap supplement, the
the 'front room'.

Fireside chairs appearedin the 1920s but were more popular in the 1930s. They

less likely to be of a period style since they were a new piece of furniture
were
altogether, and were a responseto a functional requirement rather than a social

51
 need. They would be classedas a lower to lower-middle class item of furniture.
The fireside chair was the modem equivalent of caneand rush seatedfimliture.
having the same qualities of lightness of structure and economy in materials
and
price. A manufacturer producing fireside chairs might be regardedas quite
modem, with the ability to accept new components,structuresand styles in order
to key into a new market niche.

Neither Worden nor Edwards look at bedroom suites in any detail.

Worden omits bedroom ftu-niture on account of her focus being living room
ftuniture. The classified listings of manufacturersthat appearedin the CMCHF
between 1900 and 1916 include two categoriesin this area: Bedroom Furniture,

and Bedsteads. The firm of Wm. Birch had entries as manufacturersof Bedroom
Furniture and Bedsteadsbetween 1904 and 1916. There were three other
Wycombe firms listed as Bedsteadmanufacturers,out of 27 that appearedin the
listings. Of the High Wycombe manufacturers showing at exhibitions publicised
in the CMCHF during the period 1920 -1939, only two mention bedroom suites as

part of their repertoire, these being Nichols and Janesin 1924 and E. Gomme in
26
1929. Many more firms mention bedsteadsas a single item within a range of
ftu-niture, usually quite a good range indicating diverse cabinet making production,

albeit mostly occasional fin-niture. Bedroom furniture is perhapssignificant only

when indicated as part of a larger repertoire of furniture items. It was apparently
an important step for a firm to be to
able state that they could ftu-nishthe home

completely, and such a claim would be an indication of the firm's size and market
capability. Even if a manufacturer was found to be contracting some of the work
out they were still acting in the role of a wholesale manufacturer,which indicated

a particular size of turnover and manufacturing capability.

Dining suites and three-piece suites are explored at length by Worden, and
their importance was noted by the Working Party Report (1946) in that 2/3 of

people surveyed preferred suites of ftniiiture rather than individual items, although
the report did not favour suites as a style of furnishing.
These categories of furniture, (dining suites, bedroom suites, fireside

chairs etc.), identified by Worden by

and Edwards, are corroborated advertising in

52
the CMCHF at the dates studied. The main types of ftuniture outlined by Worden

as being popular before World War II were still available after the War, and to a
great extent those categoriescontinued to be popular throughout the 1950sand
1960s,particularly amongst the more conservative areasof the trade.
Suites were eventually supplementedby unit furniture, which was a natural

progression from suites. Unit furniture (also known as Modular ftirniture) became
a
popular as result of a decreasedsize of living-room space,rather than as a design
ethos as extolled by the Bauhaus movement. Modular furniture had also been
suggestedas a practical way forward, and an alternative to suites of furniture, in
the Working Party Report. Some firms engagedin modular furniture production

as a means of extending the market purchases. Most notable in this areais E.

Gommes and the G Plan range. Items from the G Plan sets,originally designedin

the 1950s,continue to be made today enabling purchasersto continue to buy and

add to their selection of furniture, as suits their spaceand circumstances,over

many years. Again, like most new styles, modular furniture of this type was at
first only part of the middle and high quality market. G Plan was notable for being

to
accessible a greater breadth of the market, and this is perhapsbecauseof the
precedenceof Utility furniture, which over a period broke the tradition of the
fashions furniture. 27 G Plan was also launched from the
slow-moving of
beginning with a national advertising campaign.

Categories that manufacturers were listed under. Classified listings in the

CMCHF, and in Kelly's and other directories.

Manufacturers had a number of outlets with which to make themselvesand their

specialities and reputations known. Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth

century there were directories for the trade and retailers to consult, the most
relevant of those in this case being Kelly's directories. As mentioned previously,
the directories came in local (sorted alphabetical by towns within counties) and

national types (in trade specific volumes, sorted by county). Manufacturers were

apparently given the first entry within a manufacturing category free, but

subsequententries under other categories were for a fee. Categoriesrelated to

53
types of ftu-niture manufactured, and in the early 20thCentury often related to

component production for lower class work. Most specifically this ", as the case
for WindsorChair manufacture.
Table 2.6 shows categoriesof furniture appearingin KeRy's and other local Directories for
High Wycombe firms.

Classof work Classified categoriesof fin-niturefum in KeHy's and other Local directories
L *Chair back makers
L *Chair leg manufacturers
L *Chair seatmanufacturers
L *Chair Tumers (prolific in late 19tbC, tailing off into the 1920s)
L, M Chair Manufacturers
L,M Adjustable fin-nituremanufacturer
M, H Antique fumiture reproduction
M, H Art Furniture Manufacturer
Bedroom Fumiture Manufacturer
BedsteadManufacturer
Bentwood furniture manufacturer
m CabinetMakers - art
CabinetMakers - retail
28
Cabinet Makers - wholesale
Chair frame manufacturers
Chair Spring manufacturer(1931 first appearance)
C Church Fittings and furniture manufacturers
Furniture Manufacturer (from 1911onwards,rather generalterin)
Invalid furniture manufacturers
M, H Music seatand cabinetmanufacturers
C Office fumiture manufacturers
Upholsterers
Upholsterers- retail
Upholsterers- wholesale
M, H Wood carvers
L, M, H Wood turners
Table 2.6

Key to table 2.6 L= Lower, M= Middle, H= High classmarket. C= batch/mass

production which could also be construedas Contract work. Classis only noted where
definite for thoseterms, terms with no classnoted can be taken asrather ambiguous.

The term lower-class is used to denote terms that would indicate cheaperfurniture

types more likely to be used by working class families. Middle-class denotesthe

terminology and types of Ru-niture in
used more affluent homes, if
even the
ftu-niture only emulated the style and construction methods of high-class work.
High-class furniture would have been well made, using more expensivetimber,

materials and techniques than the middle and lower-class items.

The terms prefixed * are those activities allied to the manufactureof Windsor
29
chairsandrelatedftmiiture. Windsor chair making,andthe productionof

54
cheapermassproduced chairs are an areathat has previously been examinedat
length in other studies. The terminology of upper and lower class
work usedin
this study reflects the vocabulary of the era, a demarcationwhich becameless
distinct as the twentieth century wore on.

As this study investigates other forms of furniture manufactureand cabinet

making in High Wycombe, and that town's status in the fumiture industry
generally, firms whose sole manufacturing output was of this nature were not
studied so closely. These * prefixed categorieswere far more prolific in the late
nineteenthcentury and early twentieth century than any others, and declinedto
almost no entries after World War III. Many of thesetraditional Windsor chair
craft skills are now specialist areas,with few practitioners servicing a small
market of purchaserswilling to pay for what is now an expensiveproduct.
Table 2.7 showsClassified Categoriesused for advertising in the CabinetMaker and Complete
HouseFurnishermagazine(until 1916), in which Wycombe fwm appear."

Class Items of fiimiture/ titles of classification categoryin CMCHF

M, H Antique/ Antique carved ftimiture
M, H Cabinet Goods and Upholstery 31
L, M Chair manufacturers
Upholsterers
Sideboards
Screens
c Church and Mission Chairs
Bedroom Furniture/ Bedsteads
Tables
Extending Tables
c Office furniture
ý- ::: ] Invalid furniture
and carriages
I Plant stands
Table 2.7 (Those terms with a# were still in useafter 1924)

55
 Table 2.8 showsthe titles of types of ftirniture usedin exhibition
articles,and usedb-Y
manufacturersthemselvesin advertisementsin the CMCHF from 1921.32

Class Item of fin-nitureusedin Exhibition articles in CMCHF

#Adjustable chairs
#Cabinets
#Cafd and restaurantchairs
L #Chairs, chai-rmanufacturing
#Dining furniture
#Dining room chairs
LM #Fireside chairs (193Osa.k.a. hearth chair, lounge chair M)
LM #Reproductionfurniture
#Upholstery, upholsteredgoods
L "All types of chairs"
m Art chairs
Bedroom furniture, bedsteads,bedroomsuites
3T -
N4H? Bergere chairs/ suites
MH Bureaux, bookcases
MIH Cabinet goods
Dining suites
Diiiing tables(often in conjunction with types of chairs)
m Drawing room chairs
M, H Drawing room suites
M, H Dressers
Extending tables
Frames- for sale to upholsterers
L Hardwood cottage chairs farmhousechairs (Windsor)
Invalid fimiiture and chairs
D furniture
L _K.
Kitchen, Hall and church chairs
m Lamp stands,palin stands,plant stands
M, H Occasionalchairs
C Office chairs
m Setteebeds,adjustablechairs
Settees
LM Sideboards
M, H Small cabinetgoods
M, H Small tables
Tables
LM Tbree-piecesuites
Upholsteredeasychairs
Upholsteredsuites
L Windsor, caneand rush
Table 2.8

The terns used in these tables could be construed as denoting a particular classof

work in some instance. The more specific exhibition articles and featuresdid use

much of this kind of language,but it was seenless in the documentation of actual

firms.

56
 The timber or other materials used and the construction.
Hardwood has always been preferred for furniture of quality. During the first half

of the twentieth century, kitchen ftu-niture or that type of functional furniture was
generally made from deal or similar harder softwood. The cheapert)-pesof chairs
such as Windsors, cane and rush seatedchairs, were made from locally-grown
hardwoods as the nature of craft industries and transportation dictated. These

would most commonly have been beech (especially in the Wycombe area) for

turnings and steam bent components,elm mostly for shapedseats34,yew and

fruitwoods might be used for smaller turnings, arms, legs or splatsas thesetrees

yielded wood of lesser girth than the aforementionedtypes. Oak was often used
when available, as it was strong and durable. For middle and lower quality
furniture oak and walnut were very popular even into the 1930s,and much of the

reproduction furniture was made from one or other of these. Mahogany was also
used quite often, with the prices in rangesof the sametype of ftu-niturebeing most
costly in mahogany, cheapestin oak, and walnut being priced betweenthe two.
Mahogany and walnut would of course reflect the period furniture that was being

emulatedrather better than oak, except in the caseof gothic or Elizabethanstyles.

Higher-class furniture would have been made from these timbers, but perhaps
better quality cuts. Other woods used for better class furniture include satinwood
(particularly for reproduction work of traditional construction), and a variety of
Empire timbers which were sometimes re-named for similar looking traditional

timbers. More exotic looking empire timbers were particularly useddecoratively

after the Second World War, partly becauseof the shortageof traditional timbers.
Empire timbers were also used becausethey were a departure from Utility
furniture (which was made from oak and mahogany), also becausethe Forestry
Products ResearchLaboratory (FPRL) had conducted a considerableamount of

researchinto the performance of such timbers. The Department for Scienceand

Industrial Researchwas actively promoting the use of them, using the FPRL for

this purpose.
The post-war buying public had a preference for lighter, warmer coloured

timber, and finishes in a variety of tints mentioned in CMCHF adverts and articles

reflect this. Worden, in turn, also notes these timber preferences.

57
 Edwards looks at the use of new timber products (such
as plywood,
hardboard, laminates etc.) in the light of the unsuitability of solid timber for
ftmiiture. He points out that wood is an inherently unstable material,
vulnerable to
moisture and temperature, but that the 'use of modem materials to imitate
traditional ones rather than be used in a novel way clearly sayssomething about
35
the market'. The author feels that there is a close relationship betweenpeople
and the furniture used close to the body - in particular chairs, and that a continued
public preference for solid timber might not havejust been due to conservative
taste. Even in furniture that does not need to conform to the body directly, and

can be constructed of flat sections, there is a restriction to the shapeand fonn

when using manufactured sheetmaterials like laminated boards. Materials such as
timber that can be formed into complex curves that acceptthe body more readily,

and yet still reflect their previous existence,might be expectedto be preferred. At

this period in time, whilst board materials were available, they were usedmainly
in sheets,not creatively formed in three dimensions.

Changesin housing conditions and heating did mean that some

contemporary methods of furniture manufacture were vulnerable to climate

36
change. Modem materials themselves,such as ply, lamin board, and Medium
Density Fibreboard (MDF) are stable in the centrally heatedenvironment. This
heating system, and improved insulation, lowered the humidity in homes in
Britain. Whilst this meant a more stable environment for fin-niture,,the

temperatureand humidity transition from workshop to home could make

problems. Solid timber, if used in traditional jointing techniques,can adaptto

humidity changes. Unfortunately the manufacturing processesfor solid timber are

more expensive, in terms of labour and material, so are prohibitive for

manufacture at prices that the public wish to pay. Once it was seenthat
manufactured board material was stable without requiring the structuresthat solid
timber demanded,the designs of furniture changedaccordingly. Flat panels for

carcassconstruction,,without the fimning or floating panels, becamethe norm. A

stable structure that does not require accommodation of solid timber would seem
the best of both worlds.

58
Man-made materials and boardproducts. 37

Edwards, in particular of the authors cited in this study, wrote at length about the
developmentsof new materials in the twentieth century, and theseare reviewed
here.

Plywood is flat or curve-form sheetmaterial made from layers of wood veneer

placed with the grain at right anglesto that of the adjacent layer(s). From the
surfaceit looked liked solid timber, whilst the interior layers could be veneercut
from sound but unattractive timber. Thin componentscould be made from ply

without the risk of fracture inherent in solid timber. Larger sectionsremainedflat

and stable in adverseconditions. The real advancesin plywood technology came
during World War 11with acceleratedresearchinto adhesivesand gluing

techniquesfor use in aeroplanemanufacture, which of course demandedexcellent

structural performance. Prior to this there had been great resistanceto the use of
it
plywood as was thought to be inferior to solid timber, and it is probable that
much of the ply available was of poor quality and ungraded. Publicity of its use in

the war, and improvements in manufacture made it more desirable and affordable.
Unfortunately, as Edwards points out, new materials were not used in ways that

reflected their unique qualities, but in

more often ways that simply emulated
previous contemporary techniques, materials, or styles. Plywood's capabilities for

moulded forms and strong but minimal structureswere not greatly exploited in

furniture until the 1960s. This might partly have been becauseinvestment in new

equipment and moulds was prohibitively expensive, whereas the purchaseof

to
preparedsheetmaterial simply replace solid timber boards in somecomponents

was not such a departure. Initially use of plywood was not publicised, and using it

as a replacement for in
solid timber veneeredpanels would render its detection

difficult. Its presencein manufacturer's ordering ledgers indicates a changein

manufacturing methods and attitudes, particularly when compared to the items of

the time, the Plywood box-like construction lent itself

manufacture at and style.
to
well modem style ftm-fiture, or rather the availability of ply allowed the modem

style to develop. Later (I 970s onwards) ply became superseded by cheaperand

59
poorer structural quality board materials, such as chipboard or hardboard,,and use
of quality ply or blockboard at that time would indicate better classwork.
Laminate board material is constructed of layers of veneerswith the
grain
running in the same direction (unlike plywood), enabling lightweight but strong
curved sections to be formed without the unpredictable structural failures that
stearnbending solid timber could produce. Thonet successfullyusedthis steam-
bending technique in some of his company's constructions,but steambending was

never a major manufacturing technique in Wycombe. As with ply, improvements

in adhesivesduring the 1920smade a huge difference to the quality of laminates

and ply. A notable use of laminate board in Wycombe was the Parker Knoll

woven chair, designed in the 1990s by architect Franz Gehring.

Laminate board or laminboard, was initially constructedof solid wood

stnps between 25 and 30mm thick initially. Later componentswere as thin as

3mm, glued together to form a wide panel, covered overall with a veneersurface.
This allowed small strips of timber to createa large panel without the needfor
jointing. This material does respond to moisture and temperaturein the sameway

as solid timber, but the solid core was stabilised by its laminations and by the
38 It also had the benefit of being light, the be
veneersurface. very as core could
softwood which had the added benefit of reducing cost. Quality of laminboard
varied greatly depending on what was inside, it
and whether was solidly put
together, but generally it would have been of lesser quality than plywood.
Particle board and hardboard are both createdfrom small chips of
timber glued together to form sheetsthat can be cut like solid timber. Particle
board, also known at chip-board, comes in gradesaccording to the quality. Its

strength lies in smaller particles forming the outer surface, and once pierced the
is
strength compromised. It does not function well without support, but does

serve as a panel material, particularly when veneered. Much cheaperthan ply, it

does not have the same structural capablities. Hardboard, made from smaller

particles than is
chip-board, also thinner. It does in
come many grades,and
although structurally quite weak, it too It
served as a panel material. replacedply
panels in Utility furniture towards the end of World War II. The presenceof

60
particle board or hard board really indicates lower-class ftu-niture,but evidenceof
its use would be concealed for this reason.

Thesize, style and content ofadvertisements.

From 1890 until World War H, the basic layout of the CMCHF did not change
dramatically. The front section was prefaced by a few advertisements,followed
by the main editorial of the issue, the first page of which included a short index to

the main articles. Other articles followed, and the back section was fully given

over to advertising. This was labelled as a supplementand page numbering was in

roman numerals to differentiate it from the main body of the journal. The

advertising pageswere prefaced with a classified index of advertisersfollowed by

an alphabetical index of advertisers. The classified index was discontinuedafter
1916,,leaving only the alphabetical index and the actual advertisements
themselves. The advertising section comprised about half of each issue,and the
indexes were a useful way of searchingthesepages.
The Liverpool Public Library collection of the CMCBF, housedat Picton
Library, is bound together in one year or six-month collections of issues, with the

advertising supplement kept together in the second half of each book. It is clear
from the indexes that not all the advertising pages have been preserved, and that

not all the page numbering is accurate. These two factors indicate that the data

collected for some manufacturer's advertising histories is incomplete. Even so, a

great number of advertisements have been collected and show the evolution of

advertising in the CMCHF. Where possible, photocopies of the advertisements

taken. 39
were
During the 1890s and 1900sadvertisementsin the CMCHF were usually '/4

or V2pagesize, and if images were included they were engravedpictures rather

than photographs. Often these were not images of products, but simply decorative

motifs. The by
adverts were placed a mixture of manufacturers and suppliers to

the industry, not retailers, and seemto indicate that the publication was for

members of the industry rather than the consumer. There were only three

Wycombe manufacturersthat actually placed advertisementsin the supplement

until 1916, and they were Wm. Bartlett, W Birch, and B North. Many more

61
 manufacturersappearedin the classified and alphabetical indexes Aithout placing
By
advertisements. 1905 adverts included photographs of items of ftmfiture,
usually devoid of any background setting. This type of image continued until well
into the 1930s, and perhaps reflects the arrangementsin showroomsat that time

which did not include room settings for ftu-niture. Smaller adverts were more
prevalent from 1917 onwards, sometimes as small as 1/16of a page. Thesevery

small ads often included a small photographic image. They were predominantly
from manufacturersof chairs, offering "discount for quantities", "cheapest

possible chairs" or similar. The firm of H. Anderson was a casein point, placing
what amounted to the same 1/8page advertisementregularly between 1925 and
1939. Obviously this must have been a successfuloutlay for the firm.
There were no adverts placed by High Wycombe firms during the years
1919 and 1920, in the aftermath of World War 1. The Wycombe advertisements

placed during that War were surprisingly unchangedfrom those prior. Other
advertising did alter, becoming more oriented towards material supplies,and glues
in particular. In spite of being involved in war work, Wycombe's business

seemedfar less affected by World War I than by World War H. A number of

firms were engagedin some aspect of aeroplanemanufacture, but the majority

received contracts for chairs and other military requirements such as tent pegs,
munition boxes, and hospital equipment. Advertising by Wycombe firms resumed
in 1921, with Bartlett and Birch being joined by many more manufacturersplacing

similar and smaller size adverts. After a surge in the number of adverts in 1921,

the following three years saw far fewer Wycombe firms advertising. From 1924
the adverts placed by Wycombe manufacturersmostly took the form of V4pageor
less, with a majority offering lower priced or lower quality chair work. This

continued with a brief increase in size during late 1929 and 1930, followed by a
decreasein the number of adverts placed in the rest of that decade,reflecting the
1930seconomic depression. Many more firms were registered in the alphabetical
index, yet did not advertise in the supplement at all. In a bid to gain more custom,

adverts gradually came to include more text, and used more diverse terminology

than previously. In the later 1930s, some manufacturers began to use the same

advertisement on a regular basis. Around this time there were a number of firms

62
using brand names or variations of the manufacturer name applied to a particular
line of furniture. This branding, coupled with national advertising, was partly in

order to sidestepthe retailers and take more control of marketing to the public.
This was an ongoing issue during the 1930s,and was a particular part of the
discussionssurrounding direct trading to the public.
The data from the advertisementsplaced by Wycombe firms in the
CMCHF has been compiled as an excel databasewith the headings:
Name of manufacturer
Size of advert
Brief synopsisof the advert (including quotesof specific relevanttext)
Year of advert
Month of advert.

Thesewere sorted on the year of advert to provide an overview of the advertising

by
patternsyear year. They were also sorted separatelyto provide a synopsisfor
eachmanufacturer,,which proved a useful comparisonwith similarly compiled
data on exhibitions. A similar databaseof the furniture manufacturecategoriesfor

eachWycombe manufacturer appearing in the CMCHF classified listings was also

created. The data was begun in 1894, and taken until 1916 when the classified list

ceasedto appear.

The nolesale Furniture Trades Exhibition and the British Industries Fair.
During the inter-war period there were two major national exhibitions for the
ftu-nituretrade, held annually and covered in the CMCHF. Thesewere the
Wholesale Furniture Trades Exhibition (WFTEx), and the British Industries Fair
(BIF), both during the early part of the year. There were other more local

exhibitions in different areasthroughout the year, also covered by CMCHF, but

the WFTEx and the BIF were the main national exhibitions. These featured most

prominently from 1921 onwards, but the WFTEx had been run at least since 1892
40and incorporated ftu-niture manufacturers only. The BIF included a much wider

spreadof industries.
Dates for the commencementof these exhibitions are not certain, but

for the BIF in the British Library Public Catalogue (BLPQ range from
references
1915 (catalogue), through 1916,1939, to 1953 (exhibitions advisory committee

63
review). Similar referenceson the BLPC for the WFTEx include the dates 1883

and 1950.

For a considerablepart of the 1920svery few Wycombe firms presented

work at the BIE, and there was little coverage of that exhibition in the CMCHF. A
number of Wycombe businessesdid show at the WFTEx during the 1920s. From
1931 onwards the BIF became steadily more popular for Wycombe firms to

exhibit at,,with a number showing at WFTEx as well, but interest in the WFTEx
tailed off considerably.
An article in the August 1932 CMCHF accusedWycombe of having an

active policy of supporting the BIF, over the WFTEX, taking evidencefrom the
41
1933 booking listS. The list of manufacturers appearingin that article as booked

to appearfor the 1933 BIF seemsto comprise of membersof the High Wycombe
District Furniture Manufacturer's Federation, also noted in CMCHF editorials.42

Mr. W. J. Winter Taylor, Secretaryof the Federation, denied that there was a

consensusbetween that group to boycott the WFTEx. The 21 January 1933 front

page editorial on the Olympia WFTEx stated:

"There are 226 exhibitors, and if accountis taken - as it shouldbe - of the very important

abstentionof High Wycombe from the show, the volume of manufacturingpower as

by is " 43
exemplified the stands even more Striking.

This also emphasisesthe national importance of High Wycombe.

During 1933 nine Wycombe manufacturers exhibited at both the BIF and
WFTEx. Twenty-three in total went to the BIF and sixteen to the WFTEx-
However, six of the nine chose the SeptemberWFTEx and not the Januaryshow,

with the BIF coming straight afterwards in February. This bears out the idea that

favoured at this point, and confirms the reasonsset out for

neither exhibition was
showing at the BIF by Mr. Winter Taylor on May 27:

a) That trade being as it was, they were not in favour of two exhibitions
b) That the date of the Trade Exhibition was not suitable to them as manufacturers,andthat
the accommodationoffered there for 1933 was anything but satisfactory
C) That the BEFoffered possibilities which they decided to test
d) To apply individually to the authorities for "
space.
64
In a letter to the CMCHF in February 1933 Mr. G. D. Smith pointed out that the
firms were 'abandoning [his] forty year old Furniture TradesExhibition' on

account of 'lack of preferential treatment', and that the BIF chargedup to 40%
more to allow exhibitors free choice of exhibiting space. Another letter in the
sameissue pointed out that the BIF was encouragingDirect Trading, with public

entry to the exhibition, which was perhapsthe more significant element in

45 The Wycombe firms
manufacturers' choices. number of exhibiting at the
WFTEx continued to drop during the 1930sas the public continuedto be

excluded. The High Wycombe companies continuing to show at the WFTEx

included Furniture Industries (Ercol) and their subsidiary W Skull, and Goodearl.
Bros and their associatecompany Risboro Furniture Ltd. This is interesting
becauseErcol and Risboro,were branded names,and therefore would have been
interestedin direct trading. However, they also exhibited at the BIF every year, so

this is indicative of the broader aims of those companies.

The reputation ofthe manufacturer, portrayed in thepress and interviews.

Wycombe Special Issues,which occurred most years in an October issue of the
CMCHF between 1921 and 1938, were dedicatedto some aspectof the town's
furniture manufacturing industry. On a couple of occasionsthe factory premises

were the main focus. Usually, however, the information presentedon individual

firms was in the form of descriptions of furniture made, and commentson the
Some issues included photographsof items from
conditions of trade generally.
some manufacturers. Occasionally short articles were also printed on individual

firms, and where found, information from these has also been included in the

separatesections on those manufacturers.

Archive material, held by manufacturers and other institutions.

Sourcesof archive and primary material included records from retailers and
individuals listed in company ledgers and correspondencerelating to orders, and
lists of retail outlets stocking branded ranges. The retailing lists related to post

H
World War so were not so relevant for this study, but were an indication of

65
 continuing manufacturing success. Information of this nature has been
fragmentary and difficult to date and in some casesthere is doubt to
as which firm
the documents belonged to. However, this type of material is useful in context

with other information.

The author has highlighted a number of firms as worth ftu-ther
investigation becauseof evidence of their cabinet ftu-nituremanufacture. The
directory entries are not so comprehensive, and less precise, in the years
after the
secondWar. There are a number of firms,, examined here, who continued to do
business,,and material for their post-war work has not beenpresentedexcept
as an
indication of their continued success.
Goodall points out three problems that businesshistorians face: what

grounds there are for comparability between two firms; how many studiesmake a
4W--
convincing case;and how does a local study relate to the national perspective.
In the caseof this study, a comparison of the firms William Bartlett and Walter
Birch were justified for the following reasons.
" The similar times but differing entries in directories and advertisingby thosetwo companies.
" The similar nature and quantity of material available for them both.
" The longevity and contemporaryexistenceof the two firms.
" The strengthof their reputationsfor a particular Idnd of furniture.

The results of such a comparison would possibly show an interpretation (or

otherwise) of such data comparisons from Kelly's Directory entries.

There is such a variation in the quantity and quality of data available for
individual firms that in some instanceslittle conclusion can be made. In those

casesresearchmaterial was gatheredtogether to facilitate future study, when the

original data might no longer exist. For that reason some inconclusive
information is included in the appendices.
Much of the information found on High Wycombe Manufacturers and their

cabinet furniture for this chapter is visual. Copies of photographsand

advertisementswere gathered with some notes on the source and date of the
images (when possible). It seemslogical to present the information in the form of

a synopsis for each firm investigated to

and, where possible, show other data

gathered in the chronological context. Where there have been retailers or

individuals, indicated as purchasersin records, these leads were followed.

66
Evidence of the following was sought.
The type of furniture made
The standardor classof work (and the reputation for that type of work) the firm involved.
of
This might be judged from the type of retailer the manufacturerdealt
with and, if possible.the
orders or their size.
0 Location of retailer - indicating national or local sales.

It might be possible from these three areasto draw someconclusionsas to the type

of work produced and sold by a furniture manufacturer. In this caseJudy

Attfield's work has been used as a basis for categorisingretailers, clients and this

could be extended in turn to categorisemanufacturerspatronisedby those

retailers. Attfield took information from letterheads,salesinvoices,

correspondence, drawings (contract) and photographsand put retailers into four

follows. 46
categoriesas

" CompleteFurnisher, defined by the censusas independentýand mostnumerous. Often quite

small, and so holding the cataloguesor photographsof work by their supplyingmanufacturers.

Sometimesheld 'unrepeatablespecials' which were one-off runs of a style guaranteednot to be
47
repeatedelsewhere.
" Department store, offering a wide range of goods,basedin a large city. Usually dealingwith
the top class ftu-niturerange.

" Specialist Furniture Store, (e.g. Maples, Waring and Gillows) a crossof I and 2, offering a

completecustomerservice.Left the burden of unsold stock with the manufacturer.

TheMultiple, accordingto the censusa chain of shops,often acquiredby take-over,associated

with Hire Dealt

Purchase. in large quantities and wholesalediscount.

Other categories identified by Attfield include contract work (which was non-
domestic furniture produced either through a retailer or negotiateddirectly with
County Councils, Universities, or other large organisationsor firms. ), and export

trade, which could be regular if not a large proportion of the work produced.
The firm of J.Clarke in High Wycombe, usedby Attfield as a casestudy,
dealt with the following clients and Attfield categorisedthem thus:
Department Stores;
Harrods (including the Frasergroup from 1966)
Bentalls, Kingston upon Thames
Watt Smith of Sheffield
Ledgard and Wynn, Skipton (becameSchofields)
Browns of Chester
Brown Muff & Co. Ltd, Bradford
67
 TB &W cockayneLtd, Sheffield
Eden Lilley & Co, Cambridgeshire
John Lewis (Oxford St.)
Selfridges

Independent 'complete' furnishers;

Christopher Pratt, Bradford
W-M Abbot & Co, Ripon
F.C.Keyte Ltd, Torquay
R.M. Holmes
Henry Barker, Nottingham
Laycock and Sons,Keighley
C.C. Barnes,Huddersfield
Cecil Knight & Co., Birmingham
N.H. Chapman,Newcastle& Carlisle (imposed their own brand name'Siesta' onto
furniture)
Sidney Hall, Blackpool
Leigh & Whitelam.Ltd., Grimsby
Harrisons of Gainsborough
P.Chambers& Son,Bradford
J.H. Hesketh,Burnley
Kerridges, Hailsharn Sussex(Antiques and modem ftimishers)
Davies & Johnson,Rotherham
J.K. Knee Ltd, Trowbridge & Bradford upon Avon
Brown Brothers & Taylor Ltd., York (Hotel contractors)
John Julian & Co. Ltd., Newquay, Truro & Falmouth (small branches,large variety of
services)
W. Brock & Co. Ltd., Torquay, Paignton, Teigrunouth,Exeter
Cobbs,London Road and Worthing
L. Biss, Surbiton (interior decorators)
David Mann & sons,Cranley, nr Guildford ( interior decorators)

"These [independent fimiishers] sharedthe general characteristic [with department

stores] of being 'specialist' outlets, meaning they would cater for individual

customersand/or offer exclusive goods. These types of outlets ordered in small

48
numbers of single 'stock models or 'specials' for particular customers."
Specialscould either be one-off bespokepieces or adaptationsof an existing line,
both of which once created (at greater cost to the client than an existing range)

could enter the general design ledgers be

and produced in larger numbers. Design

input was thus not wasted.

Specialist Stores
Waring and Gillows (also manufacturersthemselves)
Maples
Bowman Brothers, CamdenTown
Heals contractsDept.

Multiples
Clarkes did not deal in massproduction, the size and set up of the firm precluding this.

68
Of these,,Jeffiies (cited by Billam) estimatedthe following proportion business
of
49
in 1938.

Multiple furniture shops 28-32%

DepartmentStores 13-17%
Cooperativestores 6-8%
Unit retailers (independents) 43-53%

It was estimated that 60% of furniture was bought on Hire Purchaseagreements.

The majority of information found on retailers for manufacturersincluded in this

study relates to post-war production. The greatestindication is that indeed most

of the salesof furniture for these firms was through independentretailers.
Edwards talks of the rapid growth of retail within the Multiples groups, growing
from fewer than 200 branches in Britain in 1920 (accountingfor 4% of total sales)

to over 800 in 1939 (with 18-20% of total sales). Hire Purchasesalesat these

outlets contributed largely to their growing success. Patternsof buying changed

from the early 20'h Century, with first time buyers increasing. Previously the

market for second hand furniture for first time buyers was comprehensive,and

new fizniture was the domain of more mature purchasers. By the mid 20th

Century first time buyers of new furniture were secondand third generation,and

more than accepting of this concept of 'new' being if

as good as not better than
'old'. Edwards wrote that the nature of purchaseshad changedand furniture was

more than just essential items, it was socially symbolic in its own right as well as
utilitarian. However, first time buyers were by definition, inexperiencedat
judging fin-niture, and were not in a position to judge what was reasonablequality
for their use and expenditure.50
Edward's chapter on Distribution within the industry gave the following

categoriesof retailers during the 1960sand 1970s:

Specialist Furniture Retailers

Concept Stores
Multiple Furnishing shops
Superstores
DepartmentStores
Co-operative Stores

69
This marked a changein direction, namely the disappearanceof the independent

retailer. This again makes the post - World War II era, the end of Utility
restrictions on timber and manufacture in the 1950s,a natural point at which to
end this study.
The details of manufacturers are presentednext.

REFERENCES

' Joel, D., TheAdventure ofBritish Furniture, (London, ErnestBerm, 1953)

cited in
Billam (1986) Chapter 1.
2 Billam, (1986) Chapter I section 1, "The New Movement".
3 Email correspondencewith Dr. Edwards at Loughborough,2002.
4 Billam, (1986) p15.
5Pevsner,N, Industrial Art in England (CambridgeUniversity Press,1937),
cited by Worden.
6 Worden, (1980) p13. During the 1930s90% of furniture sold was of some
reproductionstyle.
7 Logie, Gordon, 'The Design of Mass Production Furniture', Furniture DesignReport,
Conferencefor the Council of Industrial Design, (July 21', 1949),no pagenumbering. The papers
deliveredby speakerswere reproducedin this report, and included contributionsfrom Gordon
Russell,and Herbert Cutler. Both thesemen were at the forefront of Utility Furnituredesign. The
implications from someof the speakers(and Logie in particular) were that widely available,low-
price furniture would replace lifelong furniture purchases,i.e. that furniture would becomemore
like clothesand cars with fashionabletrends. This seemedto be advocatedasa positive thing, for
the industry at any rate.
8 Edwards,C.D., TwentiethCentury Furniture, Materials, Manufacture and Markets, (Manchester
University Press, 1994) p 184.
9 Worden, (1980) p2ll-213, Edwards(1994) p 175-178.
'0 Billam, (1986) cites CMCBF, (Feb 9'h 1929). Wagesfor the working classwere up between5%
and 40% during the interwar period, the cost of living fell by 1/3 between 1920and 1938,the
family was on average115smaller, tax changesin the 1930sredistributed income. This resultedin
a greaternumber of consumerswith smaller families and thereforemore disposableincome. A
housingboom for the population moving generally up the 'housing ladder' meanta great demand
for furniture. Billam (1986) p9 and also Baines, D and Johnson,P (1999) 'In searchof the
Traditional' working class:social mobility and occupationalcontinuity in interwar London',
EconomicHistory Review,vol. LII, 4 (1999), p692-713.
The data in this article, whilst written with a different focus to that discussedhere,supportsthe
view that there was an improvement in education,and social and economic status of families from
working classbackgroundsduring the interwar period.
11Constable,L., An Industry in Transition, TheBritish DomesticFurniture Trade 1914-1939,
(PhD, Brunel University, 2000) p 250.
12Sizer, P.W., Structure ofthe British Domestic Furniture Industry, (University of Aston
ManagementCentre, Working Paper SeriesNo3l, 1974) plO. Cyclical fluctuationsare severe,
"recessionsoccurring about every four years sincethe war, on average",and seasonalfluctuations
are extreme.
13Storie, W.K., Furniture Retailing Towards the Eighties, A Placefor the Independent,(MSc
Dept. Marketing, University of Strathclyde, 1977). A FIRA consumersurveyof 1973revealedthat
64% of consumerscould namea bedroom brand, 52% a dining room brand, and 41% an upholstery
brand, thereby proving the effectivenessof brand namesin advertising.
14Storie, who had many years personalexperienceworking for an independentfurniture retailer,
stated that smaller manufacturerswouldn't spend a huge amountof money on national advertising,
but would select particular retailers for their line of work. Many medium sizedretailers have
continued as successful businesses over several decadeswithout becoming nationally recognised
brands.
Attfield, J, The Role of design in the relationship betweenjurniture manufacture and its retailing
1939-1965 with initial referenceto thefurniturefirm ofJ. Clarke (D. Phil, Sussex University,

70
 1992). Attfield writes of the changein requirementsfor intermediariesfor contractwork allowine
manufacturers to deal directly with clients, and the national advertisingcampaignspreventing
retailers from boycotting manufacturers. Pg 35,36,37.
" According to Edwards, the BBC supportedthe Council of Industrial Design's index
and used
a furniture in sets.
'Ipproved
Edwards,(1994) pI 10.
17Edwards,(1994) pI 11.
18Worden, (1980) p77.
'9 Attfield, J (1992) p85.
20Worden, (1980) p72, taken from Abercrombie, P The book
ofthe Modern House, (HMSO,
London, 1945).
21Tudor Walters, Sir John, Provision ofDwellingsfor the Working Classes 1918, (London,
HMSO, 1918), p26. "Wherever possible a parlour should be provided in addition to the living-
room, scullery and bedrooms parlours should not be provided at the expense of the living-room
...
or scullery". (Paragraph 86. )
22Hole, W. V., and Attenburrow, J.J. Houses and People. A
review of user studies at the Building
Research Station, (HMSO, Ministry of Technology, BRS, London, 1966) p 11. Chapter 3
"Dayrooms and Kitchens".
23Hole and Attenburrow (1966), p46. Chapter 8, "Implications
of BRS studies for the design of
family houses".
24Hole and Attenburrow (1966), p 16.
25Worden, (1980) p96,97.
26Both at the WholesaleFurniture TradesExhibition in Olympia during JanuaryandFebruaryof
thoseyears.
27Sizer, P.W. (1974) p9, Worden and Edwards also briefly mention modular furniture.
2' There were no listed cabinet makers in High Wycombe until 1907,exceptfor 1895whenHull
Loosely and Pearcehad a single entry. There were, however,cabinetmakerslisted in other parts
of the county of Buckinghamshire.
29Mayes, L. J. (1960) The History of Chairmaking in High Wycombe(London, Routledge,Kegan
and Paul). Chapterone outlines the early chairmaking craft, and chaptertwo describesthe
evolution of chairmaking from a craft to an industry. Makers of the Windsor chairsand
manufacturersof the related componentswould have primarily been small outfits. The latter were
often located in the woods, the former could work in very small premiseswith a minimum of
equipment.
30The classified advertising index that appearedin the CMCHF supplementstoppedin April 1916.
After this there were only the actual advertisementsthemselvesin the CMCHF, which were greatly
in
reduced number and size during the First War, and for someyears thereafter.
3' An unfortunategrouping of two categorieswhich are quite distinct from eachother. Upholstery
might mean anything from drop in seatsfor dining suites,to fully upholsteredwork.
32Classmight also be mentioned explicitly e.g. " high class", "medium class","fine",
"inexpensive", "finely finished", "a very high standardof finish".
33Worden, pg 58, Bergere suiteswere a High Wycombe speciality, particularly with the firm of
ThomasGlenister and Co. They were usually canedarms and backs,with brocadeor velvet seat
upholstery,and elaboratecarving. Cheaper than fully upholsteredfurniture, they in
were a classof
occasional/ drawing room furniture. See also, Weaver, Sir Lawrence, High Wycombe Furniture
(FanfarePress,London, 1929).
34Seatsfor Windsors were usually a single, wide piece of elm, adzedout to a comfortablesaddle
shape. The title of the person doing this adzing was 'bottomer'.
35Edwards, (1994) chapter2 generally, but more specifically p7.
36Contemporarymethodsnot necessarilybeing traditional methodswhich did accommodategreat
changesin moisture and temperature.
3' For this section I drew on my own undergraduatetraining and experience.
38Wood is madeup of tubes running the length of the trunk/plank. Thesetake up and release
moisture, resulting in expansionand contraction across the grain/plank/trunk.
39One constraint when photocopying was the cost. The option of digital imageswas a possibility
but the quality of imagestaken in large numberswas compromised. Someimagesfor this study
have been taken using a digital camera,usually where photocopying was not an option.
71
40Front page editorial article, CMCHF, (March 16th,1935).Mr G.D. Smith had beenorganising
this event for the previous 45 years. The implication is that the exhibition had actUallybeen
ongoing prior to 1892. The exhibition was going over to the National Federation of House
Furnishers,and excluding the public -a decision supportedby 4,000 furnishing firms (not
necessarilymanufacturers).
41 Wycombe Firms at BIF', CMCHF, (August 13,1932), p235.
42in as far as membersof that organisationcan be identified at this stage.
43The article goes on to say that the Furniture Industry was not awareof its own expansionsince
the War, up by 30% from 1924-1930(Censusof production). This did not reflect the high
unemployment at that time due to mechanisation in the trade. Exports were also down to lessthan
5% of total production, but home consumptionwas up.
'4 CMCHF (May 27h, 1933), letters p550.
45Mr. Brooke Skilbeck, Leeds, CMCHF Letters page(February II th 1933),p222.
46Attfield, (1992) Chapter2, introduction.
47The exclusivity in a special ran like this would make up in value what was lacking in the volume
of the sales.
48Attfield, (1992) chapter2 and specifically p42.
49Jeffries, J.B. The Distribution of ConsumerGoods: A Factual StudyofMethods and Costsin the
UK in 1938,for the national Institution ofEconomic and Social Research(HMSO, London,
1956).
50Edwards,(1994) chapter6 and more specifically p 171-172.
 Chapter 3
Manufacture of furniture by firms in High Wycombe 1900-1950:
Case Studies of seven Wycombe finmiture manufacturers.

The information in this chapter is presentedas a synopsisfor eachmanufacturer,

and is presentedunder the following headings;

"A brief history of the manufacturer
"A synopsisof any documentation,such as ledgers,cost books, photographs
CMCHF classified index entries, and advertisements
CMCHF exhibition commentaries
Entries in Kelly's Directories
CMCHF Wycombe Special Issues
World War II contributions

Where no information for a manufacturer was available in one of thesesections,

the heading was omitted. In the casesof Birch and Bartlett, a large amountof
documentation was available for comparison. This material is discussedin the

chapterson Birch and Bartlett but not presentedin full. The information for each
firm is presentedin the form of a catalogue, enabling comparisonsbetweenfirms.
The following manufacturers are featured.

William Birch Ltd.

William Bartlett and Son Ltd.
Barnes Branch Ltd.
Ercol (Furniture Industries Ltd. )
Messrs Walter Skull and Sons
E. Gomme Ltd.
Castle Brothers (Furniture) Ltd.

Thesewere firms from the group identified as having a good 'profile' in terms of
their cabinet-making activities. They were chosenbecausesufficient evidence
to
was available make a coherent picture of their production, and becausethey

representa good variety of manufacturers. Birch and Bartlett were both

traditional, successful manufacturers with similar reputations for quality and

production, but for different types of ftimiture. Their traditional styles were
that Barnes Branch, who used traditional techniques for a more
contrastedwith of
Ercol E. Gomme were larger, modem firms
authentic reproduction style. and
branding that nationally. W. Skull. and Castle
with a marketing and style extended
Bros. were two smaller firms that had more traditional reputations. Skull and

35
Castle Bros. became part of Ercol and E. Gomme respectively, and this kind
of
successfulpartnership was examined in both cases.
The size of furniture manufacturing companiesin Wycombe could be defined in
the following way. At the beginning of the 20thCentury there were a great
number of small chairmaking units - one man or possibly a family could work
from a small shed at the bottom of a garden, or in the open woods turning
for
components windsor chairs. Thesecomponentswould in turn be sold to
someoneworking from larger premises, such as public housesor larger sheds.
Thesecould be termed medium sized manufacturers,employing a few itinerant
but
craftsmen,, probably no more than twenty men at any time. Larger companies
would have several storey premises and have more than twenty employees. As
the manufacturing expandedin Wycombe, and powered equipmentbecamemore
readily available, the smallest units declined in number. The more successful
single-storey manufacturing premises sited outside of the town centreovertook
the multi-storey factories and medium sized workshops. By the 1950sthe largest

and most successfulcompanies were those that managedto establisha national

brandedidentity. Medium sized factories were those that supplied retailers with

non-brandedfurniture. No evidence of smaller bespokeworkshops in Wycombe

during the 1930-1950 era was found in the course of this study.

' Wycombe Special Issuesreferences;

'The Wycombe Furniture Industry, CMCHF, (October 29th 1921), p239-244.

'The Wycombe Furniture Trade', CMCHF, (October 28th 1922),p 187-201.
'Where Wycombe Works', CMCHF, (October 27h 1923),p203-213-
1924Wycome Special Issuenot found
'A Buyers' Guide to High Wycombe', CMCHF, (October I O'h1925),p2ll-213-
'Where doesWycombe Stand?', CMCHF, (October 30th1926),page258-288.
1927Wycombe Special Issuenot found.
'The Furniture Factories of Wycombe', CMCHF, (October 27"' 1928),p 172-175.
1929 Wycombe Special Issuenot found.
1930 Wycombe Special Issuenot found.
'High Wycombe's Industry', CMCHF, (October 31" 1931), p 171-187.
'High Wycombe', CMCHF, (October 29th1932),p 185-187not a comprehensivearticle.
'Wycombe is Hard at Work', CMCHF, (October 28th1933), p131-142.
'High Wycombe is Busy! ', CMCHF, (October 27t" 1934), p 141-151.
1925 Wycombe Special Issuenot found.
1936Wycombe Special Issuenot found.
'High Wycombe Supplement', CMCHF, (September4th 1937),p395-403.
'Recent Additions to the Wycombe Range', CMCHF, (October 29th1938), p 140-147.

74
 The Firm of William Birch Ltd., High Wycombe

A brief history of the firm of Wm. Birch, High Wycombe, abridgedfrom High
Wycombe Museum files, July 2001.
"William Birch first appearedin trade directories in 1853. In 1883
Williams's son Walter Birch started his own chair making businessin Castle
Street.He was followed by his brother Charles whose furniture factory in Queen's

road appearedby 1888 and carried on in businessuntil World War One. Walter
took over his father's firms by 1895 when it appearedas 'Birch & Company',
Denmark Street.
Birch's was one of High Wycombe's most forward-looking companiesat

the end of the 1800s. It was one of a number of firms that pioneereda move away
from standardcheap Windsor and rush or cane-seatedfurniture to a higher classof

manufacture. Whereas some companies went for reproduction antique styles,

Birch's Produced a vast range of hybrid forms as well as absorbingArt nouveau
influences, particularly as a result of using designerssuch as E.G. Punnett,and
George Whitehead who had worked in the Mackintosh studio in Glasgow. Many

of their lines were specifically produced for Liberty's and other leading London

stores,and Birch's maintained an office in Euston Road of many years until it

becameclear that the London buyers were coming to Wycombe to do business.

The Denmark Street factory was rebuilt according to the latest modem

specifications as a three-storey, all-brick building in about 1898, as opposed to the

older style factories which had brick ground storeys and wooden upper storeys. It

fire but itself burned down within a few

was supposedto remove the risk of
months of being built! After a strike in its London workshop in 1897, Birch's

shifted the balance in its upholstery shop to the Wycombe site and recruited
from all acrossthe country. These in turn set up
upholsterersand other craftsmen
the town's branch of the National Amalgamated Furniture Trades Association and

Birch's became a modernising employer as well as a manufacturer. The company

Wycombe in Leigh Street in the 1920swhere the business
opened a second site
between 1931 and 1935.1 By 1938 it employed 350 people.
was concentrated
Birch's was taken over by Gornme's in 1954."

75
Birch - Synopsis of documentation.
The first of a number of ledgers held at High Wycombe Museum,
and attributed
to the firm of William Birch, is dated around 1903. This appearsto be a design

and cost book in copperplate script, the estimatesincluding fiffl breakdowns,

drawings and some inserted etched images (not photographs). Timbers
used
include mahogany, satinwood, oak, and walnut. Items appearing on the
pages
include cabinets, occasional tables, robes, plant stands,bedsteads,chairs (arts
and
crafts style, some with rush seats),china cabinets, sideboards,mirrors, bookcases
and writing tables. Timber types seemto be indicated to reflect the style of the
pieces,which are mainly reproduction in style. A range of items in an Arts and
Crafts style appear in this volume, including chairs, settles,tables, robes,

sideboards,and a 'dinner wagon'. For model 282a there are severalpictures

statedas "part only of suite", which in this caseincluded an oak inlaid set of
sideboard,chimney piece, wagon, screen,table, wardrobe, dining chair, small
cupboardon a stand,washstand and dresser.What constituted a 'suite' of
fin-niture dependson the context of which decadeis referred to. In this case,the

number and type of items in the suite range would indicate a date of around 1890s
if not earlier. Matching chairs are found to be similarly numbered in another

volume, which seemsa notable distinction between chair and cabinet making.
Items removed from production in these ledgers (which were in continual

use throughout several decades)tended to be the much larger pieces of cabinet

ftuniture. From design number 406 in this first book the images were

photographedinstead of drawn. This might have happenedbetween 1905 and

1908, given that it was between these two years that Birch's CMCBF

advertisementsalso changed from drawn to photographed illustrations.

The secondledger fiffly attributed to Birch includes chairs for dining room

and library, and somesimple upholsteredtypes,aswell assomestoolsandsettees.

This would seemto be of the time around 1902/1903.Designsin this book
include somereproductionfurniture and someArts and Crafts style ftu-niture,
referredto in later CMCHF advertsas 'Quaint Furniture'. This could indicatea
modernisttendency in the firm, more likely to be of an Arts and Craftsstylerather
than manufacturingethos,as Birch's were known to mass-producesuch furniture,

albeit on commissionfor Liberty's 2

of London.

76
 A third volume contains fancy chairs and is dated at the front
as
1904/1905. This is a design book rather than a costing ledger. Windsor chairs in
this book include smokers bow, lathe back, but many of thesechairs have back
feet (all in one piece with the chair back) as opposedto back legs in traditional
Windsor chairs. Often the legs are cabriole or taperedwith spadefeet, or the
is
whole on an office-type pedestalwith a swivel base. Mahogany is statedfor
some designs, and this kind of detail and timber in Windsor chairs is indicative of
a higher-class trade, although not necessarilytop classwork. Windsor chairs are

not in this category unless made from walnut, mahogany,yew or other 'fine'
timbers. Birch Ltd. appear to have kept cabinet furniture, modem and fancy
chairs, and traditional and higher class Windsor furniture in three separatebut

concurrent books. Some firms kept the chair-making and cabinet-makingsidesof

their production quite separate. Similarly, traditional and modem styles of work
be
could also marketed separately,as shown by directory entries, and
advertisements.

A general cash book of Birch's at Wycombe Museum includes a record of all cash
transactions entered by the month. Firms in the Goods Sold category included:
Messrs Maples and Co. (Specialiststore)
Waring and Gillow Ltd., Manchester (Specialist store,and manufacturer)
Bartlett and Son (Aug 1902) (Wycombe firm, coveredin this study)
Iggulden F (Aug 1904)
Islington Furnishing Co.
Plummer Roddis and Tyrrell
Saunderson,JH
CW Birch (via him to Allen and Appleby)
Hewitson Milner and Thexton

in
It was common the town (and possibly the industry in general) for

manufacturers to sub-contract to other firms, either for sheerbulk orders to be

fulfilled, or for specialist tasks requiring staff or equipment not readily available

the * It is interesting to note the William Bartlett

at main contractor's premises.
ftorn William Birch in 1902. This would seem to confirm a difference in
order
their manufacturing specialisms. This is explored in the section on the Bartlett

firm.
Some clients (such as Waring & Gillow) were actually manufacturerswho dealt

ftu-nishersbut didn't make all types of furniture. In both

wholesale or as always
to that the company would be
cases,a quality and style equal of commissioning

77
imperative. The commissioned fmn would have to demonstrateflexibility in

theseareas.
A second,,slightly later ledger was dedicatedto income and outgoing
cash
in totals for the working year, rather than month.3 For example, one
pageheaded
'Maples Sales' had the following entries:4
Aug 3 1904- Aug 5 1905 E7065.5.7 General
f 639.11.9 SecondHand
It is known that Birch dealt with secondhand /antique furniture as well as

manufacturing for sale. Entries for salesto Maples stay around V-8,000 for
general salesduring 1904-1909. Second hand salesgo as high as f 1136.19.1in
1905/6,,and as low as E241.8.4the following year. By 1908/9 there are no further

entries for secondhand sales. The second-handsalesthrough Maples were a

substantialpercentageof the total sales, so their demiseis surprising. A move
away from second-handsalesmight indicate a stronger emphasison
manufacturing, and perhaps a distancing from traditional and reproduction work.

In March 1904 there is an entry for the SalesExhibition at St Louis (USA)

totalling an outlay of f.2937.1.0. An article in the CMCHF outlines that a
shipment of goods was sent to America to representthe firm, and that "British
ftu-nishingjust as it is to be found in the typical homes of this country" was
5
shown. It went on to say that "Die display, then, is thoroughly commercial in the
sensethat it consists of goods such as are handled by these manufacturersall the
year round and may be seen in the showrooms at any time. " The etched
illustrations (not photographs) accompanying the article include bedroom
furniture,, a lady's desk, china cabinet, dining chair and sideboard,and upholstered

seating. Styles range from Chippendale and Sheraton,to " "Quaint" and "New
Art". In their advertisement of October 1905 Birch's are announcedas having
.
been "awarded Grand Prize and Gold Medal at St. Louis Exhibition. " The outlay
for this trip was considerable, and it is unknown how much businesswas
but 6
the trip was not repeated. Birch also enteredthe New
cultivated as a result,
Zealand International Exhibition, held at Christchurch, 1906 and 1907, and were

awarded the Gold medal for "Lounge Easy Chairs, Upholstered in Morocco".

78
 Previous advertisementsin the CMCHF during the 1890sshow

upholsteredchairs, and refer to the firm as "W. Birch Upholsterer and Chair
Manufacturer". They cited the London Showrooms at 370 Euston Road only, and

there was no referenceto High Wycombe. In 1902 an advertisementappeared

which included a writing bureau, and the text "Win. Birch Ltd. Upholsterers,Art

chair & Cabinet Manufacturers". This advert referred to the Showroomsin

London, and the cabinet Factory in Leigh Street. More unusually it also mentions
the Chair factory in Denmark Street. Manufacturers with outlets in London were
keen to distance themselves from any referenceto High Wycombe, and especially
to any chair-making production as this was consideredprovincial. The factory in
Leigh Street was built in 1901 by H. Flint and equipped with a "considerableplant

of machinery". It was expected to "afford employment for over a hundred

7
hands', by housing the (considerably increased)production of cabinet-work that
had previously been handled at the Denmark Street workshops. The unusualHigh
Wycombe reference was probably to highlight the firm's growth at that time.

Figure 3.0 Wrn Birch's new

factory at Leigh Street, CAICHF
4ý,Ilrll
1i,;
I October 8Ih 1901, p93.

A third ledger for 1903-04 included lists of salesmen(or possibly retailers) and
their accounts or clients. 8 Salesmenwere employed directly and full time only at
the very largest manufacturing firms. Smaller firms might pay a small retainer,
and the salesmanwould then work for several firms of non-competing status
and/or product. Alternatively, a salesmanwould be paid by results.
A fourth cash book of Birch's for 1906 showed the cabinet, upholstery and

polishing wages listed separately from 'salaries', which implies the transient

nature of craftsmen's employment compared to other employees-9Salesmen were

not included in the waged section, but this doesn't necessarilymean that they

were salaried.

79
The various pieces of information outlined above, and the majority furniture
of
orders in ledgers (listed in Birch's appendix) give the impressionof a
manufacturer producing good to high quality chairs, and related dining furniture
and upholstery, both in traditional and Arts and Crafts styles.

Birch - CMCHF classified index entries, and advertisements.

CMCHF classified entries for the period 1900-1916 for William Birch Ltd.
included
Cabinet and upholstery goods, Chair manufacturer, Bedroom furniture 1900-1907 (prior to this
Birch were entered solely as chair-makers)
Bedroom furniture, Cabinet and upholstery goods, Chair manufacturers, Office furniture,
Upholstery 1907-1916

Wm- BIRCH, Ltd.

Wholenale 6 Fxpart Cabinct Mahe,,
Upholntorcrs 6 Art Chair Manufaciurers,

370, EUSTON ROAD, N.W.

GRAND PRIZEAND Figure 3.0 CA1fCHFadvertfi)r

ýGOLD MEDALý Wm Birch, October 7th 1905
ST. LOUIS EXHIBITION.

rsfl ruoISflfl.
'rjb: W.,.
-. 1. '-
--r.

The first William Birch advert in CMCHF appearedin 1905, and was a full page

of line drawings advertising 'caf6 and dining room chairs a speciality'. An

advertisementof April 1907 had no images, but included information about a fire

that January in London. The showrooms at 370 Euston Road were completely
redecoratedand restocked with "the latest models in Upholstery goods, drawing

room furniture, dining room furniture, library furniture, office furniture and

reproductions of various periods." 10 This would seem to continue in the vein of

quality reproduction furniture, available as specials or in batch production rather

than any mass production. The chair-making specialism would seem to be as per

the firm's general reputation, for dining-chairs and related upholstery. The 1909

80
 advertisements used black and white photographs for the first time, and include
ftirniture 11and upholstery. 12 From 1911-1917,
office chairs of various kinds
appeared. Adverts were consistently half or ftill page indicating that the finn was
in the mid- or high-range of the market.
Understandably, after 1914 the size and quality of paper usedin the CMCHF
was
reduced. Advertisements became fewer for firms making furniture, and
concentratedmore on machines, glues and techniques. Articles becamefocussed
on the efforts for World War 1. It was not until 1922 that advertisementsby firms
in High Wycombe becamemore common again. Birch resumedadvertising in
1921 with a ftill page advert in January advertising office chairs, showing a single

small image, and similarly in April a ftill page advert showing two dining-type
chairs, advertising dining, office and library chairs. In October that year a half
page advert appears,again showing a single office chair, and simply the London
addressof William Birch Ltd. None of these adverts refers to their Wycombe
premises,and after the June 1922 William Birch ceasedto advertise in the
CMCHF. The advertisementsthat Birch did invest in seemto concur with the
image of a successftil middle-range firm, producing mostly chairs and related
dining and upholstery fin-niture. Mass production was not indicated, although
there was some expansion of facilities and manufacture.

Birch - CMCHF exhibition commentaries.

As the number of Wycombe firms advertising in CMCHF declined during the
1920s,there was a corresponding increase in the number of firms taking part in
the two significant annual exhibitions of that era; the Wholesale Furniture Trades
Exhibition,, and the British Industries Fair. Birch exhibited at the WFTEx from
1923 onwards, almost every year. In 1931 the firm moved to the BIF, and

exhibited there each year until 1938. They also showed at the WFTEx in the

years 1932,1933, and 1936. The former two WFTEx were in Manchester(not

London) and September(not February) thereby not competing with the BIF event.
The descriptions in the CMCHF of what Birch showed at these exhibitions
indicated a tendency toward upholstered good, dining suites, and traditional oak
furniture of 'high class' (1923), but that 'the prices are right' (1928). In contrast,

the BIF exhibits tended towards the more 'modem lines' (193 7) and 'in principle

the finest points of modernism have been utilised but there is nothing offensi,, ý
-el,,

81
ultra' (193 1). The range of furniture present included fireside, lounge, easy
chairs, bedroom, dining and drawing room chairs and furniture (1933 onwards),
and patented 'Wunda Sprung' chairs (1936 onwards). This latter development
was in responseto the tension springing introduced to newly popular fireside
chairs. The firm of Ercol is credited in most accountswith the first development
of this type of upholstery, but many manufacturersfollowed with variations on the
highly successfulidea.
The change from WFTEx to the BIF was common to almost all Wycombe

manufacturers exhibiting around this time. It was supposedto have beenbasedon

a need to reach the general public directly, as the WFTEx was only open to
retailers' buyers. However, the type of fin-niture shown at the two exhibitions does

not seem to be too different in most instances. Birch was unusualin defiruitely
showing a different, more modem style of fin-niture at the BIF.

Birch - Kelly's directories.

Wm Birch advertised consistently in Kelly's directories, and the classified entries

wereas follows:
Locally from 1895 - 1939Chair manufacturer
Nationally from 1899- 1936Chair manufacturer
Nationally from 1903- 1936Cabinet maker
Nationally in 1915 Easy chair manufacturer, 1925Upholsterer, 1931, couch settee& easy
chair manufacturer.

This definitely indicates a manufacturing emphasison chair-making locally,

eschewing the term 'furniture manufacturer'. Local firms commissionedwork

from Birch's, and this was likely to have been chairs rather than cabinet-work.
National categories included chair-making and cabinet-making, but also took in

upholstered furniture. The previous indications of Birch's dining chair and related
dining ftu-niture imply just that interpretation of this combination of terms.

Birch - CMCHF Wycombe Special Issues.

Between 1921 and 1938, one of the October editions of the CMCFIF gave

considerable spaceto the coverage of High Wycombe firms and their

manufacturing specialisms. In 1921 William Birch Ltd were described editoriallý-

as 'amongst the foremost firms in the furniture-making trade. The paragraphwent

on to say that the firm manufactured all classesof furniture 'including chairs of

82
various types, many patterns of tables, and an extensive range of fancy goods'
equating to a good selection of occasional ftu-niture, 13
using oak and mahogany.
At their London showrooms dining and office chairs had becometheir speciality,

and export trade was reported to be busy. In 1922 this range extendedto a good

selection of adjustable chairs, occasional furniture, Jacobeandining ftu-niture

including 'sideboards in figured oak being offered at a very low price', and
...
suites.14 Oak and mahogany were the only timbers mentioned, and
upholstered
this was consistent with a middle class market of reproduction ftmiiture. Office
chairs with metal swivel actions were mentioned possibly indicating batch-
production or contract furniture market. In 1923 the Wycombe section focusedon
short descriptions of the factories in Wycombe, and Birch was simply described

as having 'earned a just reputation for excellence throughout the country'. 15

Birch appearedin the 1925 issue under the headings:Chairs and Stools,
Occasional Furniture, Small ftirnishings, Umbrella Stands,and Upholstered
Suites. Some of the categoriesthe firm does not appearunder are more indicative.

such as bedroom furniture, sideboardsand tables. Rivals E. Gomme and Bartlett

did appear under these headings, and those firms did have a much stronger
Birch did. 16
cabinet-making reputation that
The wholesale showroom belonging to Wni Birch Ltd was mentioned in

most Wycombe issues. Birch's Furniture of 1926 was classified into 'oak dining

room suites and furniture in one room, mahogany ditto in the other, and the same
' 17 Matching occasional furniture for these was also available,
with walnut.
reproduction being the only style mentioned. Articles continue much in the same

vein for the following years. The CMCHF Wycombe section of 1928 again
focused on the Wycombe factories.18 Birch had acquired premises from E.
Gomme in Leigh St., where they had erectednew drying kilns which was an
indication of expansion and financial re-investment. The firm was describedas
having 'the finest continuous range [sic] of workshops in the town, and their
is in
machinery the most modem the trade' even though there were no indications

of modem layout or mass-production machinery or techniques. The photograph

of the Leigh Street premises showed a four-storey building, in contrast to the

that Gomme's had moved to which was two-storey and ftu-nishedwith

premises
This the CMCHIF
modem dust extraction machinery. seemsto contradict
Birch becoming One of the main problems facing
comment about more modem.

833
 manufacturers who wished to modernise flow-production and machinery practices
at this time was the structure of premises. It was a hindranceto be unable to put
most production practices onto one ground-floor level, so Birch's move into the
Leigh St. premises indicates they were behind E. Gomme's in terms
of
modernisation of production methods.
In 1933 Birch disposed of their London showrooms in favour fitting
of out
showrooms at their Wycombe factory, in line with someother Wycombe firms
with reputations for more modem work and practices. However, there were no
signs of modem work in 1934 when Birch's range of ftu-niturewas described
'Dark oak is favoured for most of their dining-room setsand even in the cheapest

models has an excellent finish. '19 Reproduction styles only were mentioned,but
the firm was thriving, and some diversification was indicated as the showrooms
were to be extendedto accommodateoffice chairs and the 'large range of
firesides' (fireside chairs). However, the use of more modem technology was

never indicated. The fireside chair, although greatly enhancedby the use of
tension springs, did not demand their use. Birch's fireside chair (1937 issue)had
the deepestseat of any shown, indicating traditional coiled-spring upholstery.20
The image in 1938 Wycombe issue shows a more modem style of occasional

chair, but on inspection does not appearto use tension springing either, but
in 21
plywood was used the construction of the back. This model was included in a
page of more traditional images. Whilst it was more modem for Birch, it still did
not compare in style to the later pages of 'Designs for the Popular Market'.
In these two issuesthere is no text on Wm Birch, indicating perhapsa
decline in prominence for that manufacturer in the town. It is likely that Birch

to
continued produce medium quality reproduction furniture until their absorption
into the more modem firm of E. Gomme in 1954.22Gomme's might have taken
Birch on board for similar reasonsto Ercol taking W Skull's on board in 1932,i. e.
in order to provide a separateidentity for the more traditional adapted

reproduction work that the firm wished to continue making.

William Birch were commissioned to produce rifle blanks in the 1943 lists, but no
Utility furniture. 23 In the 1945 CMCFIF accounts Birch was said to have

produced, for the Ministry of Works and Admiralty, chairs, shoe soles, Mosquito

wing sections, skins, leading edges,shrouds, brake flaps, and bomb doors for

84
 4,0001bbombs. Whilst these were all important products for the
war effort, and
to
served maintain the firm during World War II, they do not require technical

accuracy,modem equipment or production methods, and expertise,especiallN,

-
comparedto the work of other manufacturers.

William Birch Ltd. continued as a reasonably successfulmiddle-range firm,

producing adaptedreproduction furniture of a medium to high classquality. The

1908move away from lucrative second-handsalesmight indicate a stronger

emphasison manufacturing, and perhaps a distancing from traditional and

reproduction work thereafter. However, the firms reputation for traditional work
remained strong. Birch moved into various multi-floored town-centre sites, unable
to modernise their premises until E. Gomme took over and moved manufacturing
adjacentto the G Plan Spring Gardenslocation in 1954. Gomme retained the
Birch's separateidentity, probably for the purpose of continued production of that

period-adaptedrange of furniture that remained a stable and popular part of the

market.

REFERENCES

1October 1928,Birch's acquiredpremisesin Leigh St. from E. Gomme, and erecteddrying kilns.
2Adam Bowett identified an arts and crafts chair madeby 1904William Birch on the BBC I
programmeAntiques Roadshowof September2001. It was not possible to get a full reference
from the programme's makers,but Bowett indicated that Birch worked on commissionfrom
Liberty, 'massproducing' Arts and Crafts furniture. This indicatesan A&C style rather than a
manufacturingethos,which is partly corroboratedby John Andrews on
hqp:\\www. antiquesworld.co.uk 27/09/0 1. To date the author has found no evidenceto confirm
this, or that Birch ever 'mass produced' any articles.
3GeneralLedger, ER2 WB Ltd., covers indicate 1904-1909.Held at WycombeMuseum.
4Maples the large departmentstore in London, retailing householdfurnishings.
"Messrs Wm. Birch Ltd. at St. Louis', CMCHF, (April 1904),p330.
' The fourth cashbook for Birch at Wycombe Museum includes a listing of "American Expenses"
of f 5.5.6 during October 1906,but what this might have been is unknown, given the relatively
small sum involved. (cf The cost of a houseat this time might have beenf.50-f 100).
7 CMCHF, (October 1901), p93.
8WB Ltd. Private Cash Book 2,1903,1904. Held at Wycombe Museum.
9 WB Ltd. Private CashBook 4 Aug 3 1' 1906. Held at Wycombe Museum.
10CMCHF, (April 20th, 1907),p vii (supplement)Editions of the CMCHF becameweekly rather
than monthly.
" CMCHF January23d half page, with referenceto catalogueand different types of chairs.
-
12CMCHF February 20'h full page.
-
13'The Wycombe Furniture Industry', CMCHF, (October 29th 1921), p239-
14'The Wycombe Furniture Trade', CMCHF, (October 28h 1922),p190.
15'Where Wycombe Works', CMCHF, (October 27tb 1923), p204.
16'A Buyers' Guide to High Wycombe', CMCHF, (October I oth 1925),p2ll-213-
17'Where does Wycombe StandT CMCHF, (October 30th1926),page 266.
,
18'The Furniture Factoriesof Wycombe', CMCHF, (October 27th 1928),p172.
19'High Wycombe is Busy! ', CMCHF, (October 27th 1934), p 151.

85
20'High Wycombe Supplement', CMCHF, (September4th1937), p4O1.
21'Recent Additions to the Wycombe Range', CMCHF, (October 29th 1938),p140.
22in this case,a slightly modernisedversion of reproduction,cateringfor conservativetastes.
23The 'blank' in this caserefers to the shapedwoodenbutt of the rifle.

86
 The Firm of William Bartlett, High Wycombe

According to High Wycombe Museum records, the firm Of Willam Bartlett first

appearedin records in the year of 1875. William's son Georgewas made partner
in 1895and the firm became a limited liability company in 1918. The factory in
Grafton Street was built in 1901, and the firm is still in operation there today
(2003). There was no written account of the history of the firm found during the

courseof this study, although the archives, held at the Grafton Streetfactory, were
madeavailable to the author by the family.

Bartlett - Synopsis of documentation.

Bartlett, like Birch, had a number of photograph advertisementsin the CMCHF in
the 1900-1917period. Unlike Birch, Bartlett's advertisementstended to be full

page and included (from about 1905) photographs of items of ftm-liture rather than
drawings. Until 1917, in spite of the Great War the advertisementsremainedfull

pageand appearedquite often throughout the year. An article in the CMCHF of

1894reported that Bartlett had '
opened a London showroom. Only chairs were
mentioned, the particular range being made was of "quaint, artistic and perfectly
novel character". London showrooms were kept by several of the more prominent
Wycombe firms during the first half of the 20thCentury. Thesewere not for

selling to the public, but to representthe firms more fidly to the buyers employed
by large retailing companies. Large London retailers such as Maples, Harrods and
Oetzmannwould not deal with representativesor salesmenbut only directors of
the manufacturing firms. Members of the public might go to the showrooms,but
they would always be directed to the retailer of the goods they were interestedin.

Retailers had their own showrooms, which would be set out with ftu-nitureand

accessoriesfrom a number of different manufacturers. They would sometimes

offer a complete service of House Furnishing to customers,providing everything

that the home would need.
W. Bartlett & Son had their London showroom in Curtain Road, East Central, and
Chair Frame Makers, Cane.
at that time described themselves as "Upholsterers,
Windsor and Rush chairs, Speciality: High class Reproductions of Chippendale &

Our 18thCentury Chairs Trade Card. ,2

carved Oak. catalogue of sent on receipt of
By 1895 their general advertisement placed the London showrooms at 67 & 69

8
City Road E.C. A short article in 1899 shows an emphasison "the faithful

reproduction of the best of genuine old models, and... adaptingold stylesto

" 3 This
modem requirements. gives the impression of a manufacturermuch like
William Birch, focusing mostly on the production of chairs, and small
occasional
furniture.
Bartlett's own collection of cataloguesand design books shows
a change
of manufacture across the turn of the 1900s. An 1890 catalogueincluded only
"Domestic, hotel, Public hall, and Cathedral Chairs", and a slightly later book

showeda few but

cabinets,, the majority of illustrations were of chairs. These
designswere numbered in the hundreds and one thousands. A design book from
1900 includes ink drawings, supplementedby occasional black and white

photographs,both trimmed and pastedinto the pages.A greaterproportion of

thesepictures was of cabinet furniture than in the previous design books, and they
in
were numbered the two thousand range.
By 1905 the CMCHF reported that William Bartlett and Son Ltd. had
to
moved showrooms at 56 Berners St. W London, and their work had changed

considerably. The fmn was credited with "making a feature of suites,or 'sets' of
dining room furniture" which included sideboard, overmantle, extending dining
table, and chairs. The work pictured in photographs was inlaid oak of an Arts and
Crafts style. An advertisement from the sameyear shows a reproduction Stuart

chair, and lists modem dining- and drawing-room furniture and upholstery as well
4 This is quite a departure from the first catalogue,and it is
as rush-seatedchairs.
possible that the two aspectsof manufacture (chairs in bulk, and cabinet work)
were carried out in parallel.
By July 1907 the company had moved London Showroomsagain,to No.2
Fitzroy Square, Tottenham Court Road, West. The images of work advertised
included Art Nouveau features although the general overall style of furniture

reflected a hybrid style of reproduction. Bartlett's advertisementswere

characterised by their regular appearance,and from 1909 until 1917 they were

always full-page, and always unique. Also, the range of goods shown in

advertisementswas very rounded, alternating cabinet fin-niture and upholsteredor

dining chairs. There was a tendency in the text of such advertsto list types of

cabinet fin-niture available when the photographs were of dining or drawing room
furniture. This was not the case when the pictures were of upholsteredfurniture

88
only. The upholstery and the cabinet-making sides of the firm were thus kept
separate,without chair-making becoming a separatesection also. Bartlett
advertisedmuch more regularly than Birch. However, Birch ceasedtheir
CMCHF adverts in 1922, whereasBartlett's adverts decreaseddramatically in
1918, and then all but disappearedwith two found appearingin 1921 and one in
1933. This data must be qualified with the observation that advertising pages

were sometimesmissing from the extant CMCHF supplements.

In Bartlett's General Ledger (commencing 1901) there are entries under
'Photographic Department' from page 32 announcing the following sums being

spent in that area for these years:

1902 E207.15.2
1903 011.5.7
1904 L280.0.3
1905 f 162.5.4
There might be a number of reasonswhy the expenditure in this area fell so much
between 1903 and 1905. Either once the majority of items had beenphotographed

they provided an already existing bank that neededonly to be addedto as time

went on, or photography becameless of a novelty. It is also possible that
photography became cheaperduring that time. In any of these cases,the taking of
is
photographs not necessarily an indication of advertising activity. Pictures

might have replaced drawings as the of

main means recording a design and
photography might have replaced drawings in records, and as catalogue
illustrations. 6

The next Ledger covering 1905-1909 also had entries for the 'Photographic
Department';
1906 f 118.0.6
1907 E211.2.6
1908 f 187.18.2
1909 E237.4.9

in
It is possible that all photographs appearing advertisementsafter 1909 were in

fact taken at this early stage. Photographic negatives made reproducing the image

in many different publications quite simple. Changesin the style of photographic

advertisements did not occur in CMCHF advertisementsor articles until much

World War IL Thus new images were not necessary until new items
nearer
appearedon the repertoire, if indeed the firm added new styles to the repertoire.
They were as likely to ring the changesof style by modi5ing different features

89
and decorative details. Wm Bartlett did not seemto include anything that could be
termed 'modem' in any of their advertisementsat any time.

Also included in the Sales ledger commencing 1908 are figures for 1908-
1909 and 1909-1910. For 1909 these include lists of clients whose accountswere
handled by Salesmenemployed by Bartlett. (Whether thesegentlemenwere

employed on a salary, or on commission, or a combination is unclear). The value

of these accounts for the year was also given, enabling a comparisonto be made

of the relative standing of each client.

A number of clients were identifiable becauseof their standingas retailers in the

trade and the relative amount of information available about them, and these
included the following. (Account sizes for 1909-1910 are included in brackets)
Waring - Waring and Gillows, a large specialiststorebasedin the Northwest of England

who also manufactured.(E503-8-0)

Oetzmann had advertisementsin the CMCIHFand appearedfrequently in the columns.
(f295.15.5)
Pratt - possibly Christopher Pratt of Bradford, independentfurnishers.(E69.18.6)
Whiteley - large retailers in London (032.4.0)
Maple - large specialist store in London (E21.14.0and f. 12.1.0,from two separate
salesmen)
Harrods - large departmentstore in London, still in businesstoday (2003) (f568.12.6)
Heal - large departmentstore in London, (J. Clarkesof Wycombe dealt with their

contractsdept. which to intents be

and purposescould regarded as a specialist)(f 192.1.9)

Liberty - large furnishing specialist in London, still in businesstoday (2003)

(f 1222.11.0)

Shoolbred - like Oetzmannhad advertisementsin the CMCHF (f 103.0.0)

This gives a good picture of the kind of clients that Bartlett were supplying,

namely the middle to high range of the market.

Bartlett - CMCHF classified index entries, and advertisements.

CMCHF classified entries, for William Bartlett, for the period 1900-1916were as

follows
Antique carved furniture, Cabinet goods and upholstery, Chair manufacturer,Extending tables,

Sideboards(theseare the maximum headingsBartlett's usedduring 1900-1909)

90
Antique carved furniture, Bedroom furniture, Cabinet goodsand upholstery,Chair
manufacturers.
Screens,Sideboards,Tables, Upholstery (Thesewere the maximum headingsduring
the period
1909-1916)

This range exhibits rather more diversification than Birch, but further examination

of their advertising extends this information.

Wm, BARTLETT&SON.,
Sli, // 11JGH IV) COHPI-,
II-1, NFT lv EM FA 1,1,1 P

4W

Figure 3.2 Wrn Bartlett CMCHF Advert

October 15th 1910, showing some items
from the Grenville dining suite in oak.

Two full-page advertisementsin the CMCHF during 1910 show a marked change
from the early 1900s,in that they show dining suites as a range. The first was "the
Dryden Dining Room Schemein Mahogany" which included mantle, large and

small sideboard, drop leaf 7

table, and dining chairs. This was followed in October
with "The Grenville Dining room in Oak, inlaid", which included large and small
leg table, table, dining 8 Both announceWm
sideboards,gate writing and chairs.
Bartlett & son as "Chair & Furniture manufacturers,& High classupholsterers"

rather than using the term Cabinet-maker. These adverts set the for
scene several
decadesof similar work, with an emphasison class and quality.

Bartlett's own collection of cataloguesis very comprehensivebut being

undated, are difficult to cross reference to advertisementsand articles. There is

one chair catalogue from around 1910-1920. The author would date the catalogue

at around this time by the style of photographs, the layout. and the style of the

cover photograph and the design numbers being lower than those in the next

91
 cataloguementioned. A later catalogue of Easy chairs and reproduction dining
chairs,,and another of office chairs also include cabinets,chairs, fully upholstered
chairs, windsor chairs (with cabriole legs), and somerush seatedchairs. There are
lines of styles in Oak (with inlay and carving) Mahogany, QueenAnne,
Hepplewhite, Jacobean,Georgian, Sheraton and 18'hCentury (the company's
titles). Bartlett's had several copies of the samecatalogues,showing little change
in the styles available, and indicating the use of many books with salesmen
and
retailers during the period 1910-1930. This is likely given that reproduction
furniture was very popular in that market at that time and there was little
move
among the middle class market to deviate from reproduction into the more modem
styles until the late 9
1920s. It is worth noting that one category under which
Bartlett was registered in the classified advertising supplementof the CMCHF

was 'Antique Carved Furniture' (between the years of 1901 and 1916). No other
Wycombe firm had put itself in the Antique category except Gommes,and then

only in 1915 & 1916. Bartlett's strong emphasison reproduction work is obvious.

Continuing with photographic advertisementsin the CMCBIF, an April

advert in 1911 showed the Corona Easy Chair and settee,and announcedthe finn
as 'Chair 10
and Furniture Manufacturers and High Class Upholsterers'. Similarly
titled in May that year the advertisement showed eight different reproduction
dining chairs with upholstered seats. This also advertisedthe latest catalogue
"The Book of Chairs" "Which will be sent on receipt of Trade Card". An advert
in 1913 unusually showed a range of nine pieces of occasional furniture in

reproduction styles." Later that year an illustration of a large ornate reproduction

sideboard (of the type that saw a decline during the popularity of the 'modem'
by
style) appeared,accompanied the text "manufacturers of medium and High-
Class Drawing Room and Dining Room Furniture, 'Sesame' Extension Tables,
Lounge Chairs etc.". 12
Since 1909 Bartlett's had been registering under six or more of a possible
thirteen categories of furniture in
types the CMCIF classified listings, and by

1912 this had risen to an average of eight categories in any one issue. The
diversity of their production was evident, as was their emphasison middle and
higher class traditional furniture.

92
 On the subject of diversification Church indicates that British Businesses

tendedto diversify (expand?) "largely through merger, whereasin Japanthe

processwas one of organic diversification". 13 In other words, British firms tended
to take over other businessesand absorb the competition, and Church implies that
this was not totally successful. Diversification as an 'organic' processcould mean

vertical expansion of processes related in a chain to the original business,like the

transportation of the end product, or timber seasoning.By contrast,horizontal

expansion could include compatible processesnot directly related to the original

business,for example using waste material from the first businessas a sourcefor

the second. Diversification of the variety of products made within a business

could be seen as a horizontal expansion. Bartlett's greaterrange of products
would mean they were expanding production in terms of skilled labour and
possibly more diverse machinery, and were therefore less reliant on contracting to
other finns for certain processesor products.

In October 1913 an advertisementplaced by Bartlett, and picturing a settee

and arrn-chairs, also included the announcementof a South African Agent for the
firm, namely Edwin Wilson & Co. Cape Town and Johannesburg.Bartlett's
London Showrooms had moved to 17/18 RathbonePlace, West London sometime
in 1911. The following year, advertisementsincluded a suite of dining chairs and

matching long in
seat reproduction style, and later that year photographsof

cabinet-work appear,with the text "manufacturers of High-Class Drawing Room

Dining Room Furniture. " 14 This type of text specifically detailing the
and
Bartlett's work did not appear with photographs of chairs and upholstered
furniture. If any text appearedwith chairs or upholstery then it refers only to that
type of furniture, thus still keeping the cabinet-work and the chair and related
work separate. The advertising continued in this vein until 1918.15

Advertisements during 1917 and 1918 were much smaller (as were all adverts in

the CMCHF during the time of the First World War) and two examples for

Bartlett show bentwood chairs and a simple adjustable backed fireside chair.
Chair making was a staple industry for Wycombe during first (and second) World

Wars, both for army or government commissions and for sale to the public, and
Bartlett was undoubtedly a large part of that production.

93
Bartlett - CMCHF exhibition commentaries
Unlike Birch Ltd, Bartlett was not a consistent exhibitor at the London exhibitions

covered in the CMCHF. The firm appearedat the BIF in 1921, then did not
exhibit again until 1929 at the WFTEx. Thereafter they showed annually at the
WFTEx until 1934, also appearing at the BIF in 1932. In 1937 they had a standat
the August WFTEx in Manchester, but appearedin February at the BIF in 1937
and 1938. This was a later move to the BIF than most other firms. Bartlett might
have been more reliant on retailers and had stronger relationships with their
buyers if they didn't feel the need to show directly to the public at the BIF.
Certainly the list of retailers given above would seemto reflect a large and stable

group of outlets for the company.

What Bartlett's showed at the exhibitions seemsprimarily to have beendining
furniture. In 1921 they exhibited oak and beech dining chairs for public or private

use,,extending tables, adjustable chairs and Knock - Down (KD) ftuniture for
export.16 This would imply medium to lower class and contract work. In 1929
they showed dining furniture, upholstery, lounge chairs and occasionalftu-niture.
This range extended in successiveyears to sideboards,bureaux, and lounge &
hearth chairs. From 1932 their trademark name 'Strongbow' was usedin the

exhibition articles, and there were referencesto modem methods of manufacture

(if not style): 1933& 1934 - cablesprung lounge chairs, 1937 -'period and

modem styles', and 'oak dining room sets' (the use of the word setsrather than
is
suites of interest). However, the emphasiswas still on reproduction ftimiture,
it
although seemsevident that Bartlett was prepared to use some modem
technology and manufacturing techniques. Although Strongbow was adoptedas
the company brand name, it does not seemto have been used for branded

advertising in the same way that G Plan or Ercol were marketed.

Bartlett - Kelly's directories

Bartlett's had entries in Kelly's directories consistently as follows:
Locally from 1895- 1939 Chair manufacturer
Nationally from 1899- 1936 Chair manufacturer
Nationally in 1925 Upholsterer.

94
These entries are less diverse than those of Birch's and would seemto indicate

that Bartlett's consideredtheir trade as primarily in chair-making, both in

Wycombe and nationally. This is in spite of the great range of furniture t.
,VPes
shown in their ledgers, costing books and pattern books, and shown in
advertisement illustrations, and surprising given the evidencefor cabinet-work,
coupled with the firm's well-established reputation for the same. This emphasises
the importance of using Kelly's directories in conjunction with supporting
information.

Bartlett - CMCHF Wycombe special issues

In the 1921 Wycombe issue, the premises of Wni Bartlett and Son Ltd were
described as having their own timber yard and sawmills on site.17 The list of
ftu-niture produced by the firm was 'too wide' to be given in full, but 'all types of

chairs,,dining tables, settees' and numerous other designsin upholstery were

included. Bartlett's did not appear in the 1922 issue, but in the 1923 Wycombe

section on the town's factories there were a few lines on their production. There
is no image of their Grafton Street factory, which was sited on the edgeof the
town, and therefore in the fortunate position of having spaceto expand on one
level. 18 This was a key element in enabling the use of modem machinery and
flow-production techniques. In the 1925 issue Bartlett appearedunder the
following classifications;
Chairs and stools, Chairs (adjustable),Mirrors, Occasionalfurniture, Sideboards,Tables,
Umbrella stands,Upholstered suites etc.

This was a wider selection than Wrn Birch's firm appearedunder, and includes
the larger cabinet ftu-niture that E. Gomme also listed themselvesunder. This
bears out the view that Bartlett were manufacturing more items for furnishing the

whole house, similarly to Gomme.

Bartlett was not mentioned again in a Wycombe issue until 1928. The
Grafton St factory had 'in recent times witnessed enlargementsnecessaryto cope

with increasing trade.'19 The following year the firm doubled their showroom

size, and presented the furniture in room settings in each bay of the showrooms.
The 1933 article mentioned the wide range of furniture shown there, including
dining room sets 'both modem and period reproductions', mainly in oak,

95
mahoganyand walnut, upholstery, fireside chairs and occasionalfurniture.
Bartlett's fireside chairs were produced with cable springing at that time.20
In the 1934 issue, Bartlett and Son appearedto be doing well and

specialising in dining room sets and lounge furniture for the Autumn trade. Mr.
Bartlett was quoted as saying that demand was for 'Comfort and utility, and that

entailed better quality', and 'as to finish this tends to go back to medium and
...
dark oak' Things carry on in this way, with the 1937 issuespecifically
.21
mentioning good quality reproduction (in particular Regency style), cabinet-work
22
and upholstery with modem cable springing.
As reflected in the Exhibitions, the first departurefrom the traditional style

occurred in the 1938 issue, which described a completely new style of furniture
for the fin-n.23 Alongside 'an individual range of dining room furniture of

modified Regency character', the new range included sideboardsof a style 'very
much more likely to recommend it to present day tastesthan reproduction
furniture'. Mostly in oak, and using matched veneer panels,with carved plinths,
the article included a photograph of a Utility-like 'breakfast room' set of furniture,
including a modem buffet. Nothing like this appearedin a dated form in
Bartlett's cataloguesuntil 1939, so this was a late 1930sdevelopmentfor the firm.

al
Ila,

Figure 3.3 A Utility-style

breakfast suite. Wrn
Bartlett & Sons, CMCHF,
Wycombe Special Issue,
Ilodern breakfast set irb ouk by William Bartlett anil Sons. October 29th 1938. p14 1.

Bartlett - World War 11

Bartlett was not included in the initial list of contracts of 1943. In 1945.
W. Bartlett and Son Ltd were credited with producing precision gun boxes. work
for the Ministry of Works and Admiralty, chairs, Post Office, radio location cases
(Presumably the latter in their capacity for timber
and timber production. was

conversion and kilning). The activities of timber conversion and seasoning

L-

96
 provision at a factory are an example of the modem, independentset-upthat
Bartlett had in place at that time. Although it is difficult to find
evidenceof this
before 1938, the firm's readinessto adopt new machinery, techniques
and
materials enabled war-work to be undertaken, albeit at a lower level of technical
diversity than those firms manufacturing aircraft.

Bartlett continues to be a successful fmn to the presentday (2003). The

company still manufactures adapted-reproductionpieces,in dining room and

related furniture. The most significant details of their production seemto have
been quality and tradition, made viable by the adoption of somemodem
techniques. In this instance, the entries in Kelly's Directories do not seemvery

conclusive.

REFERENCES

' CMCHF (October, 1894),p 106.

2 CMCHF general advertisementsin the back pages,appearingseveraltimes in 1894.
3 CMCHF (February, 1899),p215, "Round the Trade" newspages.
4 CMCHF (October, 1907),p xx in the supplement.
' Comparefor referencethe costs for 'Engine and Machine Expenses'at that time:
1902 F.151.18.10,1903068.2.5,1904 E92.13.7,1905 L2.14.1.
Outlay on photographswas significant for the firm.
6 The seconddesign book held at Wycombe Museum with numbersin the 1-2,000s,was entirely
photographic. The first book, which presumablypredatesthe secondas it includesnumbers100-
1,000+,was a mixture of drawings and photographs.
7 CMCHF (May 14th,1910), design numbers5031,5031,5033,5404,5405,5690.
8 CMCHF (October 15th,1910), designnumbers 5302,5301,5304,5305,5308,3476.
9 Billam, Michael, The Cabinet Maker and CompleteHouse Furnisher" as a commentatoron
developmentswithin the British Furniture Trade 1920-1938,(MA Thesis,RCA and V&A, May
1986).
10CMCHF (April, 1911), design numbers6007,6008.
" CMCHF (March, 1913), design numbers in the range 683-6581.
12CMCHF (April, 1913) design number 6902.
13Church, Roy 'The Family Firm in Industrial Capitalism: InternationalPerspectiveson
Hypothesesand History', BusinessHistory, (1993,vol. 35, No. 4), p36.
14CMCHF (January, 1914and July, 1914).
15July 1915's CMCHF advertisementshowed a sideboard/cabinetof quite complicateddesign
reproduction style, [design number 503 1] and the text "Chair and Furniture Manufacturers,
Upholsterers". February 1917 had an advertisementshowing an extendingtable, and large
sideboard [designs 6880, and 6928 respectively] whosereproductionstyles belied such a 'late'
design number.
16KD fimiiture was sold in parts to be assembledby the retailer, or more latterly the private
purchaser. It was particularly suitable for export aspackagingwas simpler than for assembled
furniture.
17'The Wycombe Furniture Industry', CMCHF, (October 29th1921), p239-
18'Where Wycombe Works', CMCHF, (October 27h 1923),p203-
19'The Furniture Factories of Wycombe', CMCHF, (October 27th 1928), p 174.
20'Wycombe is Hard at Work', CMCHF, (October 28d' 1933),p132.
21'High Wycombe is Busy! ', CMCHF, (October 27tb 1934),p146.
22'High Wycombe Supplement', CMCHF, (September4h 1937),p397.
23'Recent Additions to the Wycombe Range', CMCHF, (October 29th1938), p 141.

Q-
 The Firm of Barnes Branch Ltd.

The firm of Barnes Branch Ltd. forms an interesting contrast with Bartlett & Son
Ltd, and Birch Ltd. WhereasBartlett and Birch have similar profiles in terms
of
advertising, exhibiting and Kelly's directory entries, Bames Branch is quite
different. In the first half of the twentieth century the firm had a strong business

making cabinet fiu-niture and chairs in conjunction with supplying timber to the
local trade. However, during World War II manufacture of furniture at the firm

ceasedand the concentration since then has been on timber suppliesto the
industry.

Barnes Branch - CMCHF exhibition commentaries and advertising

Barnes Branch did not exhibit at either the WFTEx or the BIF, nor did the firm

advertise in the CMCHF, or did they appearin the classified listings during 1900-
1916 of the CMCFH supplement. The firm was not listed as a member of the
Furniture Manufacturer's Federation.' My discovery of the firm's existencewas
fortuitous, and the only real data on the manufacturer's history at presentis the
Kelly's Directory entries, coupled with documentation held at the Ship Street
timber yard.

Barnes Branch - KeRy's directories.

The entries in Kelly's directories for Barnes Branch were as follows:
Locally from 1907- 1939Cabinet-making
Nationally from 1911- 1936Cabinet-making
Nationally in 1931bedroom furniture.

This makes the profile of this firm extremely useful, as the only High Wycombe

manufacturer to define itself entirely as a cabinet-making firm. The only other

firm's is
activities the documentation held by Mr. Peter
evidence available on the
Barnes, current managing director of the timber yard. Detailed entries in the

books and ledgers owned by the company are outlined in the appendix for this

The information from dated photographs, ledger

company. consensus of gathered
interview with Mr. P. Barnes, is that Barnes Branch were a
entries, and an

98
traditional firm producing proper reproduction ftu-niture (not modem) by
traditional hand craft techniques, assistedin some measureby limited
machines.

Barnes Branch - Synopsis of documentation.

The firm had a factory in Queen'sRoad,which wasthe centrefor furniture
production,away from the Ship Streettimber yardsstill in operationtoday.
However,the entriesin Kelly's directoriesall give the addressfor BarnesBranch
as TempleEnd. There seemsto be someconfusionaboutthe locationof this
workshop address,unless there 2
were two workshops.

The headings for Salesin the accountsledgers for 1930-1944include the

following:
Cabinet, Mach, Machg Brook St, Brook St Timber,
QueensRd Timber, Total to trading a/c

In Table 3.4, the most significant areasof income for the firm were, in order;
Cabinet work, Brook St Timber sales,and Machining at Brook Street
Entries in Barnes Branch accountsledger for SALES?
Year Cabinet Mach Machg Brook St QueensRd Total to
Brook St Timber Timber Trading a/c
1930 9710.4.4 103.10.6 7769.0.11 9147.10.11 13.1.0 26840.18.0
1931 6222.4.6 94.15.4 6885.10.0 8987.19.5 19.15.4 22210.4.7
1932 3948.8.8 52.0.3 4814.11.1 5869.11.4 41.5.1 14760.16.5
1933 4010.5.5 33.17.7 4657.17.0 6064.5.9 83.12.8 14799.8.0
1934 3412.17.1 49.19.0 45232.10 6237.6.10 224.11.2 14447.16.11
1935 2911.15.6V2 44.10.7 383.11.2 5316.10.7 224.15.6 12381.3.4V2
1936 3304.3.4 53.16.1 3937.16.7 5650.3.9 197.5.7 12943.14.2
1937 3322.18.10 56.6.8 2714.6.7 4463.10.1 141.1.5 10702.3.7
1938 2493.6.2 58.0.3 2510.5.1 4390.2.1 91.5.4 9542.18.11
1939 2245.5.2 32.8.0 2271.19.0 4478.10.3 51.13.8 9079.16.1
1940 2251.6.4 51.14.5 1815.5.8 6491.1.5 43.1.6 10652.9.4
1941 7633.14.75
1942 4132.0.8
1943 1070.7.5
1944 92.14.8
Entries for Salesin the accounts ledgersfor 1930-1944 Table 3.4

Machining work includes the manufacture of componentsfor chair making for

to
sale other firms, as shown by the entries in the ledgers with individual pricing
forjobs. An example of this from a June 1938 entry in that order book:
Parker. 8 Mahog 3" cab legs sup & turned 16 blocks.
12 beechrevolvers 882 @ 51-= E3.0.0

99
Other High Wycombe manufacturers' namesthat appearin
such orders included:
North, Abbot Wilson, Laurence,Baker, TL Furniture, Craft (bottoms
only), Carter.
Mole, Parker,Lovegrove, Castle, W. Harven, Abbott, Stone,P& Biggs, Miles,
Mr.
Webb, Harding, Howard, Janes, H. Edwards, Cutler, S.A. Lord

The majority of the orders entered were from Wycombe

manufacturers,indicating
that trade was mostly local. In some casesBarnes Branch were still producing
items of fin-niture, not just components,for example June 1938
orders:
Castle Oak plaited seatand bk smallS4as sample 51- E1.10.0
W Harven Eng. Oak armchairs
Abbott Mahogany chairs 6/- f 1.4.0
P& Biggs Beech armchairs 4/9 L4.15.0
Miles 6 Beech Fsides 2/6

The orders for fireside chairs increasethroughout this 1938 ledger. It is not clear
if Barnes Branch upholstered the chairs. The reference aboveto 'plaited seat&
bk' would indicate there might have been rush or canework in their factory. A
later reference to 'Kent f/sides with ply seats' would seemto imply that

upholstery with springs and fabric was not part of Barnes Branch's repertoire.
Amongst the photographic records from the firm there are no imagesof chairs so
this is not corroborated as yet. Later orders that year include referencesto timbers

such as Aftican Walnut, teak, white American oak, as well as oak, mahogany,
walnut, beech, and plywood. It would have been possible for Bames Branch to

use unusual timbers in their work since the timber yard was handling imported as
well as home-grown hardwood.
In the sameledgers there are entries for "Sundry Exp to Travelling",
indicating expensesand commission to travelling salesman. This might imply

that they were salaried members of staff. However, no referenceto salarieswas

in
present this ledger. It is possible that these salesmenwere retained for selling
to retailers outside of Wycombe. The photographs in the collection include

severalrepeats of the same items, with similar prices on the back showing that

they were printed at the sametime and probably used concurrently. The pictures

also have 'Barnes Branch' printed on the back, and in some cases'please return'.
It seemslikely that a number of Travelling Salesmenwere using thesepictures

with retailers they visited, and either left them with clients, or posted them out as

The are typical of the type commissioned by ftu-niture

well. photographs
manufacturers between 1920 and the late 1930s for in
use catalogues,

loo
advertisementsand design books. They are difficult to date becausethe style of
photographing did not change over such a long period, and there are no items in
the ledgers to compare with the prices on the reverse of the photographs.
However,,from the remaining ledgers of the late 1930s,it would seemthat Barnes
Branch was not manufacturing the items that are representedby these

photographs, so they at least pre-date the mid-to-late 1930s.

Barnes Branch - CMCHF Wycombe special issues

The 1922 Wycombe issue entry for Barnes Branch (who did not appearin 1921)
is substantial compared to that for other companies. The most notable points were
the fact that the factory was situated at Queen's Road, and that the firm
5
manufactured no chairs there. This might mean that chairs were manufacturedat
Ship Street timber yard/workshop instead, and certainly the secondfloor
that the in 2002 6 The
workshops author visited were equipped as such. work that
was done at Queen's Road was described as 'small cabinet goods for the drawing-
in '
room, working almost entirely mahogany. The speciality of the firm seemsto
have been tables, in a wide range including wine tables, ladies working tables,
flap tables, nests of small tables and toilet mirrors (many imagesof theseitems

are included in the photograph collection). The paragraph goes on to say 'They
do not go in for work of the cheapestclass, but are confident that when quality is

considered their prices will be found absolutely right. ' The image accompanying
the article is of a flap table of restrained design, with a deep figured veneerapron,
and straight square legs with inside chanifer, ogee bracket details at top of legs.

In the 1923 issue the paragraph allotted to Barnes Branch is much shorter,and

simply stated that the firm produced mostly tables in a wide variety of designs,

in 7 This is given over to information on the factories in

mostly mahogany. edition
Wycombe, and the photograph for Barnes Branch does not seem to be the Ship

Street site. The image includes a covered shed in the foreground perhapswith

some sort of cart or van inside, several stacks of timber, and looks through a
lane to a three storey brick building. The building
narrow entry a courtyard, with
had a gantry running at first storey level, with external stepsleading up to it. This

does not give clear information, but does seemto indicate ty

an older , pe of facton-

set-up with workshops on multiple levels, not conducive to modem practices of

This type of arrangementwas the norm for hand-craft workshops.

manufacture.

101
 In the 1925 Wycombe issue which has classified listings of
manufacturers,Barnes
Branch appearedin the following (limited) categories:
furninue,smallfurnisbings,
Miffors,occasional '
tables.
The firm does not appear under the headings of bedroom ftuniture,
chairs and
stools, chair fi-amesand parts (which might have been expectedfrom the 1938
ledger entries above), sideboards,and timber (i. e. sawmills and timber
yards).
The Queen's Road factory seemsto be treated quite separatelyto the Ship Street
timber yard. This range of fin-niture corroboratesthat chairs were not
manufactured at the Queen's Road site, but does not preclude other fin-nituretypes
that might have been made at Ship Street. It is likely from the size of premisesat
Ship Streetthat manufacture there was not as prolific or sizeableas at Queen's
Road, and that chairs made there were frames rather than finished pieces.
Possibly Barnes Branch restricted manufacture to a small range of occasional
ftu-niture, and excluded chairs to deliberately avoid the chair market. Competing

with other manufacturers in chair-making would require more machine-

production techniques, either aiming for massproduction and low prices, or
higher priced better quality chairs produced with the aid of machinery and non-
traditional techniques. Medium and small sized pieces of good quality furniture
made in a traditional manner by craftsmen with limited machinery would have
been more economical to produce than large cabinet pieces.
No further information on Barnes Branch has been found in the Wycombe issues
leading up to World War IL or beyond.

Barnes Branch - contributions to industry during World War H

Barnes Branch was not credited with any manufacturing work during World War
11. The traditional hand-craft skills within that the firm are credited with have
been corroborated to some extent by the evidence shown. This was possibly the
downfall of the manufacturing side of the firm, as there was nothing to offer in the
during World War 11. It is evident that Barnes Branch was in
way of manufacture
decline, as far as making fin-niture was concerned,for the decadeleading up to the
The firm is likely due to its
war. continued successof the as a timber yard most
location within a ftirniture manufacturing area.
The most significant observation from Barnes Branch's data is that the term

cabinet-maker in Kelly's directories possibly refers to the style rather than the

102
type of work made. Barnes Branch was referred to at all times in Kelly's as a

cabinet-making firm, with no reference to chairs. Since the work of the firm did
include chairs to some extent, but was significantly different from Birch
and
Bartlett in the processesused, it could be concluded that the use of 'cabinet-

maker' in Kelly's refers to traditional cabinet-making, rather than the making of

cabinet,furniture.

REFERENCES

' Throughout 1933 the CMCHF published an ongoing debateon the WFTEx
and BIF differences.
2At presentTemple end could be considereda continuation
of what is now QueenSquarein the
town centre,which runs north out of the town centre,through Frogmoor,becomingTempleEnd
andthen HughendenRoad. Queen's Road itself runs parallel to and North of London Road,at the
Easternside of the town, and could not be confusedwith QueenSquare,or relatedto TempleEnd
geographically.
' Note that the totals of the preceding columns do not always correlatewith the total in the final
column, but not always by significant amounts. Any inaccuracyis unexplained.
4 Smalls meanssmall chairs, or dining type chairs without arms, in this casewith reeded
ýrushwork)seatsand backs.
'The Wycombe Furniture Trade', CMCHF, (October 28h 1922),p 190.
6 The workshopshad been left almost as if the craftsmenhad downedtools and walked away
without dismantling the area. An abundanceof legs and other componentswere still in racks
along the walls, and somepartly assembledsmall tables were on the benches,awaiting the final
touchesprior to finishing. The last work was done there in 1939accordingto Mr. PeterBarnes.
7 'Where Wycombe Works', CMCHF, (October 27th 1923),p203.
8 'A Buyers' Guide to High Wycombe', CMCHF, (October 10"' 1925),p2ll-213.

103
 The Firm of Fumiture Industries Ltd., later known as Ercol, High Wycombe

The company Furniture Industries Ltd. was founded in 1920 by Mr. L. R. Ercolani
he
when purchased land in Spring Gardens,and commencedbuilding a factory to
his own design. The firm was unusual in I-EghWycombe from the beginning
becauseof the company name not being basedon the family name of the founder,

and because of the modem outlook of the founder from the beginning.' Ercolani
adopteda truncation of his family name later in the firm's existencefor branding

purposes.
The history of the firm has been well documented,particularly after World War 11,
becauseof the national successof Ercol furniture. This short history of the firm's

earlier years has been put together from a number of published accounts. 2

Lucian Erconali was born in 1888 near Florence. His father was a small fumiture

maker as well as an active member of the Christian Mission (later known as the
Salvation Army), and the family were Protestant.The family emigratedto London
from Italy becauseof persecution by the Catholics.3 After attending school in the
East End until age 13, he attended Shoreditch Technical Institute from the ageof
14, training in technical drawing and furniture design at night school there.
Initially interested in architecture, he was guided towards furniture design under
the auspicesof Mr. Percy Wells (tutor at the Institute) and Mr. Flashman(lead
4
designer at Maples furnishing store). Ercolani is said to have achievedcity and
Guilds Certificates in Cabinet Making. In 1910 or 1911 (aged 22 or thereabouts)
Ercolani went to High Wycombe to take work for Harry Parker, at the firm now
known as Parker Knoll. With Mr. Parker's encouragementErcolani took up an
Wycombe Technical School teacher design,
appointment at High as a of art and
furniture design. In this way Ercolani met Ted
with particular reference to
Gomme, and his friendship with the Gomme family led to him become a designer

with them for some years.

By 1920 Ercolani had ar=gements in place to buy a plot of land for

factory of his own design. The factory still stands today at the
constructing a
Spring Gardens site off London Road, to the East of the town It
centre. was
designed on modern lines with single storey workshops, and machines a in

layout. It was built on a spacious piece of land enabling

production-line

104
extensions when necessary, and included a timber store. For the year 1920 this
was foresight indeed. In his autobiography 'A Furniture Maker' Mr. Ercolani paid
tribute to Frank Gomme of the rival firm Gomme's. Mr. Gomme offered Ercolani

a loan of f 10,000 early in the firm's existence when it was known that there were
financial troubles. Gomme's own factory was adjacent to the Ercol factory in

Spring Gardens from 1927, but was pulled down shortly before the author's
visit
to Ercol in 1999.5
Furniture Industries Ltd. took over the firin of Walter Skull Ltd. in 1932,
but Skull kept its own name and identity. Other companiesalso absorbed
included Latimer Sawmills and George Worley Ltd. (warehousingand
distribution). The advantageof taking over these firms would have beena vertical

expansion into the related industries. Keeping the firms as separateentities to

Ercol had financial 6
advantages. The businesswas well establishedby the time
War broke out in 1939, and the firm was fully employed during the hostilities.
After World War II the firm went back to fin-niture production with renewed

vigour, creating the first mechanically produced Windsor chair in 1947. The
techniques for this were not only exceptionally fast, but also of outstanding

quality, enabling a whole range of furniture to be basedon that style of

construction. This is the basis of the look of Ercol furniture, and the Times of
London obituary attributes the successof this to the fact that Ercolani 'combined a

regard for the traditional with a shrewd assessment of what people wanted in their
homes.' 7

Ercol - CMCHF classified index entries, and advertisements.

in
Furniture Industries advertised rarely the CMCFIF pages, and did not appearin

the pre- 1916 classified sections as the fmn came into being in 1920. The

is
advertising pattern similar to that of E. Gomme, and in light of the two

manufacturer's similar post-war histories of branding and national advertising this

is not surprising.
The 1923 advertisement for Furniture Industries was a half page image of

loose fi-ame suite, with spindles, low back, square

a cushioned, wood upholstered
legs, flat The style was a mixture of Arts and
section chunky and straight arms.
Crafts and modem reproduction. An advert appearing in 1924 included text but

image, an advert for 'First Class Representatives'.with the

no and was actually

105
 offer of 'Salary and Commission', which meansthat Furniture Industries
employed full time salesmenwith areasof responsibility (or were
about to employ
such salesmen). No further advertisementswere found in the CMCHF
supplementuntil 1931, when a half page was taken with an invitation to the
Furniture Industries stand at the BIF for that year. The image
was of a sideboard
of early modem-reproduction style that included four bulbous turned legs wIth
stretcherunderframe. The cabinet itself was set quite high on the legs, but the
carcaseconstruction was relatively unadorned,with slightly fielded panelson the
doors and drawers and restrained mouldings around the top and the
drawer/cupboardintersection.

-i (S.PPI-O Thu Cabinet Mak-er and Complete lljusc Furnisher J-11.1y-'.j. ,,,

L-17, r't,
l' -, .-

B FA UTI FUL
FURNITURE,
ofEXCLUSIVE
DESIGN AT
L0 WC 'OST

TD
FURNITURE
INDUSTRIES
V Figure 3.5 CA4CHF advert
HIG" WYCOINIBE
January 24h 1931

For 1931 this was a conservative piece. The accompanyingtext states'Beautiful

Furniture of Exclusive design at low cost', implying the lower-end of the market

which is belied by the apparent quality of the piece photographed. The restrained
design, limited ornament and simple construction could be evidenceof useof

machine processesto lower the price of furniture without compromising on

quality.
Furniture Industries was listed in the index to the CMCHF supplementbut

no adverts have been found except in December 1935, when a half pagewas
dedicatedto an image of a dining suite of restrained conservative style, again

enabling the use of modem techniques in manufacture.

Ercol - CMCHF exhibition commentaries

Furniture Industries was a regular participant at the WFTEx from 1923onwards.

only appearing at the BIF for the first time in 1931. After 1931 there were three

106
 years when the fmn appearedat both the WFTEx and the BIF,, and thesewere at
the January/Februaryshows for both exhibitions - not the WFTEX shows later in
the year.
The 1923 WFTEx entry for Furniture Industries statesthat the firm
showeddining
room fimiiture only 'due to lack of space', and that the ftu-niturewas at
4competitive prices'. This doesn't really give a picture of the style or
quality of
ftu-niture,and the implication was that the firm was a small affair,
unableto afford
a larger show stand, and aiming (price wise) for the lower end of the market.
However, the competitive pricing might actually show that the firm was

producing furniture using modem techniques, the efficiency of which allowed

lower pricing. At the Manchester exhibition the sameyear Furniture Industries

showeda range of dining ftu-niture and upholstery, with 'a representativerange of

excellent modem fin-niture'. The 1925 entry included fin-niture 'of modem
design', and the stand was said to have been made up like an interior, providing

an 'excellent background to the display'. 1925's entry is limited to stating that

general cabinet and upholstery work was shown, but the 1926 show included
sideboards,dining room furniture, draw tables, easy chairs, upholstery, and caned
three-piecesuites. Oak is the primary timber used, and the implication from the
paragraphis nothing remarkably modem. The 1927 show includes a similar range
of 'high class upholstery and dining room furniture', with walnut and oak
mentioned, and again the impression is of traditional heavy fin-niture. Entries
in
continue a similar vein for 1928 and 1929, and in 1930 there is no text on the
Furniture Industries entry to the WFTEx. So, from this information, it would

seemthat after a brief interlude of 'modem design', (1925,1926 - within the

pagesof the CMCHF this equatedto simpler carcaseconstruction and reduced

ornamentation), Furniture Industries seemedto find in
a niche an areaof
traditional materials and style but produced using more modem factory

techniques.
In 1931 the firm showed at the Buenos Aires exhibition in April, and this
is the first mention of the trade name Ercol, and the trademark Ercolion-8 The

furniture at this exhibition and the WFTEx in March that year is not remarkablY
in
different to the previous entries. A real change the style and type of furniture

shown comes at the first BIF exhibition that Furniture Industries showed at, which

influence that had on the industry given that WFTEx

possibly reflects the retailers

107
was a buyers-only show, and the BIF allowed the generalpublic for viewing. 9
The BIF that year (1932) was held in February at Olympia (London)
and at
Birnlingbam at the same time. The coverage of the exhibition is
more
comprehensivethan that for the WFTEx, and for Fumiture Industries included
furniture of a modernist trend 'not ignoring the old traditions of
good furniture'.
Small dining suite designs, including buffet, extendingtable, and novel
chairs
were presented. The firm was statedas producing its own laminatedboard, and
springs for upholstery. The image presentedwas a self-containedmanufacturing
centre. The WFTEx write-up for Ercol that year was unusually lengthy, and
described dining room sets in limed black oak with white fittings and green
leather upholstery (a modem departure), and new designs'not too far from

tradition' with a 'high standardof taste and finish'. The tops of tables and
sideboardswere covered with glass plate, overall creating a 'novel effect, which is
got without being flashy and cheap'.
In 1933 and 1934 Furniture Industries showedat the BEFonly, and oddly
there was no write-up on Furniture Industries found for 1933, although the firm
was listed ' 0
as exhibiting there. At the 1934 exhibition Furniture Industries
showed 'high class furniture'. A specialist area for the firm was dining fin-niture
with exclusive designs of modem upholstery, and period reproductionsare also
included. The reputation of the firm for using modem manufacturing methods,

and some modem designs but continuing to use reproduction styles was again
corroborated. At the 1935 BY Furniture Industries showed a popular line in

show-wood hide A
suites. separatewrite-up a in later issue included mention of a
Spanishstyle carved dining set with matching bergeresuite. This would have
been aimed at an upper middle range market.
In 1936 Furniture Industries showed at Vv=x and the BIF. The WFTEx

show included upholstery and cabinet work, of a modem style and economic
production, with consideration for maximum accommodation in minimum space.
This latter point reflected a need to cater for the changing size of contemporary

accommodation, and the altering needs of the buying public. The BEF show
included a silver-lacquered bedroom suite with raised floral decor. The write up
for this was in a later issue to the exhibition issue, in common with other
Wycombe firms by that time.

108
 In 1937, Furniture Industries again showed at both the BIF
and the
WFTEx. The V./TTEx show in January mentions tension spring
upholstery, as a
in
small mention a general write-up for a later issue of the CMCHIF. The
February BIF included 'interesting new designsbasedon past styles'. These
included dining suites in natural oak (a more contemporaryfinish than

reproduction styles) with simple lines (again, a modem feature),and by contrasta

dark oak was used for a Charles II dining suite with matching three
piece suite.
The Charles H furniture was not only more traditional reproduction in style, but
the inclusion of matching dining and living room furniture gives the impressionof
quality aiming for a higher class market. Similarly a modem oak dining suite
with a matching three piece suite was aimed at a higher classbut modem market.
There are two distinct strands, modem and traditional, appearingin the ftmiiture

manufacturedby Furniture Industries. An indication of the forerunner of the

Ercol furniture range might be seenin the 1938 BIF entry of 'old Colonial Style',

modern ftuniture 'faithfid to the original in detail, modified for modem home
proportions'.
The exhibition entries would seemto comply with Furniture Industries

reputation for designs using economical manufacturing processes,of medium-

high quality and catering for a variety of tastesand budgets.

Ercol - KeHy's directories

Ercol had entries in Kelly's directories consistently as follows:
Locally from 1924- 1939FurnitureManufacturer
Nationally from 1931- 1936 Chair manufacturerand
Nationally from 1931-1936Cabinet Maker
Nationally in 1925Upholsterer, antique furniture, and couches,settees,easychairs

Furniture Industries was establishedjust too late to be included in the 1920 Local

directory, hence its appearanceat the next available issue in 1924. As could be

anticipated, Furniture Industries appearsunder the category 'Furniture

Manufacturer' eschewing the terms 'cabinet maker' and 'chair maker' for more
There was no equivalent term for 'Furniture Manufacturer"
modem terminology.
in National directories. This forced furniture manufacturers who
available the

109
perhapswere using more modern techniques to chose'Cabinet Maker', when in
fact they weren't really using traditional cabinet-making techniques.
The High Wycombe manufacturers comprised only a small
samplefrom
Kelly's Directory entries. In total, for the regional and local directories,499
individual High Wycombe firms appearedbetween 1895-1939. Under the term
'Furniture Manufacturer', (which commencedin 1911),the number of

manufacturers choosing to appearunder different categories,(taken at roughly

four yearly intervals) were as follows.
Furniture Manufacturer 23 11 20 15 20 35 33
Chair Manufacturer 81 85 100 126 126 127 128 117
Cabinet Maker 324 11 7334

There are a few examples of manufacturersadvertising as Furniture

Manufacturers and Chair Makers in the sameyear, and again a few examplesof

manufacturersadvertising as Cabinet Makers and Chair Makers, but no firms

listed themselves under the category of Cabinet Maker and Fumiture
Manufacturer. A conclusion might be that theseterms were mutually exclusive.
Cabinet-maker was not a popular term for Wycombe manufacturers,even prior to
the 1911, but the term Furniture Manufacturer grew steadily in popularity. 12

The 1921 National directory was not complete for the categoriesexamined
here, so an entry for Furniture Industries that year cannot be confirmed or

otherwise. It is interesting to note that National in

advertising, the two yearsthat
the firm took it up, Furniture Industries was listed under the categoriesof Chair-
Maker and Cabinet-Maker. This might reflect a lack of alternative options in the
National categories.

Ercol - CMCHF Wycombe special issues

The October Wycombe Issue of 1921 remarked that the Furniture Industries
factory, built a year previously, had been in continuous production since its

factory 13 The
creation to the point where extensions to the were neededalready.
furniture produced (cabinet and upholstery work) is described as sound in

fmish. Further extensionsto the factory are also

construction and of excellent
in 1922 issue. One hundred men were employed at the factory at
mentioned the
firm thought to be basedon 'the method in
that time, and the successof the was
in the goods themselves'. The entry continues
which the goods are produced, and

110
 'In the factory of Furniture Industries Ltd, there is the closest
co-operation
between the designing and producing departments,resulting in furniture
which,
while being eminently worthy of the traditions of High Wycombe, is also the last
14
in -)
work modem eleganceand comfort . The 1923 Wycombe issue dedicatedto
the factories of the town, has nothing different to 1922 in its commentaryof
Furniture Industries production. The photograph of the factory in Spring Gardens

shows a long two-storey building, with what is known to be the design shopand

other offices situated on the first floor of one section, ftu-nitureproduction being
left to the ground floor workshops.15
In the Wycombe issue buyer's guide classified sectionfor 1925 Furniture
industries appearsunder the following section only:
16
Upholstered
suitesetc.

This is remarkable as the firm was making cabinet fimiiture and chairs in

considerable quantity, and yet it doesnot appearin any other categories.

Furniture Industries held no strong reputation for fully upholsteredwork. The

company had a low advertising rate with the CMCHF, so perhapsthe firm did not
invest much in the CMCBF for marketing purposes.
In 1926 the entry for Furniture Industries included upholsteredsuites with
hide and tapestry covers, extending and gatelegtables, bureaux and hall robes in

oak, and a bergere suite of early modem reproduction style. Nothing mentioned
17
indicates modem work at that time. The 1928 issue coveredthe factories of
Wycombe again, and gave a thorough account of the expansionof Furniture
Industries' factory expansion from one workshop of 33 by 200 feet, to 1,600 by

33 feet. These are odd dimensions, but on investigation it appearsthat two long
The firm had drying
narrow workshops, adjacent and co-joined, were created.
kilns on-site, as well as 'approximately a mile of miniature rail lines in the

for timber handling'. 18

grounds easeof
A change to more modem design was not evident until 193 1, when the
in
Wycombe issue included a photograph of a sideboard oak manufactured by

Furniture Industries. The design is an amalgamation of the modem style with

19 doors were completely flush
Arts and Crafts details. The two outer cupboard
fitting, whilst the two inner doors were constructed of four vertical panels at slight

to to create a ripple effect, with some sort of reeding or chip-

angles each other
carved beading between each vertical panel. The two outer doors were each
topped by a drawer with recessedcircular detail, and no handle was necessan-as
the lower edge of the drawer fronts projected slightly, in line with the central
doors. The legs were of narrow plank fon-n in section, set at forty-five deureesto
the carcass,with a simple stopped beading run down each side. The new modem
style adopted by the firm was 'not so extreme as to require an ultra-sophisticated
taste for their appreciation' and would 'harmoniously go anywhere...[would] not

quarrel, artistically, with anything else.

Figure 3.6 CA4CHF October 31

1931 p 171. Modem design
sideboard by Ercol.

The premise of Furniture Industries' later furniture was that it would blend in with

existing modem, reproduction and antique furniture, and this seemsto be the
turning point for that design ethos.
The trade name 'Ercol' was used for the first time in the 1933issue,

mentioning the ever-growing businesswhich by then included on-site showrooms

20
for buyers to visit. The 1934 entry for the firm was equally minimal, the most
direct statementbeing that the modem designs include low priced dining room
21 In 1937 the Ercol paragraphshowed the 'Old Colonial'
and upholstered suites.
style, forerunner of the Windsor chair derived range that Ercol began producing in

in the late 22
1940s. The style of furniture photographed is a settee.which
earnest
in construction resemblesa fireside chair - including short legs, wooden arms.

and loose seat and back cushions. The post-war range took this premise and
frames Windsor-chair construction, blending a traditional look not
produced of a
to
related reproduction styles with contemporary upholstery and manufacturing
for the firm is
and still produced in
techniques. This proved very successfully
2003. The 'unusual period styles' were set 'to suit the middle-class pocket'. and

112
the blend of styles would have appealedto the merging middle and lower classes

at that time.
The Wycombe issue for 1938 focused on occasionalf1mifture,and did not include
Furniture Industries Ltd. in its pages.

Ercol - contributions to industry during World War H

Furniture Industries was not named in the initial list of Utility furniture

manufacturers, but at the end of the war the firrn were mentionedasproducing
tent pegs (120 per minute), pulley blocks, fold-flat chairs, tool & instrument
boxes, rolling pins, butchers' blocks, barrack forms, snow shoes,and steering

wheels for aircraft. This range of work does not reflect the manufacturing
capability of the firm at this time, and indeed the 1945 article statedthat the firm
'thought themselvesthe Cinderella of the munitions industry'. The company was
involved in the felling and conversion of large quantities of timber for the war

effort, and also the production of prodigious amountsof plywood for the industry.
The sophisticatedmanufacturing capabilities, and modem set-upof Ercol were

not exploited during the War. This in

was contrast to E. Gomrne,houseddirectly

next door to the Ercol factory, who manufactured almost all the wooden structural
components for Mosquito aircraft.

Ercol's well-documented history does allow some analysisof the

directories and advertising data presented. Like E. Gomme, Ercol usedthe term
Furniture Manufacturer for in
entries the local Kelly's Directories. As both firms

madereproductionand modem work, this establishesthat the term refersto a

methodof manufactureratherthan a style of production.Foregoing the option of

the term Cabinet-maker,
andcomparisonwith BarnesBranch'suseof this term,

reinforcesthis view.
The range of categoriesavailable to firms in the local directories was
in directories, and differed from region to region even
greater than the national
County directory. This seem to show that local directories
within the same would
distinctive categories, reflective of local production.
might contain more
have to be
However, exact definitions of those categories really meant would
from in The categories used in one
established supporting evidence each case.
area could mean something quite different elsewhere.

113
 Gomme and Ercol both used limited advertising spacein the CMCHF, but

showed regularly at the main trade exhibitions, a pattern reflected somewhatby

23
Parker-Knoll. The common denominator with thesethree manufacturersis that

they all took the option of using Branded identities, and independentnational
advertising. All three used the BIF exhibition, which allowed the generalpublic
to attend, in conjunction with direct advertising nationally, but limited use of the
CMCHY advertising pages.

REFERENCES

' Family namesgenerally gave the impressionof generationsOf involvementin the business.The
smaller chair-making concernsoften worked from the back of the home or premisesof other work
(e.g. public houses)and would hardly wan-anta separatecompanyname.
2 Accounts of the history of the firm of Ercolani include
Lankups, Margaret 'Craftsmanshipin Solid Wood, Buckinghamshireand Berkshire
Countryside, (December 1973)p34-36,
Lawson, Helen 'The Ercol Story', TheLady, (March 3d, 1983)p428,429,434.
,
(Unfortunately this seemsto be an almost verbatim reproductionof the first accountby
Margaret Lank-ups,but is not attributed to her.),
Obituary, unattributed, 'Mr. Lucian Ercolani', The Times(London), (12tbJune,1976)p25,
HW Library copy of text,
Obituary, unattributed, 'Death of Mr. Lucian Ercolani', BucksFree Press,(11"' June,1976)
copy in HW library, no pagenumber,
' "A Furniture Makee' from St. Angelo', CMCHF, (29h August 1975),p 10. The article
the
announces publication of Mr. Ercolani's autobiographyA Furniture Maker publishedby
Ernest Benn that year.

A collection of articles assembledby Ercol into a booklet 'What the PresssaysaboutErcol

furniture' includes the following;
Bernard Hollowood The ObserverProfile TheSundayObserver,(January25"' 1959),
'The Wooden chair' Punch, (April 19d' 1959),
'The New Windsor' Art & Indust?y, (April, 1956),
'Tbere's a year of testsand trials behind all thesenew designs' TheDaily Telegraph,(12'h
January, 1960),
'Modem Furniture Manufacture' New Homes,(July, 1959).

3The exact time of the move varies in different accounts,usually cited as 1898,this would make
Ercolani 10 years old. In Ercol's own literature he is said to have beenonly three yearsold a the
time of the move.
' Editorial 'Wycombe enterprise,furniture Industries' Managing director Joins Board of Walter
Skull' CMCHF, (January24d' 1931), p 141-142.
5Ercolani, L., A Furniture Maker, (London, Ernest Benn, 1975)cited in the BucksFree Press
obituary of Mr. Ercolani, I Vh June 1976, p32.
6According to Mr. Keen of Ercol, Skull's were retained to produce more traditional ftimiture
is Skull's based on, whereas Ercol had a more modem image
which what original reputation was
and reputation to maintain.
'Mr Lucian Ercolani', The Times,(June 12d, 1976) p25.
The lion of the Ercol is to be derived from the life-size pillar-box red lion statue,
symbol said
Red Lion hotel & inn, Wycombe High Street.
situatedatop the portico entranceof the
9 The term buyer refers to a representativeof a retailing fim.
10Wm Birch and H Goodearl and sonswere also not commentedon from a list of 23 Wycombe
firms.
" There seemsto have beena glut of firms advertising under an extra category in 1925. Perhaps
the Kelly's representative in Wycombe that year
there was a special deal on that year, or perhaps
was particularly successful.

114
12For the directory years 1895 1907the term Cabinet-maker
- was taken up by 1,2,0 and 5 firms
respectively.
13'The Wycombe Furniture Industry', CMCHF, (October 29th1921),
p241.
14'Wycombe Issue' CMCHF, (October 28b, 1922),g 197.
15'Where Wycombe Works', CMCHF, (October 27 1923),p206.
16'A Buyers' Guide to High Wycombe', CMCHF, (October 100'1925),
p2li-213.
17'Where does Wycombe Stand?', CMCHF, (October 3Od'1926),
page263.
18'The Furniture Factories of Wycombe' (October 27t" 1928), p 174.
19'High Wycombe's Industry', CMCHF, (October 3V 1931), p 171.
20'Wycombe is Hard at Work', CMCHF, (October 28tb1933),p 135.
21'High Wycombe is Busy! ', CMCHF, (October 27h 1934),p 150.
22'High Wycombe Supplement', CMCHF, (September4'h 1937),p397.
23Parker-Knoll has not been included in this study for two reasons.Firstly, because
of a dearthof
primary material. Secondly, because the firm specialisedin upholsteredfurniture, an off-shootof
chair-making that was not in the areaof cabinet-makingand ftirniture manufacturethat this study
is focusedon. Parker-Knoll (or Fred Parker and sons)only appearedin local directoriesthree
times - 1931,35,39, albeit under Furniture Manz#acturer. In national directoriesthe firm
appearedannually under chair-maker, and for 1931,35,39 undercabinet-maker.Their reputation
as primarily upholstererswas reflected by their entry under in national directoriesasjust that for
the years 1899,1903,1911,1915, and 1925. Parker Knoll did make occasionalfurniture to go
with the upholstered work. The entries for Cabinet and Chair work, in conjunctionwith the
Upholstery entries establishthis kind of profile.

115
 The ManufacturerMessrsWalter Skull and Sonof High WVcombe

The source for this abridged history of the &M of Walter Skull & Son is 'Oak
Down the Ages. A directory of the luxury of beautiful ftu-nitureat low cost' held

at the firm of Ercol, who acquired Walter Skull & Son in 1932. The booklet is
dated 1939 and is attributed to Fred Skull, Director of the company that year.

Walter Skull was born in Wycombe in 1817 and is said to have been
one
of the fu-st in
chair-makers the town. Before Rail transportwasavailable,the
family sentchairsby road to London andothertowns for sale. Walter Skull and
his sonEdwin Charlespurchaseda furniture factory from Mr. JohnTilbury in
1872. In 1874the firm gaineda commissionto provide four thousandrush-seated
chairsfor St. Paul's (the implication is that this is St Paul'scathedral,London).
In 1884Walter Skull retired, leavinghis sonto continuethe businessandbranch
into antiquereproductionof a traditional style andmethodof manufacture.The
firm initially built up relationshipswith museumsand 'wealthy connoisseurs'and
wasgrantedpermission to take notesandwax impressions for
of original antiques
the
reproductionpurposes, aim of the firm being to faithfully reproducethose
pieces. Eventually the firm its
assembled own collection of antiquechairsfor
constantreference,andto avoid 'reproducingthe reproduction'. The impression
is that the companyadheredto traditional handcrafttechniquesandgenuine
reproductionwork, andproducedmainly chairs.
Evenafter the firm's absorptioninto Ercol in 1932,the identity of W. Skull was
preserved,and entriesfor the firm appearin later articles,directoriesand
publications.

Skull - CMCRF classified index entries, and advertisements.

W. Skull had entries in the CMCIIF classified listings of 1899 (for chair-making)
then did not appear again until 1902, from which time the firm appeared regularly
the listing
under the headings cabinet-maker and chair-maker until classified
in 1916. From 1907 the firm also appears under the heading
ceased mid onwards
in
of sideboards most entries, and occasionally also featured under screens
(regularly after 1911) and in 1913 featured twice under the upholstery section.

116
 The firm advertised in the CMCFIF fairly regularly between 1905
and
1918, after which there were no advertisementsfor the firm until an exhibition
in
advertisement 1936 (after merging with Ercol). Skull's first advert appearedin
1897, and was text only in a small strip (1/8 page) at the bottom of a page, 'chair

manufacturers and upholsterers'. The regular advertisementsfirst appearedin

June 1905, with a line drawing of a Carolean setteewith upholsteredseat

accompanying the text 'chair makers, upholsterers,cabinet makers'.

CUP- PAKF.Pf
Vpmun, rpraf
r-ABI"rTP,AKtu.

Figure 3.7 CMCHF advertisement

HIGHWYOKK for W. Skull and Son, June 12'b
/*ncV. 'Z-OOKr 4-ý
1905.

In October that year an advertisement included a photograph of two QueenAnne

in
chairs with simple vase shapedsplats the back. Throughout this time Skull's
London showroom was given as 45 Berners St., and the text declared'chair

makers, upholsterers, cabinet makers'. The advertisementswere consistently V2

in
page size. No advertisementswere found in 1906, but in March 1907 the
photograph of three low backed upholstered chairs, one Arts and Crafts in
influence, accompany the usual text which also states'designers' as part of the

repertoire of services available. These stylish chairs were more suited to a hotel

or elegant club than home use.

There was a break in advertisementsfound, until 1911. Reproduction
dining suites featured in the two adverts of 1911. The first, in May, showeda
'Stuart reproduction dining suite', with images of a ladderback chair (upholstered,

not caned or rush seat) and heavy large oak dresser.The London showroom and a
Paris addresswere included - "Paris, 75 Faubourg St. Antoine Xie" (sic). The

Paris addressonly appearedon this one occasion. The July advertisement for that

included Stuart suite, with lathe back chairs, and another large oak
year another
sideboard. In 1912 and 1913 the concentration was on upholstered chairs,
including, in February 1912, an upholstered X frame chair, and the text 'Exact

Historical furniture. In February the next year a photographof

reproductions of

117
an adjustable arm settee/daybed,restoration style, fully upholsteredwith velvet
and ffinging was pictured, and in the August two Adam period chairs. One was a
dining-type chair, and the other had a fully upholsteredback and seat. The
same
advert appeared in February 1914. The 1915 advertisementshowedtwo Carolean
chairs, one caned with barley sugar twist stretchersand bobbin turned legs, the
other with tapestry upholstered seat and back. Also pictured was a small gateleg
table. In 1917 upholstered setteesfeatured, and the next year the sameadvert

appearedtwice, with an upholstered restoration style window seat. As far asthe

author can tell, these items are all good quality reproductions in terms of the detail
of appearance. The method of construction cannot be confirmed as authenticor
otherwise from the images. Everything shown in these advertisements,including
the text, is consistent with Skull's reputation for genuine reproduction work, with
a focus on chair-making.
The final advertisement found for Skull was a 1936 exhibition invitation

with no image included. This was after Skull had merged with Furniture
Industries Ltd., and at the height of the exhibition attendancefor both companies.

SkuH - CMCEEF exhibition commentaries.

Walter Skull & Son was included in the exhibition lists for the VYTTExin 1923,
1924and twice in 1925 (for upholstery and other ftu-niture). The descriptionsof

entries were brief and included reproduction and modem chairs, occasionally
other furniture (1923), fine period furniture (1924), and chairs, general ftu-niture,

'pleasant chairs and upholstery' (1925).

The next entry for the firm was at the BIF in 1933, the year after Furniture
Industries Ltd. had taken over the firm. Furniture Industries Ltd. was also listed

as an exhibitor but there was no commentary on that entry, so no comparison can

be made. Skull's display included a 'nice cream stand' (sic) with a 'green suite of
they known for.
modernist trend', rather than the traditional work were
Skull's entry for the 1934 BIF included high-class furniture in 'modem

in dining, bedroom fin-niture. The

and period styles', specialising and upholstered
1935 BIF entry mentions period-adapted styles in accordancewith modem needs,
1936 BEF included a reproduction dresser with linenfold panels
and similarly the
finish (this in later issue to that covering the
and sandblasted entry was a separate
' Skull also exhibited at the WFTEx that year, showing modem
main exhibition).

118
 adaptations of period styles. The firm showed at both the BIF and the WFTEx in
1937, with a larger range of ftmiiture in the sameperiod-adapted
styles.
Unfortunately, no images were found for these years, and although the firm
was
listed for the 1938 BIF there is no write-up of their stand.
It would seem that the original Skull traditions were not continued
when
the firm was taken over by Furniture Industries, but that Skull's production was
still different enough to remain a separateentity. How different the production
methods and designs of the adaptedperiod styles Skull adoptedwere is not clear
at this point.

Skull - Kelly's directories.

Walter Skull and Son Ltd appear in Kelly's Directories as follows:
Locally from 1895 - 1939Chair manufacturer
Nationally from 1899- 1936 Chair manufacturer
Nationally from 1903-1936Cabinet Maker
Nationally from 1899-1925upholsteryand
Nationally in 1925 and 1931 antique furniture, Couch, settee,easychair manufacturer

This confirms the image of a traditional firm making mainly chairs and associated
fimfiture. The entries nationally for antique fin-niture and couch, setteeand easy

chair manufacture might be indicative of the finn's bias to chairs of a 'proper'

reproduction nature, with traditional upholstery techniquesbeing employed.
The addressof the firm was given in local directories as Oxford St. and later
London Road, presumably when taken over by Fumiture Industries Ltd. and

moved to their site at Spring Gardens off London Road. The entries in the

national directories do not give any address,perhaps becausethe firm was very

well known in the town, or becausethey had a London showroom which might
have been well know to the trade buyers.

Skull - CMCBF Wycombe Special Issues.

In the 1921 Wycombe issue the firm of W. Skull was describedas maintaining
first 2
fin-niture. The
in
their long-established reputation manufacturing class
Wycombe factory had extensive timber yards, and as well as the London

showroom a depot at Liverpool helped to service the firm's extensiveexport

in
trade, particular to America. Reproductions and high-class cabinet and

119
 upholstered goods were included in the 1922 issue, which also cites W. Skull
as
possibly being the oldest establishedin High Wycombe.3 By contrast.the 1923
edition describesthe work of the firm as 'representativeof the very best that
is in
modem design', perhaps referring to modem versions of period pieces(using
decorative features) rather than designs of modem fumiture. 4 The image
of the
factory in this issue is small and dark, but shows a three-storey brick building,
joined to a longer two-storey brick building. This would be consistent
with the
type of premises used for traditional hand-craft work. The addressof this site
was
not given, but is probably the Oxford St. town centre addressgiven in Kelly's
directories.
In the classified lists of the 1925 Wycombe issue Skull's is entered
under
the following headings:
Bedsteads,chairs and stools, occasionalfurniture, sideboards,tables,upholsteredsuitesetc.'

This covers the full range of furniture listed in other sourcesas being madeby W.
Skull's at this time, and no conflicting items appeared. In addition to this range,
the 1926 issue also lists fireside 6
chairs. This was a more contemporaryitem of
ftuniture and not basedon any historical precedent. The issue mentioned

reproduction and more contemporary furniture, and included a photographof a

chair from a range produced by the firm. This main feature of the range was a
hand-painted leather back panel. The pictured example was a low-backed

armchair, which had the leather panel atop a caned section, upholsteredseat,and
curved legs and back feet. This was a definite overlap of period features,and
indicated a departure from strict reproduction styles before the take-over by
Furniture Industries Ltd. in 1932.
There was no mention of the Skull establishmentin the 1928issue
dedicatedto Wycombe factories. A changeof style was noted the 1931issue,

which showed an arm/carver type chair with upholsteredseat and back, described

4 7 The item was made of birch with an option

as an expensive-looking caf6 chair'.
of 'oak, walnut or mahogany colour' fmish, with 'up-to-date modem tapestry' and
The Skull's typical 'inexpensive productions. This
sprung seat. chair was one of
different to the only a few years previously,,but it seemed
seemsvery reputation
firm keep in
up a changing market place. By 1933 the
that the was striving to
firm was being referred to as Walter Skull and Son (1932) Ltd.. referring to the

1-10
take over by Furniture Industries Ltd. However, Skull's firm was placedat the
London Road addressas early as 1926 in that Wycombe specialissue.Lucian
Ercolani had been appointedjoint managing director of Messrs.Walter Skull.

with Mr. Percy Skull as the other director and Mr. CharlesSkull remaining
8 During 1932 Skull's 'reconstructed',
chairman. was and Mr. Ercolam became
director. 9 There is
managing no mention of why the firm was taken over. but
financial difficulties may have made such a move desirablefrom the firm Skull's

position. The advantageto Furniture Industries might have been,as mentioned

before, the subsidiary company for traditional or modem-reproductionwork. This

would have been a financially astute line to keep producing, without

compromising Ercol's modem image. Skull had the reputationto carry on
producing reproduction work, which Furniture Industries might have wished to
distanceitself from. Certainly the 1932 Wycombe special issuedescribesSkull's

work under the 'new management' as a successful'graft on to a fine old tradition

the active spirit of modernism'. 10 The bedroom suite pictured was of very simple

lines, with flat, flush, veneered doors to the wardrobes slightly angled from the
hinges, a very simple low-seated, high-backed bedroom chair, and cheval mirror

deep drawer in the base. 11

with a single

W\

L
____ Figure 3.8 CMCHF September 17"'
LIT I 1932, p520. Modem bedroom suite
by W. Skull.

The mirror and wardrobes had simple ball-tumed feet, and long vertical handles.

This suite was a complete departure from the previous styles shown for Skull. In

the 1934 Wycombe issue the fin-n's paragraph reported a return to reproduction
12 They to be complete dining room and bedroom
work. were said producing
from 'well original models which lend themselves ", ell to
suites created chosen
lacquer or enamel for the
modem requirements'. In particular. a revival of using
interior finish of cabinets or drawers The photograph for the article
was noted.

121
 showed a traditional tall panelled wardrobe with dressingtable and mirror to
in
match,. a reproduction style, possibly late Victorian or Edwardian.
Walter Skull & Son was not mentioned in the 1937 Wycombe issue
or the
special edition on upholstery manfacturer of the town on June 6th 1937. The finn
did not feature in the 1938 Wycombe issue either, indicating, perhaps,that the
firm's identity was by that time more or less synonymouswith that of its

managing director's original company.

Skull - contributions to industry during World War 11

Not mentioned in the initial Utility lists, W. Skull and Son (1932) Ltd appearin
the 1945 issue covering Wycombe firms' contributions to World War 11

production, but only as part of the Furniture Industries section.

The firm of Walter Skull & Son was an example of continuing success
through collaboration, and the recognition of supporting and complementary
industry rather than rival 'modem' techniquestaking over and eliminating more
traditional work. The firm had already recognisedthat traditional cabinet-making
skills, although coupled with authentic reproduction work and quality, were not
economically viable and had taken to
steps modemise production methods. The

merger with Furniture Industries was an extension of this. The company's

previous reputation for hand-craft work was not reflected accurately in Kelly's
Directory entries becausethe firm focused on chair-making rather than cabinet-
furniture.

REFERENCES

' Linenfold panels were flat panels carved to represent folded cloth, in a box-pleat fashion.
Commonto the Elizabethanera, was a it decorative feature used on reproduction ftu-nitureto echo
that style of furniture without necessarilycopying the constructionstyle.
"The Wycombe Furniture Industry', CMCHF, (October 29th 1921),p239
3 'The Wycombe Furniture Trade', CMCHF, (October 28th1922),p 197
4 'Where Wycombe Works', CMCHF, (October 27th 1923),p2l I
5 'A Buyers' Guide to High Wycombe', CMCHF, (October I Oth1925),p2ll-213
6 'Where doesWycombe Stand?', CMCHF, (October 30th1926),page263
7. High Wycombe's Industry', CMCHF, (October 31" 1931), p 179
Editorial (1931) 'Wycombe enterprise, furniture Industries' Managing director Joins Board of
Walter Skull' CMCHF. January24th 1931, pages 141-142
9Editorial (1932)'Skull's of High Wycombe. Reconstructionof the firm. ' CAfCHF. May 28th
1932,page 377
'0 'High Wycombe', CMCHF, (October 29th1932),p 185-187.This was not a comprehensfýe
article on the town.

122
11A Cheval mirror is a tall mirror framed and placed in a swivel mechanismon a stand,enabling
the reflecting surface to be tilted up or down to view the whole figure.
12,I-Iigh Wycombe is Busy! ' CMCHF, (October 27h 1934),p 151
,

123
 The ManufacturerE. GommeLtd Hip-hWycombe
-of

There were very few articles in the CMCFIF about E. Gomme Ltd. throughout the

period that this study covers. The following history of the company is an

amalgamationof several sources. These include: High Wycombe Museum's

concise history of the firm (2001), an unattributed accountfrom High Wycombe
Library generated(it appears)by the firm itself as the last two paragraphsare

written in the first person (1982), a 1970 article by P. Farrant 'Good Going at
Gommes' in Management Today, and an undatedhandwritten account by Mr. G
Rolphe (an employee of Gomme's) in High Wycombe Library's file on that firm. '

"Ebenezer Gomme arrived in High Wycombe from Nettlebed,

Oxfordshire, some time in the 1880s. In 1898 he went into partnership with his

brother-in-law, Jim Pierce, marking the real beginning of the f= of Gomme's.

By the time Gomme's factory in Leigh Street, High Wycombe, was built in 1909

the company was at the cutting edge of the furniture trade in High Wycombe. The
fin-n introduced new machinery and was the first to abandon old practices like

part-time working. A second factory was opened in Spring Gardens in 1927, and
by 1938 Gomme's employed 800 people and was one of the country's biggest
fin-niture manufacturers. During World War Two its designers, such as Mr.

Barnes and Edwin Clinch, were on the board appointed by the Government to

design the utility line, which set the tone for British furniture making until the

early 1950S.ý92
"Gomme were credited with a remarkable breakthroughwhich madethe

company a national household name, launching a revolutionary new type of

furniture in 1953. "Design director Donald Gomme wanted to make a modem
fin-niture, from the traditional furniture that Gomme's had been
range of away
The G-Plan by Doris Gundry of J Walter Thompson
making. name was coined
from the Gomme Plan, a plan for living. The G-Plan range
advertising agency -
just time consumers wanted a change from the
appeared at the right - when
Second World War and the dark
limited choice of the utility furniture of the
brown, chunky furniture of earlier decades. G-Plan's light oak ftu-niture was
had feel. It could also be
stylish, attractive, adventurous and a contemporary
bought a bit at a time - the first "mix V match" furniture. While retailers

124
 determined the styles of furniture, which most manufacturers
producecLG-Plan
went over retailers' heads and appealeddirectly to the public through a national
advertising campaign. G-Plan pioneered the display of ftirniture in complete
room settings with accessories. The range becamehugely successful. At one
point there was an 18-month delivery wait and other manufacturerscopied styles."
The successof the company continued, and Gomme took over two
earlier
establishedHigh Wycombe furniture fn*ms. They were William Birch in 1954
and Castle Brothers and their Cressex factory, in 1958. Both of these
manufacturersare covered in this chapter. Gomme openeda London showroom
in 1954, and bought Clover Nfill at Nelson, Lancashire,to do upholstering
work,
in 1960. In 1980 Gomme employed 2000 people, severalhundredwith at least25

years' service, but the High Wycombe factory finally closed in 1992 with 600
remaining employeesbeing made redundant. ,3
The library article (possibly attributed to a member of the firm or family)

addsto this, saying that during the First World War the firm gave service
producing DH 9 aircraft, and had a lead part in producing the Mosquito aircraft
during World War IL The aircraft production was corroboratedin the 1945
CMCBF issue dedicated to Fhgh Wycombe's contribution to the War effort.4
After the War Gomme returned to furniture production, with the advantagethat

precise working practices and techniques imposed by aircraft production brought

to their manufacturing. The firm went on to become one of the country's
foremost producers of furniture with their G-Plan range.
S. Worden had contact with the firm for her 1980 PhD thesis, and her

comments on the firm's production techniques imply that they were already ahead

of their time prior to World War II. During the 1920s and 1930sthe firm

increasedits product range, and was able to provide finmishing for the whole
houseby the late 1920s. They had 20 different dining suites available to 700-800

time, but as was typical of the time, this involved a rapid

retail outlets at any one
turnover of styles within a range of sizes, which could amount overto 100 suites

This of system whereby components could be

per year. required some sort
be
interchangeable. For example, the ends of the sideboardscould standardised,
front back. A on the doors and top could be usedto
with similar and variation
that the firm using oak in the main, but in
create variety. Worden wrote were
finishes, just Zebrana walnut, and white maple, were
many different not antique.

125
used as contrast woods, and bakelite was occasionally usedfor tops and handles.
The simplification of styles made good economic sense,and the foundation for

massproduction techniques and design were already evident in the organisationof

the firm prior to 1930, and were facilitated by the new single storey premises
acquired in 1927.5
Mr. Laurie Barnes, works manager and chief designerwith Gomme's from
1929, attended art school and served his time as a furniture apprenticeprior to

working his way up to management. He never travelled abroador visited

exhibitions, so his foresight in design and production might be considered

surprising. Other family members were fully involved in the trade, not only with
their own firm of Barnes Branch, but also with relatives working at various times
for J Cox, W Birch, Goodearl Bros., F Parker and Wm Bartlett.6 According to
Worden, few High Wycombe firms employed designers,but thosethat did

preferred someonewith some art training, and more importantly someonewho

in
could also participate production, as there was never enough design work to
keep one designer busy.
A copy of G Rolphe's unpublished account of the history of Gonime's

company resides at the Museum in High Wycombe. ' In the post war years,he

states,the grandsonsof Ebenezer Gomme took an active role in the firm.

Apparently 'It was on their initiative that it was decided to discontinue the

production of all the traditional designs and to work out a new conception of
by
marketing and production supported a branded product and national
advertising. '

The G-Plan fin-niture ranges (launched in 1953) are still manufacturedtoday by

another company. During the period 1953-1980 G-Plan was extremely popular
fimifture, unlike anything that had gone before and accessibleto a wide section of

the buying public. The firm was bought out and taken over in 1986 after the

the 1980s, but continued manufacturing in High Wycombe

recessionof early
Gomme's ceased to exist in 1992, but G-Plan furniture
under the samename.8E.
firms High Wycombe. 9 Past
continues to be by
made two separate outside of
lack Gomme family members in the Rimiture firm
employees indicated that the of

closure inevitable, as with many family concerns.

made

126
Gomme - CMCHF classified index entries, and advertisements.
E. Gomme did not advertise often in the CMCHF. Entries in the Classified

section only appearedin 1915 and 1916 in the following categories,

Antique carved furniture, Bedroom furniture, Cabinet goods and upholstery.
Chair making, Screens, Sideboards, Upholstery,

In July 1921 the firm placed a half page advertisementin the CMCHF whichWas

a black and white photograph of a in

suite a mix of reproduction styles. The
furniture included a tall linenfold carved cupboard, caneback upholsteredsuite

with Carolean carving, extending rectangular table with barley sugarlegs and X
underframe, and a bobbin turned leather upholstered Cromwell chair. In October
that year a short article included two line drawings of Gomme furniture entitled
'Simple Oak Bedroom Furniture By E Gomme, High Wycombe', and 'The
"Municipal" Dining-room Suite'. The last image again showeda mixture of
in
reproduction styles a linenfold carved two door sideboard,extending
rectangular table with tapered reeded legs, wheel back-splat windsor chairs, and
Ottoman. 10 The first picture included rather simpler furniture, with a
upholstered
slight Arts and Crafts feel, including: a marble topped wash stand,plain panelled
wardrobe, plain two-drawer dresserwith mirror, plain bed-headand foot with
double horizontal slats and stopped chamfer betweenthe tenonedjoints, and a

simple rush seatedchair. The most striking thing about these adverts is the

comprehensiverange of furniture shown.

Figure 3.9 CAICHF

Advertfor E. Gomme URNITURE
December20"' 1926.

KVD.
The next advertisement found for Gomme furniture was a

half page vertical panel in December 1926. Gomme had at

this point adopted a logo incorporating the name of the firrn

atop an inverted triangle, with the word 'Furniture' across

c )%IPLF I' "QiII M]",

the middle, and the initials K. D. either side of the point at 1.1\ IIN(j
IE
ROOM

the bottom of the triangle. The term K. D refers to *Knock GONTME

F.,171C.
11 S1 141 FT

by I
in
Down' furniture, either supplied parts for assembly
the retailer (rather than the public. at this time) or for sale

127
 abroad. The photograph in this caseis of a fireside chair with a double thickness

of deep loose cushion, and included the text 'Complete Schemesfor the Living
Room'. In March of 1932 E. Gomme placed an advert that showed
a silhouetteof
a set of reproduction furniture, thought to be a table, two chairs and sideboard
of a
modem reproduction style. The text in this casesmated 'Will show at the Furniture
TradesExhibition - March 9 -18 Stand Nos E145, F168'. In December 1933
a
short editorial article on 'The Bedroom of Today, Modifications of the
Conventional Suite' includes a contemporary design of a toilet standby E.
"
Gomme Ltd. The image was used again in 1935 as part of a seriesof advertsfor
Armourplate Glass for Furniture. The three Armourplate company's adverts

using Gomme's finTAturecomprised of the following.

1934 (July) a Dressing Table with extending glasstop, long oval chevalmirror, three
drawer pedestal
1935 (Feb) the aforementionedtoilet stand- two setsof drawerswith reededhandles,
supporting either side of the amourplateglasstop and large archedmirror with
articulating wings, and very contemporarylow backedchair with a sweepingcurved
laminated single back foot
1935 (May) a tall sideboardin dark oak, with side panelsextendingupwardto supportthe
armourplate glasstop above the upper surfaceof the cabinet. Four tall cupboarddoors
are mounted with a long vertical reededhandle,echoedwith reededpanelsat the top
comers of the structure. The sideboardstandson a short plinth, and the cupboarddoors
are set in flush.

A similarly styled 'one piece suite' combining 'seat, bookshelf, pedestal,slipper

box and hinged armourplate glass top which swings to one side to give full-length

mirror' appears in a short article on bedroom furniture in 1934.12

The indications were that Gomme was a prolific manufacturerutilising

modem styles and materials from early in the 1930s.

Gomme - CMCHF exhibition commentaries.

E. Gomme exhibited at the WFTEx yearly from 1921 until 1932. Initially, the
WFTEx took place in April, and so in 1921 and 1923 the firm also showedat the
BIF in the February without clashing with the WFTEx. Throughout the 1920s
Gomme exhibited mostly reproduction fin-niture, initially showing chairs and

general (non-specified) cabinet furniture in Jacobeanand other period styles and

in 1923 BIF Oak Linenfold panel background to
enhancing their stand the with an
their stand of an 'extensive range of oak ftu-niture'. By 1925 and 26 the range of

'attractive and original cabinets', Chippendale

articles shown was extended to
chairs and sideboards in 'simple well-proportioned 20thCentury taste', and

128
 'traditional-based original designs'. Fireside chairs were mentioned in 1927,
as
in
well as sideboards oak and mahogany, dining tables, hall robes,bureaux,dinner
wagons, upholstered suites, tub and dining room chairs.
Until 1930 the firm was still showing adaptedreproduction furniture
and
upholstery but in 1931 the term 'modem flu-niture, was applied to their exhibits
at
the Buenos Aires exhibition, which also included period armchairs in English
13
Walnut. Earlier the sameyear at the VYTTEx Gomme's exhibit had completelv

altered from previous years, showing 'sideboards in oak of modem designs,limed

oak and upholstery of the latest influence in textiles' and 'Sideboards,three piece

suites,chairs, the sameas the Buenos Aires exhbition'. In 1932the firm showed
upholstery at the BIF in the form of dining suites using Empire timbers, and
cabinet-work at the WTTEx. Singled out at the latter was the 'Bachelor' bedroom
suite, a responseto the changing social needs and smaller room sizesin
contemporary housing. From 1933 onwards Gomme showed at the BIF only, and
descriptions in the CMCHF commentary included only descriptions of modem
fin-niture for the firm until 1937. The descriptions in 1935 included 'A useful side
table with shelves and swivel drawers accompaniesan Australian walnut and
sycamoredining suite', and in 1937 'Pictorial marquetry in bakelite, small gilt
bedroom suites, hotel tables. White dressing table, black bakelite top with

chromium plated frame and fittings to mirror. Large range of reproduction

in
upholstery and cabinet-work various styles. Modem unit dining room fiimiture
in Queensland Walnut' 14 Of particular note was the mention of unit f Urniture, a
.
precursor to Gomme's most famous contribution to the industry the G Plan
-
range of modular furniture.

Gomme - Kefly's directories.

Gomme's had entries in Kelly's directories as follows:
Locallyfrom 1907- 1924Chairmanufacturer
Locally from 1928- 1939FurnitureManufacturer
Nationallyin 1911- Chair manufacturer
NationaIlyfrom 1911- 1936Cabinetmaker
Nationally in 1925Upholsterer.

The term 'furniture manufacturer' in Kelly's Local directories be

can construed
here as meaning modem ftu-niture the term 'cabinet maker'
production, eschewing

129
 which has been shown to mean traditionally made furniture. Gommeýsswitch
from reproduction to modem styles does seemto have
occurredbetween 1921and
1926,judging from the articles and exhibitions covered in CMCIIF. In
the
national directories the firm avoided the term chair-maker,possibl)rto avoid
Wycombe's stereotypical reputation for such production as Gomme's
emphasis
was on a wide range of ftu-niture types.

Gomme - CMCHF Wycombe Special Issues.

E. Gomme first appearedin the 1922 CMCHF Wycombe issue,with
particular
referenceto the quality of the upholstery manufacturedby them.' 5 The paragraph
dwelt more on the 'excellence of the firm's furniture that it has figured in the

window displays of several retailers in various towns who have beenawarded

prizes in window-dressing'. This was an early indication of Gomme's later
aptitude for appealing to the massmarket, creating furniture for the whole house.
The1923 issue comments briefly on manufacturing but also included imagesof all
the factories in Wycombe. Gomme's is credited with being 'well equippedfor the

production of good furniture', namely chairs, cabinetsand upholsteredgoodsof

'considerable reputation throughout the country'. 16 There were two imagesof the
factory, located at Leigh St., probably the factory site, and DesboroughRd., which

was likely to be the timber yard. The first photograph showeda large timber yard,
and so possibly Gonune had the capability of converting timber for the firms use.
The second showed a three-storey brick building with central yard, and gantry

walkway between the top floor running acrossthe yard. Leigh Street is in a fairly

central part of High Wycombe town, so expansion of single level building on any

scalewould have been impossible with other factories close by. The yard and
gantry structure look to make the best use of this limited space,and the firm did

move to more spaciouspremises in Spring Gardensin 1927. In the 1925 issue

buyer's guide to High Wycombe, Gomme's were listed under the following

categories;
Bedroomftu-niture, tables,upholstered "
suitesetc.
chairsandstools,sideboards,

Unlike Bartlett and Birch, Gomme was not listed under the categoriesof
Occasional ftu-niture or umbrella stands. In common with Bartlett, it is thought

that Gomme this time ftmiiture for the whole

were at manufacturersof cabinet

1-110
house,not just smaller items, and that the businesswas being built
up and
for
extended more modem production and handling of larger items. This was
bome out by the lengthy paragraphdedicatedto Gomme's in 1926
which refers to
a large range of chairs including fireside, occasional, adjustable. tub. and bergere
18
chairs, as well as all types Of Stools. Cabinet furniture includes a large variety of
dining room furniture, ' 9
sideboards and bedroom suites. References to more

modem furniture began at this point, whereasthe commentson exhibition

furniture did not indicate a move on to modem furniture until 1930at the earliest.
Such referencesin the Wycombe special issuesincluded sideboardswith 'a novel
distinctive feature in the shapeof coloured discs of eronite forming a basefor the
handles', and 'a patent swivelling end, when closed it is an ordinary panel-,when

swung round bottles and tumblers appearin a rack'. In the bedroomrangea

mahoganysuite included 'quartered panels and cross banding, an unusualfeature
being a tall boy instead of the customary chest of drawers'. The sectionalso

referred to the new factory site at Spring Gardens,'built and equippedon modem
lines' on an area of eight acreswith a railway siding, which would add to the
delivery service.
The 1928 Wycombe issue covers the Factoriesof Wycombe again,and

showed images of the new Gomme factory at Spring Gardens. The building was
two for 20 The
spaciousand modem, with storeys and plant machinery extraction.
factory in Leigh Street was apparently retained for chair and upholstery

manufacture. By 1933 the factory at Spring Gardens was well establishedand

included 'attractive showrooms' with 'all the latest designsin the good classof
furniture manufactured by the finn' Furniture was made of oak, mahoganyor
.21
walnut, and included a 'strong appeal to
owners of modem flats or bachelor

apartments'.

Figure 3.10 CA4CHF October 28 Ih

19313pl-318.Modem divan fitment I;
Ti-, -; -, : 1; - -
in oak by E. Gomme.

III
The accompanying photograph was of a divan fitment in oak, which was a settee
to
converting a bed, with drawers and cupboard storageand swivel out sheffJtable
would not look out of place in a 1960s or 1970s setting. The 1934 issuehad
similar comments on the factory and the firm manufacturing every type of
ftu-niture,with the addition that the showrooms contained fifty fin-nishedbays
22 Only furniture
with complete schemes. modem was referred to, for example4a
dining suite in ebonised oak, the table fitted with a black bakelite top'. The

photograph with the paragraph showed caf6 fin-niture with glasstable tops, solid-
end chairs in cellulose finish. Mr. Frank Gornme was quoted as saying 'we were
the first to do low-relief colour caving, and the first to use armour-plateglasson
Ru-niture.' The Factory also contained a blockboard department,manufacturing

this relatively new material using a modem glue. It was applied, dried and
assembledusing heat and pressure only, thus 'excluding all chanceof moisture
remaining in the to
panels causeshrinking'. Simpler designsfeature in the
the 1937 issue, including dining 23
table.
paragraphof a combined sideboardand
Space-savingfurniture for smaller accommodation was a feature of Gomme
ftu-nitureat that time. Bakelite marquetry was used, a forerunner of Formica and

other plastic materials upon which eventually images or patternscould be

photographically reproduced for making working surfacesfor ftumiture. E.

Gomme were not featured in the 1938 issue on Wycombe Month.

Gomme - contributions to industry during World War 11

Not named in the initial list of contracts of 1943, the firm of E. GommeLtd. was

creditedin 1945as follows:

turned over to the productionof Tiger Moth
'Three months after the declaration of war,
fuselage jig for the plane afterwards known as
wings, and in early 1940 madethe second
this aircmft not in productionat
the Mosquito. Eventually the rudder was the only part of

oneof their two factories.

Work of a highly specialisedcharacter, involving the designing of special machineryand
for the Ministry of Supplý%'
use of available but unusual materials, was carried out

and accuracy. The

This type of work implies a great deal of technical expertise
it be interestingto
factory must have been well laid out and equipped. would

132
 know if the contracts for work of this nature (which was
of coursenot revealed
until after the War had ended) were given out before or after the Utility
contracts
werefinally decidedfor Wycombemanufacturers.

Gomme's reputation for modem production methods

and materials was
by
supported the advertising and exhibition information. The entriesin Kelly*s
Directories reinforce this, even reflecting the date of Gomme's
move toward
modern fin-niture. The fact that Gomme also adoptedmodem designs
was
in
revealed articles, but there was no way of inferring this from Kelly's or other
directories.

REFERENCES

' Fan-ant P 'Good Going at Gommes', ManagementToday,(June 1970) 102-105,166,170,174,

p
176. The article is a precisebusinesshistory of the companyfrom the 1960sup to the publication
of the article.
2The sentenceis ambiguous. It actually meansWycombe's designers, Gomme's. All
not
accountsshow that Laurie Barnesworked for Gomme's and Edwin Clinch worked for Goodearl
Bros. Laurie Bames was an uncle of the Presentdirector of BarnesBranch Ltd, Mr. PeterBames.
Another uncle worked for Parker Knoll.
3This first section is abridged, and directly
quotedfrom High WycombeMuseum'saccount.
4Editorial (1945) 'High Wycombe, Furniture Town's Contributionsto War Effort' CMCHF, June
23,1945, p597 onwards. The article outlines in detail the contributions of all Wycombefirms
during the War, including those involved in the manufactureof aircraft which until that point had
beensecret. The list was much longer than the initial list of Wycombemanufacturersinvolved in
Utility contractsissuedin 1943. This might be becausethe contractswere awardedto groupsof
manufacturerswho bandedtogether to maintain production levels, and only the co-ordinatingfirm
werenamedin the 1943 lists.
5 Worden, S (1980) Furniturefor the Living Room; an investigationof the interaction between
society,industry and design in Britainfrom 1919to 1939 (PhD thesis,Brighton Polytechnic)
pages135-138provide an analysis of severalfirms in Wycombe, including the firm of E. Gomme.
Gomme's were one of the first in the town to acquirenew electrically driven equipment andtheir
early move to spaciouspremisesin Spring Gardenssingles the firmout as a progressive
manufacturerof that time.
6BarnesBranch notably did not produce any modem fin-niture,and as can be seenin that section
they did not survive as a fin-nituremanufacturingcompanybeyond 1940.
7G. Rolphe's account is handwritten, and unfortunately, undated.
8Anon (1986) 'Gomm e:End of an Era' Bucks Free Press, (I 7hJan 1986),P9.
9It is with enormousregret that the author learrit from Wycombe Museumthat the factory of E.
Gommeat Spring Gardens,London Road, was demolishedwithout removal recordsin 1999. The
factory of Ercol is adjacentto the site, and was visited in 1999by the author. A few itemsof
interestwere removed to High Wycombe Museum.
'0 Reedingwas a decorative feature on longer members,consisting of parallel roundedstrips. It
by
was created cutting away the material around and between the strips to resemble uniform
flat in the centreof the chair back.
straight reedslying adjacently. A wheel back splat was a panel
rising vertically, the wheel part being a pierced centre section resembling, the circular edge and
radiating spokesof a cartwheel.
,1Anon (1933) 'Bedroom of Today', CMCHF, December 16 1933, page415.
12Anon (1934) 'Bedroom Furniture', CMCHF, March 31 1934,page588.
13April 1931. The BuenosAires exhibition attendancefist was much smallerthan either the BIF
is this in the CMCHF. The onl).
and WFTEx exhibitions, and only mentionedon one occasion
other Wycombe firms there were Furniture Industriesand Goodearl Bros.

133
14Until 1934,commentson Gomme's furniture appearedin the generalCMCHF
write up on each
exhibition. E. Gomme were included in the later issuesafter 1934,insteadof the main article.
" 'The Wycombe Furniture Trade', CMCHF, (October 28ffi1922),p 196.
"'Where Wycombe Works', CMCHF, (October 27th 1923),p206.
17'A Buyers' Guide to High Wycombe', CMCHF, (October 10" 1925),p211-213.
"'Where doesWycombe Stand?', CMCHF, (October 30d'1926),page263, imageon p265.
19This is not restricted to the term dining suites or sets.
20'The Furniture Factories of Wycombe', CMCHF, (October27d' 1928),p 172.
211Wycombe is Hard at Work', CMCHF, (October 28th1933), p 138.
22'High Wycombe is Busy! ', CMCHF, (October 27b 1934),p146. Gommehad a goodreputation
for displaying furniture attractively in room-settings.
23'High Wycombe Supplement', CMCHF, (September46' 1937),p398.

134
 The Manufacturer Castle Bros.(Fumiture) Ltdqýýw
cýombg

Addressesfor Castle Brothers in Kelly's directory entries,in chronological

order,
included Desborough Rd, West End Rd., DesboroughPark Road, and Cressex
Industrial Estate, also given as Coronation Road. The Cressexsite was built in the
1930s, 1
on the edge of the town centre. It was first listed in Kelly's Local
early
Directory in 1935, as the addressof Castle Brothers Furniture Ltd. The original

named firm of Castle Brothers was listed in the National Directory, and the
DesboroughPark Road addresswas used in that directory.
Wycombe Museum's account of the firm gives the information that Castle
Brothers became a limited company in 1934 and that the first factory was built in
1937.2 Unfortunately, as Kelly's directories do not go beyond 1936in this
instanceit is unknown as to whether the two namesremainedin use for any length

of time.
A short biography of Mr. W.J. (Jack) Castle in the CMCHF statesthat
Jack Castle, and his brother Harry, founded the firm of CastleBrothers in 1907.3
This was corroborated by High Wycombe Museum, and in articles in the local
Bucks Free Press(BFP) covering the firm's take-over in 1958 by E. Gonune.
There had been discussions between Castle Brothers and another anonymous

manufacturer for the possibility of a merger in 1957.4 However, by August the

following year the situation had become a take-over bid betweenGomme and
Ercol. The reasonsfor the take-over are unclear, as all three manufacturerswere

reported to be doing well at that point. The last article on the subject stated
'Interest in Castle Brothers Ltd. has been increasedby the relaxation of credit
furniture improvement in the trade'. 5 In an article
controls on and the expected
the week before, the BFP reported that Castle Brothers were producing 'their

furniture bedroom furniture recently introduced for the

notable unit ... and new
first time, as well the Sheraton Queen Anne reproduction setsfor which
... and
they are noted'.
Lucian Ercolani relinquished the bidding to Gomme's as they were on good
became the Gomme group of companiesin
terms, and Castle Brothers a part of
6
1958.
More information on Castle Brothers' production and reputation was

from articles. This data is presentednext.

gathered exhibition commentaries and

I -,ý
 Although the firm did not present a huge quantity data for
of analysis,the
relationship with E. Gomme, and the similarity
of that relationship to that betNveen
Ercol and Skull, made Castle Brothers' inclusion
worthwhile.

Castle Bros - CMCHF classified index entries,

and advertisements
The fin-n of Castle Brothers did not advertise often in the CMCHF.
and did not
in
appear the classified listings of the CMCHF supplement in the period of its
run
until 1916. Adverts found in 1926 and 1930 issues were small (1/8 page) and
merely showed a logo for the firm with the text 'Your best protection
against
competition. Castle Brothers of High Wycombe'.

Figure 3.11 part of a full pau CNfCHF

,e
January 'I I" 1931 advert for Castle
l, l Till I IT IhFN 1 11 1ý 11 "0-- --
-N1
IVII I Ilir S3 . ý11- Till %ý- II 14t Brothers, including the company logo.

In January 1931 a full-page advertisementappearedshowing a photographof a

dining suite, 'One of the fifteen complete setsintroduced since the beginning of
the New Year' The suite was of an early modem-reproductionstyle, with cup-
.7
and-cover turned legs, trestle feet on the extending table, and relatively long legs

on the sideboard, which also has non-period-specific applied decoration. The

small 1/8 page logo advert appearedagain in August 1933.

Two more advertisementswere found. Both half-page with an image of a

castle but no photographs or drawings of furniture. The first in August 1937

states'Hide Suite Specialists at Competitive Prices'. The second,in April 1938.

(Furniture) Ltd. High Wycombe'. 8

merely namesthe firm 'Castle Brothers of
This limited information gives the imPressionof a semi-traditional. small-

scale firrn, producing popular adapted-reproductionfurniture of varlous types. not

restricted to chairs or upholstery.

136
 Castle Bros. - CMCHF exhibition commentaries.
Castle Brothers Ltd. were regular exhibitors at the WFTEx from
1921until
1933, after which the firm showed only at the BIR At the 1921 VJTEx
show
Castle Brothers showed only upholstery goods, but at the 1923 Manchester
(independent)exhibition the display included beds, adjustable
and cottagechairs,
three piece suites, work in mahogany and 'new designsof Jacobeanchairs%
There were two photographs of the Castle Brothers show at Manchester
that year.
Theseillustrate two rooms literally full of furniture, arrangedwith dining
chairs
lining the walls on top of tables, and upholstered furniture filling the floor.9 This

arrangementwould be fairly typical of smaller manufacturerswishing to show the

ftdl range of furniture available to buyers. They were not aiming for
elegant
window dressing to attract the buying public.
At the 1924 and 1925 WFTEx Castle Brothers showed only upholstery,

albeit commented on as 'fine quality', and in 1926 and 1927the exhibition was
much the sameas the 1923 Manchester show, including adapted-reproduction
work in suites and occasional furniture. 'Complete dining room schemesin oak,
mahogany and walnut' were foremost at the 1928 V7FTEx,with upholstered
furniture also featuring. Easy chairs and setteeswere introduced to this list in the
1929 show, but upholstered goods only were mentioned in the 1930exhibition

coverage. In the Wycombe section Castle Brothers factory was namedas being
'one of the largest and best equipped in the industry', 'offering a full rangeof

goods for the dining room at competitive prices, their lines including sideboards,
extending tables, dining chairs, adjustables,firesides, servicewaggons,canesuites
etc.'. The dining suite photographed was of early-modem reproduction style, like

the 1931 illustration described below.

Fireside chairs were mentioned again in 1931, as weH as 15 completeoak,

mahogany and walnut dining sets, indicating a move towards diversification or

expansion of range by the firm. The fin-niture was referred to as 'high

class... reasonably priced' in the 1932 commentary. Amongst the photographs

dining-room by
accompanying the 1931 article was one of a 'Distinctive suite
Castle Bros. ' showing an early-modem reproduction suite. This incorporated

turned legs of no specific period, and a sideboardwith applied decoration on

legs, to (or plinth of the later

relatively tall as opposed a short non-existant)
modem-reproduction style. Dining suites, fireside chairs, upholsteredsuites and

137
upholstery were listed in the 1933 and 1934 coverageof the WFTEx and the BIF
respectively, this being the changeover time from WFTEx to BIF for the firm.
From 1935 Castle Brothers was not included in the main
editorial
coverage of the exhibitions, but the company did appearin the later section

covering Wycombe and other areas. In 1935,36 and 37 thesecommentmosti.y on

cabinet ftu-niture, in particular sideboardswith new additions. in 1935this
included a sliding top revealing a cutlery tray, and anotherwith roll shutters
insteadof doors. Castle Brothers 1936 innovation was narrow shelveswith

chromium rails fixed to the back of sideboarddoors. A reproduction suite with

linenfold panels was mentioned separately. Finally, in 1937 the firm presenteda
fall-front cocktail cabinet incorporated into a new sideboard. Other modelswere

also fitted to accommodate bottles and glasses.In 1938 at the BIF a wing-type
chair 'modified by simplifying design for lighter appearanceand reduced
manufacturing costs' was shown. These all show an effort to move forward into
more modem types of design, but actually seemto be basedon amendinga
traditional construction. The overall picture was of a traditional designs,popular
but conservative in style, with as strong a leaning toward upholstery as to cabinet-

work, inclined more to reproduction work and that in the style of early adapted-
reproduction.

Castle Bros. - Kelly's directories.

Castle Brothers Ltd appearedin Kelly's directories under the following headings;
Locally from 1911- 1924 Chair manufacturer
Locally from 1911 - 1924Furniture Manufacturer
Nationally in 1911 - 1936 Chair manufacturer
Nationally from 1921 - 1936 Cabinet maker
Nationally in 1925 Upholsterer.

The inclusion under the classified term 'fin-niture manufacturer' is interesting

firm listed as making any modem style furniture in the

given the was not
late 1930s. Until 1921 Castle Brothers were listed only
exhibitions until the very
'chair in directories. In 1930 the CMCHY did refer
as manufacturer' the national
largest best in the industry", and
to the company as being 'one of the and equipped

at that time there were also efforts to extend the premises and equipment.
10
installing a power supply albeit not electrically chiven.

I
 During the period 1911-1936 Castle Brothers' production was

concentratedon a range of fin-niture types in the Popular adapted-reproduction

style. Kelly's Directories terminology does reflect this - using the terms Cabinet-
in
maker national directories, and Chair-manufacturer in both national and local

editions. However, the use of the term Furniture Manufacturer should reflect

modem ftu-niture production techniques, and somereferencesin the Wycombe

Special Issuesof the CMCHF do indicate this to someextent.

Castle Bros. - CMCHF Wycombe Special Issues.

In the 1921 Wycombe special issue the,new factory of Castle Brothers in
DesboroughPark Road was described as having 'shafting and machinery [which]
is so arrangedthat it is possible to shut off any one machine without stoppingthe

others'. ' 1 This implies the use of power other than electricity, which turned out to
be steamfrom a 'Davey Paxton Economic boiler which is designedto bum refuse

only'. There was a tramway between the workshops and the saw-mills, and the
impression is that the mills were also owned by Castle Brothers. The production

was described in
as chairs period styles, with prompt delivery assured.
In 1922 the new Desborough Park Road factory was declaredthe largestin the
town, and specialities of the firm included dining room reclining chairs, three-
bedsteads.12 A Jacobean dining set and Queen
piece upholstered suites, and wood
Anne chairs were also commented on. The 1923 issuededicatedto Wycombe
factories had a very short paragraph on Castle Brothers with nothing different to
the previous entry, and a rather disappointing photograph of an extensionto the
factory showing only a sort of platform with some girders. 13

In the 1925 issue of classified listings Castle Brothers appearedunderthe

following headings:
14
Bedsteads,chairs and stools, chairs (adjustable),tables,and upholsteredsuitesetc.

The firm did not appear under the headings of sideboards,occasional fin-niture,or

bedroom furniture. This would seemto be in accordancewith the view that

furniture manufacturers and so did also
Castle Brothers were not primarily cabinet
furniture. It is possible that for suitesof
produce upholstery and related chair
furniture the firm might have contracted another manufacturer to produce some

types of furniture for them.

1-119
 In 1926 Castle Brothers were reported as having made
more extensionsto
their factory owing to the expansion of the business.15 Furniture described
included fireside chairs, dining room and occasionalchairs, bedsteads,
sideboards
and dining tables in oak and mahogany in large numbersand many designs. This
range would seem to preclude the idea that Castle Brothers contractedout certain
items of fin-niture. The 1928 Wycombe special issue concentratedon the town's
factories and a photograph of "Messrs Castle Brothers new factory' was
included.16 Two small blocks of buildings originally filled the site, occupiedby
the firm since 1919. Extensions since that time resulted in two longer blocks of
in
workshops which had been installed a new oil-powered engine. The
installation of this engine, (in spite of the mention of electrical lifts later in the

article), shows that a good proportion of the machinery was still not electricall",,
ý
driven. Modem machinery was mentioned, but it is not clear if that is electrically-

or shaft-driven. The of
extension one building to three storeysdoesshow that the
firm was prospering, but the fact that it had not moved site to somewhereoutside

the congestedtown area meant the expansionsand improvementsto the factory

were limited. The reluctance to change over completely to electricity as a power
sourcemight have been becausethe firm had already invested in
capital other
types of engines and in machines that worked from this kind of power delivery.
Although the firm already had some electrical equipment it is still unknown if it

was AC or DC that was available. In any case,if the factory did not have the

ground floor space for stand-alone electrically driven machinery, there would
have been no benefit to going over to electricity.
By 1931 the Castle Brothers factory was still regardedas one of the largest

in Wycombe, still occupying a central position. They firm had beenrunning

'special exhibitions throughout the country with exceptional success',and all
departmentswere on overtime. 17 This was a considerableachievement during the

depressionyears.
in
The lack of spacein the factory is mentioned the 1933 Wycombe issue,

had dismantled immediately after Wycombe month

andthat 'they their showroom
for 18 Major firms in
asthe spacewas required manufacturingprocesses'.
Wycombe,suchas Bartlett, Gomme,and FurnitureIndustries,had permanent
in London (earlier in the interwarperiod) or in Wycombe
show rooms,either
itself If the showroomswere in Wycombethey would be part of the factory site.

140
but this of course wasn't possible for Castle Brothers at their DesboroughPark
Road factory. Buyers were experiencing delays in delivery from the Castle
Brothers factory due to the 'enormous pressureof work' there.
In the 1934 Wycombe issue, the paragraph on CastleBrothers related
a
piece of statistical researchby retailers that 'eighty per cent of their businessis
done with re-furnishers rather than newly married couples,and this is believedto
be responsible for the continued popularity of Jacobeanfinishes'. 19 This is in

contrast to later assertionsthat during this time the public was interestedin a more
modem style of furniture. The Social Survey 1945 report on public tastein
furniture drew the conclusions that 45% of participants preferredthe old
fashioned type of furniture becauseof its 'strong looking and attractive colour'.
The modem utility-like designs were preferred by those 'up to 34 yearsof age,
in
and those a higher wage bracket 20 The Working Party Report's analysisof
.
this researchwas that the features of modern-reproduction ftu-niturewas criticised
heavily, although the report did not go so far as to label retailers as responsiblefor

perpetuating the style. The firm of Castle Brothers was at this time chiefly

producing dining room sets and three-piece suites, suites also being a pre-war
style of furniture that the Working Party Report for
criticised as unsuitable the
buying public.
Castle Brothers Ltd finally made a move to new and larger premisesin
21
1937, to the Cressex Lane district. Whilst still focusing on the manufactureof

reproduction fin-niture a number of new fight oak dining room suites had been

introduced. By October 1938 the move to the new factory was complete,and
Castle Brothers were producing oak dining room furniture in dark shades,with
in
fireside and occasional chairs the new factory basedshowroom at the Cressex

Fifty the included tension springing in the seat

site. per cent of occasional chairs
back, loose-sprung the seat level itself 'in many cases a few
and with seats,and
inches higher than they were a year or so ago'. 22 So it would seemthat the firm

were doing well economically, limiting production to the pre-war modem-

reproduction styles and types of fimiiture, but taking advantage of modem

production practices to some extent.

141
Castle Bros. - contributions to in ustry during World War H
Castle Brothers does not appear in any Utility listings in the CMCHF, but the
1945 issue dedicatedto war work in the town statedthat the Ministry of Aircraft

production requisitions the Cressex factory in September1940,training the

in airscrew 23 These
employees production. required preciseworkmanship,but
perhapsnot the range or size of equipment and expertisethat aircraft manufacture
such as Gomme achieved. It is probable that the more modem single floor layout,
and the newer equipment of the Cressex factory lent itself to preciseproduction
work. At its peak, 800 employees were producing 2,800 airscrewsper month.
The company rented small premises in Oakridge Road in late 1940,to undertake
ftu-niturecontracts for the Ministry of Works. In December 1942the Oakridge

works also undertook construction of the undercarriagefor Halifax bombers. This

again was somewherebetween the technical capability of Gomme's factory, and

the far less stringent requirements of Utility furniture production.
Castle Brothers is another example, similar to that of Skull, of the

successfully merging of firms producing different types of work. Gomme and

Ercol recognised the sound businesspractice of continuing traditional lines of

work, and stepped in to absorb what appearto be firms that were not in distress
but were not building up a national businessreputation. This is expansionand

progression rather than elimination of competition, and seemsto be a

characteristic of innovative manufacturers.

Conclusion to Chapter Three

The common threads to successful firms surviving in Post War High Wycombe

would seemto be twofold. The National Branding and advertising campaigns,

techniques and processesserved to put
and the adoption of modem manufacturing
Ercol, Gomme, and Parker Knoll into the top ten furniture manufacturersat the

the twentieth Century. The relationship between manufacturers, the

end of
laboratories has not been successfidly discerned, and
college, and the research
for interactions between the three as
there hasn't been much tangible evidence
However, the fact remains that Lucien Ercolani and
earlier interviews implied.
Ercol and Gomme both had
A-E-Bames (of Gomme) both taught at the college.
for developing their using courses and classesavailable at
strong reputations staff,

14_2
High Wycombe. Mr. Ercolani was a member the board
of at the FPRL for some
time, and the kiln drying techniques developed at the Laboratories
were quotedas
being used by Ercol to produce solid elm for their designs. Gomme
were also one
of few firms actually mentioned as assisting in researchprojects for the
laboratories. These two firms, those that they incorporated,
and the College and
Laboratories at Princes Risborough, all form part of
a network of mutual support,
and the wider structure of businessnetworks in Wycombe would benefit from
ftuther study.

In addition to bringing together information on severalWycombe firms,

this
section has served as a test for the use and interpretation of data from Kelly's
Directories (national and local), and of the Cabinet Maker
and CompleteHouse
Furnisher.

The overall conclusion drawn was that the categoriesusedin Kelly's local
and
national directories were distinctly different, but valuable when taken togetherand
put into context with knowledge of the local terminology and specialities.
*Wycombe firms that concentrated on traditional or modem reproduction
designstended to use the term cabinetmaking in the local directories rather
than the termfurniture manufacturer, which had connotationsof modem
production techniques. The range of terms used in other flu-niture
manufacturing areaswould be an obvious extensionto this initial study.
Manufacturers of modem or traditional-looking fianiture, using modem
techniques and materials, chosethe termfurniture maker in local directories.
However, this term was not available in the national directories, so the firms

were forced to use the term cabinet-makers, in conjunction with other terms to
indicate a diversity of manufacture (if they could afford the extra entries). The
local directory's choice of categories for Buckinghamshirewas more reflective

of the range of types of manufacturing in the High Wycombe areathan the

national directories.
Some manufacturers that primarily produced chairs did tend to opt for the term

in the local directories, but not all did so in the national

chair-making
directories. It was felt that the categories chosen by manufacturers in the

141
 directories may have reflected the different marketing strategies firms. A
of
manufacturer that was well known for a particular type of work in the town
might have (or hope to gain) a quite different reputation nationally. For

example, Gomme's in
entries the local directories were Chair-making until
1924, and Furniture Manufacture from 1928. Conversely,Chair-making
was
chosen only in
once the national directories (1911), and Cabinet Maker was
used nationally from 1911 to 1939. Gomme was intent on being seen

nationally as a fin-niture manufacturer first and foremost, although a great

proportion of their range was chairs of one sort or another. There was a need,
for many firms, to get away from the domestic-chair reputation of High
Wycombe.

" The CMCHF exhibition commentaries,coupled with individual articles and

special editions about High Wycombe furniture industry and manufacturers,
did often corroborate information from directories and primary sources.
However, the information offered in the CMCFIF was often not specific
to
enough give a full impression of the scopeof work by any particular firm.
Just as interesting were the manufacturersthat were not included at certain
times, either in the CMCHF or the exhibitions. BarnesBranch's exclusion
from such exhibitions (if self-imposed) hints that the more traditional (in style
to
and manufacture) medium small sized manufacturersmight not be

discovered in exhibitions at that period.

" The existence of all types of firms was confirmed using Kelly's Directories,

and for a selection there were some advertisements(photographic and

otherwise) in the CMCH]F- However, there were a great number of

manufacturers in Wycombe for which no data other than these adverts was

forthcoming. In these caseslocal newspaperarchiveswere researched, but

journals directories could be more profitable. In the

other contemporary and
firms, strongly indicated in chapter two's
course of this study several other
here due to lack of useful
synopsis of the methodology, were not presented
data. The seven manufacturersthat were suitable did seem to cover a good

large, medium, small sizes, and included traditional, period adapted.

range of
and modem styles, manufacture and materials.

i -14
 REFERENCES

The term Industrial Estatewas not useduntil later.

This introduces some query as to what constitutesa 'factory' and what distinguishesit from a
workshop.
3 'Men Who Count in the Wycombe Trade', CMCHF, (4thSeptember,1937)
p396.
4 'Furniture Firm to Merge at WycombeT, Bucks Free Press,(November 1", 1957)
photocopied
article from High Wycombe Museum, no pagenumber given.
5 'Gomme's Raise Bid for CastleBros.' Bucks Free Press,(August 26b' 1958)
photocopiedarticle
from High Wycombe Museum, no pagenumber given.
6 Seethe section in this chapterErcol for the relationship betweenthe two companies.
7 CMCHF, (January3 1,193 1). 'SchemeNo. 908'. 'The Majority of theseNew Setsare Show
on
at the Chamber of Commerce Buildings, New St. Birmingham, Febniary 2 n1 3" 4b 5th and6th'.
' As statedpreviously in the introduction to this section,it is possiblethat there weremore ,
advertisementsplaced by this firm, and any of the othersfeatured in this study, but thosepresented
here are all that were discovered.
9Editorial article, 'A group of ManchesterShow rooms, CMCHF, (October20ý', 1923)p 15L
10CMCHF (March 28th,1930) ATFTExexhibition commentary.
1' 'The Wycombe Furniture Industry', CMCHF, (October 29h 1921), p243.
12'The Wycombe Furniture Trade', CMCHF, (October28th1922),p 187.
13'Where Wycombe Works', CMCHF, (October 27b 1923),p2(9.
14'A Buyers' Guide to High Wycombe', CMCHF, (October I oth1925),p2ll-213.
15'Where does Wycombe Stand?', CMCHF, (October 30th 1926),page266.
16'The Furniture Factoriesof Wycombe', CMCHF, (October 27th1928),p175.
17'High Wycombe's Industry', CMCHF, (October 3 I't 1931), p 174.
18'Wycombe is Hard at Work', CMCHF, (October 28th1933),p 132.
19'High Wycombe is Busy! ', CMCHF, (October 27th1934),p 143.
20Council of industrial design 'Social Survey' (HMSO, 1945).As cited in Edwards,C. Twentieth
Century Furniture (ManchesterUniversity Press, 1994).
The survey used 4 images, 1) Plain fairly modem wardrobe,2) Old fashionedmodel in dark oak,
&
3) 4) Ultra modem models. It is claimed that the results of this survey were used in the
Working party Report on the furniture industry, of 1946. It is unclearas to whether the other 55%
of people consultedpreferred the modem styles, or whether there were abstentions.
21'High Wycombe Supplement', CMCHF, (September4th 1937), p4O1.
22'Recent Additions to the Wycombe Range', CMCHF, (October 29th 1938),pl4l.
23'High Wycombe. Furniture Town's Contributions to War Effort' CMCHF, (June16'h,1945)
p598.

145
 Chapter 4
World War II,, Fumiture and Timber in High Wycombe

During the First and Second World Wars the supply

and use of timber in
Britain was affected by disruption to imports and transportation. The timber
and
furniture trades were eventually taken into Government control,
and stringent
restrictions were applied to manufacture, retail, transpom prices, and the supply of
raw materials. High Wycombe's total involvement in this one industry meantthat the
repercussionsof the control of timber were far-reaching in that town. 1
Britain declared war on Germany on September3rd,1939.Two days later the
Control of Timber Order was made by the Ministry of Supply (MoS), and the Timber
Control was set up as a department of the MoS, to be followed by controls for
other
areasof industry, some of which directly or indirectly affected the fiu-nituretrade.
Licensing was introduced for the supply of materials to industrial consumers,in order
that defenceand government needsshould be satisfied first, and as of September16'h
no timber was imported from outside the LJK unless under licence from the 2
MOS.
The effects of this rationing were not felt in the fimiiture industry for sometime as

someexisting timber stocks were still to be used up, and private stockswere not
requisitioned until later on in the War. However, the initial fuel allocations for firms
were pitifully underestimated,at about 20-30% of the pre-war usage,and seriously
impededthe manufacturing and transportation processes.3 By October, Timber
Control had ordered that "every purchaserof timber for consumptionmust havea
licence for his purchases". The issuing of licences was preventedbecauseTimber
Control was awaiting the returns of the censusof National Stocks(to be in by
October 12'h, 1939) in order to determine the timber allocations for licensing.
Government and war work took complete precedenceat this stageover fimliture
4
manufacture, and naturally most timber was immediately diverted to this end.
Prior to the War, there were 136 fin-niture manufacturersin Wycombe
50% the labour force.5 One of the difficulties the town was
employing of available
facing at the onset of the War was disunity in the national representationof its

manufacturers within the industry. Negotiations for wages and terms of employment

146
were continuing in spite of disruptions due to the hostilities. In Septemberof 1939
High Wycombe's Federation resigned from the British Furniture Trade's Joint
Committee to form its own Joint Committee, representingthe HW Federation

membersand some independent in 6

manufacturers the town. The consensusfrom the
Federationwas that a National body should not be representinglocal areasin the

matter of wages and conditions, as had been shown by the failure of other federations
andunions through voluntary agreements. Although not openly criticised for opting
out, Wycombe was somewhat overlooked by the other membersof the Joint
Committee and the Government. In January 1940 some Wycombe manufacturers
formed another representativebody called the High Wycombe Furniture Association,

of non-federated manufactures in the '

area. This was not to
supposed be
consisting a
rival to the already successful High Wycombe Federation, but an alternative. The
Federationrepresentedabout a quarter of the firms in Wycombe, but some 100 of the

non-federatedfirms that wished to form their own associationand approachedMr.

Allan Janes(secretary of the HW and district Chamber of Commerce)to be their first
8
honorary secretary. At the time the Association was formed, it was reportedthat the
High Wycombe Federation had refused an invitation from the union to re-open

negotiationson wages. The furniture union intended to take strong action to try to

persuadethe federation to agreeto the full wage increases recommended by the Joint

Industrial Council 9. The unsuccessfulstruggle for a wage increase,in line with the

costof living, made the Wycombe manufacturers extremely unpopular with the

workers, unions and the JIC, and served to tarnish the reputation of the town.

In January 1940 the control of timber was further restricted as manufacturers

limited in their The situation was worsened by a
were even the use of own stocks.
lack of frankness on the part of the Control to disclose the full details regarding the

following 10 Hardwood supplies were only

availability of timber, the censusof stocks.
in to be of little use to the furniture manufacturing
available such small quantities as
industry. Producers were receiving from one-fifth to one-third of their normal orders.

their A of the control and the

which was insufficient to meet needs. re-organisation
home grown timber, and new ways of
trade was necessary. The alternative of using
into Princes Risborough Forest Products
seasoning,were taken consideration.

147
ResearchLaboratory undertook considerableresearchthroughout the war,
investigating alternative timbers, treatment "
and usage. Finally, in early April 1940,
members of the Furniture Trade met at the House of Commons to discussthe
situation. The meeting was not well attended,and this gaverise to a concernthat
"The real trouble-was that the fin-niture trade would not get together. If the trade
had real grievances the meeting should have been far more fully attendedthan it was.
it was likely that such grievancesas did exist aroselargely from the fact that the trade
12 It was pointed out that
was not organised". strict controls had beenintroduced
becauseof the trade's tendency towards 'back dooring' and ignoring restriction

agreements on use and sale of timber. Another meeting was quickly scheduledfor
later that month, with significantly more representativesattendingthan at the first. 13
Timber Control was admonished for its weaknessin tackling casesof merchants

selling timber in breach of the licensing agreements,and since many membersof the
Control Committee were ex-merchantsthere may have beenreasonfor suspicion

about the department's leniency. Clarification of the systemand definitions of timber

itself for Government work were neededto prevent abuseof the timber purchasing,

and a proper system for the releaseof reasonablequantities of timber for domestic
fin-niturewas suggested. As a result of these two meetings in May 1940,the
Controller suggestedan advisory council made up of representativesof the furniture
from Britain. 14 The included Mr. A. E.
manufacturing trade all over committee
Barnes(a member of the family of Barnes Branch Ltd., chapterthree), secretaryof
the High Wycombe and District Furniture Manufacturers Federation, representing
that body but not the new High Wycombe Furniture Association. In June, Mr. Bames

and Mr. J.C. Warren (representing Manchester and Liverpool) made a representation

to the Minister of Supply for war work on behalf of the chair-frame makers of the
15
U.K. It was suggestedthat woodworkers could adqp their skills to assistthe war

be to different work, and that furniture

effort rather than transferred completely
factories be diverted to other and varied productions. By the end of June the Minister

of Supply had respondedto the various pressures,and announced some new

16 The Timber Control Board was formed. which
developmentswith Timber Control.
'subject to the minister, will be responsible for all questionsrelating to timber

148
 suppliesand production. ' The Minister emphasizedonce more that the shortage
of
timber and the necessity of strictly limiting its use was the goveming factor
at all
times. The continuing dearth of information about stock levels was hampering

progress, and the Government indicated that it would begin requisitioning, if

in
necessary, specific cases. In spite of their poor reputation merchantswere to be
usedfor timber distribution, since this maintained the existing infrastructure,but
distribution problems continued.
In July 1940 timber supplies to the furniture industry were
withdrawn
17
completely. This did not have an immediate effect,,as small private stocks
continued to be used. In August that year a survey of 'Essential Needs' was sentout
by Timber Control to the manufacturers,in order to be informed of the situation,

which included the following 18

questions.

1. What articles of furniture do you consideressentialfor civilian consumptionin wartime?

2. (a) What types and categoriesof wood are normally neededin the manufactureof the goods
namedabove?(b) What substitutescould be usedif the regular typesof wood werenot available?
3. What percentageof your total output consistsof goodsfor export?
4. What is the approximatepercentagevalue of timber in your finished products?
5. What would you estimateto be your requirementsof timber for the productionof the goods
namedin (1) above, for a period of six months?
6. If it is found possible to releaseany timber, can you obtain the other materialsneededfor the
manufactureof the articles?

The issuing of the questionnaire was seenas an indication that sometimber was about
to becomeavailable for civilian purposes,and so the returns were prolific. By
September1940 the Timber Control had releaseda small quantity of timber to the
industry in order that repairs to buildings and furnishings damagedin the first of the
Germanair raids might be carried out. The Government also announcedan insurance

schemeto remunerate persons of limited means for damageincurred due to the

hostilities. The scheme commencedin October covering property, including
furniture, and led the way to the coupon system and rationing for domestic items of

clothing and furnishings. Also that month, the Government purchase tax was
introduced on many items for domestic use, including furniture. Its purposeNA-asto
to the insurance
reduceconsumption as well as raise revenue, which contributed
19 The heavy (it vari ed from %
162/3 to 3311/3
schemeoutlined above. tax was quite

149
 but becausethere was so little to buy, many people had spareincome to
supportthese
rates. The effect of all these actions was to further limit production of domestic
furniture. This put manufacturers into competition for Government
contracts.the
only other work available, regardlessof its direct relationship to an,N,previ ous
production. Adaptability provided the meansof survival for many firms, and the
alternativeuse of existing facilities servedto break a cycle of conservativedesignand
manufacturing methods.
The variety of work available from Government contractsincluded the

manufactureof wooden air raid shelter bunks, furnishings for the forces,Bailey
bridges,and later in the war, aircraft parts and boats.20 Diversification was the

answerto business survival.

January 1941 saw the first releaseof information on the Utility ftu-niture
for
scheme, which timber was to be specially supplied. The first Utility furniture
madewas available to the evacueefamilies, and those made homelessin the
bombing. Purchaseof Utility ftu-niture was to be aided through the Government
insurancescheme,,and to be validated by the voucher systemin the sameway as the

rationing of other domestic goods. The full Utility schemetook severalmonths of

careful planning to get fully started, and initially a schemeof StandardEmergency
Furniture was brought in. This was "extremely basic and totally undistinguished,

unlike the later Utility furniture". 21 It was to be produced by firms alreadyunder

Government contract for canteen,office and hospital furnishings. Only basic items
be
could made, and a great deal of plywood was utilised in the production. Plywood
being imported than 22
here.
was not yet scarce, although still rather manufactured
The technology for creating plywood was readily available in this country. The
furniture industry used 60-70% of the pre-war veneer and plywood supplies, but the

imported. Being forced to manufacture our own brought some

majority of this was
independenceto the industry in Britain. This and other material restrictionsforced

Britain looking to new countries and at home for sources,changing the way the

industry worked quite radically.

At the beginning of February 1941 the Timber Controller announced the

StandardEmergency Furniture Scheme details. A number of policies to easethe

IA
timber shortage included the increased use of home-grown timber, and finding
suitable substitutes for timbers no longer available for import. Empire timbers were
to be used,where possible, as substitutes for more usual timbers that were

unobtainable. The work of the Forestry Products ResearchLaboratory on the

characteristicsof alternative timbers, and the acceleratedresearchinto kilning and

adhesivetechnologies, was of immense irmnediate use, and had beneficial
for
repercussions the furniture industry. Much of the work done at the Laboratory
pre-war had been available but was now being taken seriously in much of the
fin-nitureindustry.
Importation problems were not entirely due to trade routes being cut off, but

also to the lack of cargo space and timber's lower priority comparedto munitions and
equipment. This was partly overcome by persuading the steamshiplines to stop using

poor quality softwood as dunnage (packing and ballast) with their cargoes. Instead

they used prime quality hardwoods, such as oak and ash. This savedthe shipping
lines money, as there was tax payable on the dunnage,which could not be recouped
becausedunnagewas not re-saleable. The hardwoods could cover the taxes and
23 This action, and the Lend Lease agreement, helped to
make a return when sold.
improve the imports from the United 24
States. As a result fiu-niture production
increasedslightly, and a little more timber was also releasedfor civilian consumption
including plywood for boarding up windows. 25

In March 1941, plans for the Concentration of Industrial Production were

announced theby Board of Trade (BoT), and the furniture industry was expected to

be included. Concentration was to provide 'nucleus' firms, by combining smaller

into to Government and war work. To be chosen
outfits groups, which were carry out
firm be fall capacity, and to fulfil a number of criteria
a was expected to working at
as follows.
firm for the closing of manufacturers being
(a) During concentrationthe nucleus must provide
incorporatedinto their firm.
for being
(b) It must make its own financial arrangements theseother manufacturers
incorporated.
the incorporated firms was to be kept up, unlessthe
(C) The plant (machinery and equipment) at
to industry.
buildings were to be requisitioned and made over someother
(d) It must be capableof continuing the production for export, as well as manufacturing
Governmentcontracts.
for the workers affected by the amalgamation.
(e) It must make satisfactory arrangements

151
Furniture production had to be concentratedin areasso that it did not competewith

the munitions industry. The labour releasedby the mergersneededto be of a type

that was adaptable, and readily reabsorbedinto the war effort, so as not to contribute
to unemployment levels. Any workers not thus adaptable(e.g. too specialisedto be
of use elsewhere) were to be employed in the nucleus factory that retainedthe

production rights, and the release of labour had to be timed to coincide with demand
in other industries.26 The chosenfirms enjoyed certain advantages,thesebeing:

eligibility to enter a list of protected firms, which meant a lower age of reservefor
their employees,their labour would be safeguarded(in certain cases),they would

receive Government orders as far as was possible, and the BoT would prevent the
requisition of their factories and would help safeguardthe suppliesof raw material.
One of the aims of concentration was to focus the work where it was neededmost. In
the caseof ftu-niture this meant away from targets that drew heavy bombing (but

to
closeenough supply those areas), and away from areasof munitions production so
to
asnot compete with that work. High Wycombe matched most of these

requirementsquite well, being situated outside of the London bombing area,but

within easytransport distance of the damaged areas,and of the docks for supplies.
The town itself had experiencedno bombing damageat all. The suppliesof home

grown timber around High Wycombe, especially beech,were readily to hand

in than concentrated in large

scatteredsafely a number of small wood yards rather
stores. The policy of timber storage was to spreadstocks out in this manner.away
from bombing targets. The downside of this strategy was accessibility and
but High Wycombe the areaswere already set up in a
administration, and surrounding

network of storage and supply systems.

least initially, in the arnalgamation of firms
There were difficulties though, at
in Wycombe. There were many small firms in High Wycombe, which were often
firms as a takeover and loss of
family-owned, that looked upon combining with other
directories had a pair of small firms
autonomy. Previously, Kelly's often recorded
time later. There was therefore considerable
merging, only to part again a short
April, firms not protected by
to
resistance concentrating the industry. From that all
men over forty and
inclusion in the concentration programme could only employ

152
women in furniture production. Younger men would be moved into reserved
occupations (working in the nucleus firms 27
was one such), or called up. ThiS
withdrawal of the skilled labour force particularly affected Wycombe, and placeslike
it, where industry was focused on a single trade.
Before Utility Furniture was establishedthere was a suggestionthat to aid the

national income, and to maintain overseastrade, all production of furniture for home
useshould cease,and energies be turned to manufacture for export. Productionfor
homeuse could not ceasecompletely becauseso much of the fiirniture being
damagedwas essential for day to day living. The argumentsfor maintaining and

evenboosting export trade were strong, but not enoughto override home needs. In a
CMCHF article Mr. Barnes, Secretaryof the High Wycombe District and Furniture
ManufacturersFederation, argued that the trade overseas,once lost, would be
28
immenselydifficult to build up again. This would be particularly important to

maintain, given that Britain would inevitably finish the war in severedebt. There

were already difficulties with importing timber from America, and to ceasesupplying
them with furniture would only promote their own production. The American levy of
import duty on fabric already evinced a lack of support for Britain. Canadahad

agreedto ignore that levy on its import duty, and kept the flow of trade with Britain

going throughout the war. Indeed, Canadawas to prove a main supplier of timber
(particularly softwoods) as the war progressed.Canadakept its prewar timber prices

until late in 1941, and then only raised them moderately. Vancouver and West Coast

by
suppliersarranged overland transport train when the searoute through the Panama

Canalproved to be too slow.

At the onset of war, High Wycombe had been engagedin negotiating some

export trade with European countries, particularly Sweden. The plan was to
tradition, in order to
concentrateon British strengths of production quality and
techniques prevalent in
competewith the cheaper, massproduction manufacturing
The advent of war had
Europe but growing more slowly in popularity in this country.
hold, but the were still there to be
put Wycombe's in
progress exports on possibilities
that time for tying to join the export market.
examined.The town was criticised at
in
becauseit was deemed to be too old fashioned style, especially compared to

I -ý-,
 Sweden'smarket. The bid for Government work gave the town's manufacturers
a
much-needed incentive to modernize mechanisation and techniques.action that

would help bring High Wycombe back into competitive trading.

The interruption to the trade by loss Of labour was not merely interim
an one
to be solved by the returning workforce in peacetime. As well as depletingthe

numbersof already skilled men, apprenticeshipswere frequently broken by

conscription. The apprenticeship system was itself under scrutiny, and criticised for
being detrimental to the employer. The conditions negotiatedfor the learnerswere

suchthat,,although useful to the apprentices,the systemthreatenedto breakdown as

few employers could accommodatethem. Manufacturers consideredthe scaleof pay
fixed by the Furniture Trade Board was too generous,given the small return of

production expected from an apprentice, and the frequent supervisionrequired. The

provision of facilities to attend technical classes,and time and materials,neededto

producework for assessment,were also a disincentive to an employer. Finns were

bound to take back all their original employeesat the end of the war, and provision
had to be made for these broken apprenticeshipswith time to be servedaccountedfor,

andtraining made up with as little disadvantageon both sidesaspossible.

In October of 1941 a list of members of the Timber SuppliesCommitteeto the
29
Furniture Trade was announced Out of the twenty-flour members,(men of standing
.
in
and experience the business), three were from High Wycombe, sixteenwere from
30
London, and just five were from other parts of the country. This was a relatively

good proportion of representation for the town, and a reflection of the in

regard which
its manufacturers were held Later that month the Main Quota Schemefor supplies
.31
It to into
of timber for domestic furniture was announced. was projected come
operation on November I', but there was difficulty in interpreting to whom the

It
schemeapplied. referred only to timber for use in domestic ftirniture, which
included the early Utility type furniture, but not specialized fin-niture for the likes of
32 Only firms the Timber Supplies
46
offices, churches, radio cabinets". registeredwith
Committee were entitled to supplies. When the details were finally the
released,

Main Quota schememarked the turning point of the ftirniture trade's part in the war
in its detail. its main points being
effort. The document was well-written and clear

154
the clarification of basis for supplying timber, its usage,and the statusof furniture

production. After two years of having little standing, the furniture industry could at
last begin to take action and participate in the war effort. This was also the beginning

of the Utility Scheme proper. Up to this point the term 'domestic furniture of a
Utility type' loosely meant 'twenty specified articles of essentialfurniture' and also

stipulatedthe maximum amount of material that could be used for any article, but not
how or to what design those articles were to be made.33 Pricing was lessrigid on
thesearticles than on the Utility Schemefurniture. The comprehensiveschemewas
given the full support of the industry. It was a fairly restricted way of working but it
was better than nothing and organised as fairly as could be expected. "The
Committeehas done a good and solid piece of work for which the trade may well be
thankful"')was the editorial comment of the Cabinet 34
Maker magazine.
The Lend Lease agreementsignificantly improved Britain's position on
imports from America. Instead of paying for timber as required, the amountsowed

were debited to Britain, to be in

repaid volume at a later date. The import timbers

mainly affected under this system were silver spruce,pitch pine, and Port Orford

cedar. These were not used considerably in furniture making, but as most factories

weren't making furniture, softwood supplies had to be taken into considerationas

affecting the furniture manufacturers. A large addition to the National Stock was

effectedat the end of 1941 by the incorporation of homegrown softwood and

hardwood. This put pressureon the inland transport systems. Imported timbers

alreadyhad a transport system set up and running through the main ports to the areas

of production. Home grown timbers were kept all over the country, and although
they could be to
allocated nearby production areas if possible, there still remained
fuel and labour problems in the organization of their transportation. Coastal vessels

delivery implemented to the to main dispersalareas. High

andrail were move stocks
local beechwood for
Wycombe, previously looked down on as parochial in the use of
Windsor chair-making, had for local timber in place.
a transport and supply system
Previously unused home-grown timber was pressed into considerableusei
for importedhardwood,but of
substitution a home-grown material
"Mostapplications
called
limit, 70 per cent of the hardwood were
releases in
was forced to the and ultimately over
of but
heartbuming. in the
home-gown. This was not accomplishedwithout a certain amount

155
 end prejudice was largely eradicated,especiallyas seasonedstocksof home-grown
wood
were accumulating. In the processmany age-oldprejudicesandcustomswent by the board,
the trade having learnt that other and quite often better speciescould servea particular
requirement.9,35

Imported timber was generally thought to be of superior quality to home grown,

and
hadbeen available in greater variety and sizes of stock. With its traditions of using
local beechwoods it is possible that High Wycombe was in a position to overcome
this prejudice more easily than firms that had always imported timber and had the
choice of types available to them. Post-war the local woodland underwent
considerablere-planting and management,indicating that considerablequantities
used during the war. 36
were
Plywood was withdrawn from use in the furniture trade in March of 1942,and
directedto the production of aircraft. This had repercussionsin the designof Utility
furniture, with hardboard being substituted for ply in the production of veneered

panels. This in turn limited the size of panels, and the structureof larger piecesof
ftu-niturehad to accommodatethis.
Some furniture craftsmen and factories were ideally equippedfor working on

aircraft. It took some time for the skilled craftsman, used to working 'by eye', to
adaptto the accurate measurementsrequired in aircraft production. The ability to

work without measuring was particularly true in the chair-making industry, where
working drawings were hardly used, and often produced after the fact. For this

reason,much of the Wycombe trade had been clinging onto traditional methodsof

manufacture. The introduction of new,,more accuratemethodsof manufacture

(particularly for work on airplanes) during the war servedto familiarise

manufacturerswith new technology. When the war ended High Wycombe was

revealedto have played a major part in the aircraft industry, producing components

andplywood skins for fuselages, components,and in one company's case.entire

aircraft bodies.37

Further limitations to the production of domestic ftirniture continued

from the Ministry of SuPPI'.
%
throughout that year, with continued pressurecoming
in The
(MoS) to reduce the number of articles allowed from the twenty production.

156
Ministry of Health, motivated by its work dealing with 'bombees',
appealedto the
MoS to broaden its view instead of cutting off timber suppliescompletely.
By February 1941, the first Utility Furniture piecesknown
as standard
EmergencyFurniture, were allowed to go into production. The designs
m,
-ere
extremely basic, the main criteria being economic use of material, which meant
as
little as possible rather than efficient use at this point. Only firms already
employed
by the Government at that time made this. The Board of Trade were putting together

plans for concentrating all industries into areasof safety and away from competition
with areas catering to war needs, but within good distanceof transportroutesfor
distribution. The rest of the fin-niture trade had to wait until November 1941to start

production of furniture under a quota scheme,for which limited suppliesof timber

It
were released. wasn't until July 1942 that the Board of Trade announceda new
committee that had the mandate of overseeingdesignsfor Utility furniture.
In July 1942 a new Board of Trade Committee was appointedand the
designersof Utility furniture were selected. They included Mr. Gordon Russellthe
ftu-nituredesigner (heading the committee), and Mr. John Gloag an architect,and a

consultanton industrial design. Gloag was also Editor of the CMCHF, and prolific
writer on the subject of furniture design and education. After World War I the
Russell family establisheda furniture workshop in Broadway, Cotswolds.
Throughout the twenties they employed local craftsmen to produce one-off Russell
fiumiture designs. Naylor put the Russells' standpoint neatly thus;
"The story of the Russells' approachto furniture design and production is
frequently used as a 'case study' to demonstratewhat Nikolaus Pevsner
described as the 'patient progress' towards rational design.,38

Collaboration between Russell and Murphy Radios in 1930 resulted in Russell's

workshops embracing precision machine techniques within excellent craftsmanship

design. A theorists of the furniture industry, including
and number of writers and
John Gloag welcomed this particular type of partnership.
both in radio and ftuniture
"To these crusaders,the Russells' achievements,
design, provided an object lesson in how to relate the humanistic values of

it perhaps inevitable that when the

to
craft quantity and production, and was

157
 'Utility' schemewas launched in 1942, Gordon Russell
would be askedto
supervisethe production". 39

The designsof three Wycombe designerson the board were acceptedfor the first
Utility range. Mr. Herbert 'Bill' Cutler, Mr. Edwin Clinch, and Mr. Laurie Barries
(apparentlyfrom a firm in Tottenham), a member of the Wycombe Bamesfamily.
Mr. Cutler was the head of Furniture school at Wycombe Technical College,

responsible for the training of local apprenticessent on day release,and the full time
industrial managementand design students. Mr. Clinch was in management
and
designwith Goodearls of Wycombe, and Mr. Barries was managerand designer
with
E. Gommesof Wycombe, later famous for the G plan schemeof fin-niture.and a
family member of the firm Barries Branch Ltd. According to Mr. Leslie Dandy who

worked with Mr. Barnes at Gommes from 1949 onwards;

"Eddie Clinch, Bill CutlerandLaurieBarneswerethe nucleusof theBoT design
people,andtherewereoneor two othersfrom High Wycombe'40
Mayes(1960) also stated that L. J. Barnes of E. Gornme was one of the original
designersof this first range of Utility. However, no other evidencefor this, or what
Mr. Barnes' role was, has yet come to light from the Barnes family or elsewhere.In

an interview with Design in

magazine 1974, Mr. Clinch said;
"After the first meetingwith the Boardof Trade,we got together,Cutlerandmyself,
andI suspectwe completedthe drawingsin aboutsix weeks- of course,thatwasthe
fastestsetof drawingswe'd ever 41
done".
Thesedesigns were known as the Chiltern Range,named for the location of High
Wycombe, and the catalogue was releasedin January 1943, six months after the
Board had been put to work. Clinch's view of the commission was as follows.
"Originally, it was said, 'this will be an open competition for you gentlemen. You

the be a percentageof the salesof your selected '

designs.
can carry on and prize will
But at that meeting when the designswere accepted,nothing was said aboutthe offer
It decided by Russell and company then that it would make
of so much per cent. was
design into being.
a jolly good panel effort, and so the panel came
Cutler and myself were just honorary membersof the Panel we took no fee
-
on sales; insteac4theý,decidedto
whatsoever. And they never gave us our percentage
100 but thesewere very important times.
give us guineas each-

158
 The panel developed the Cotswold range,and I've
never sat in on sucha lot of hoo-
hah in all my life. On the Chiltern drawings, it wasiust
myself and Cutler. no one
else at all. On Cotswold,.we did our sketchesand then we usedto have
meetings
about once a week, design by committee and Russellwas supposedto havethe
...
overriding say".42

25% of the designs were attributed to Mr. Cutler, 65% to Mr. Clinch, the
rest residing
with Mr. Barnes. There were eleven contributors on the board, but thesethree
Wycombe gentlemen were credited with the final designs. Clinch and Cutler
were
acquaintedwith each other already, and worked in close unity with a very clear grasp
of the brief understanding that the "parameterswere that the ftuniture should be
strong and serviceable, not in any way temporary, and that it should use the minimum
raw material.
Only hardwoods - oak or mahogany were to be usedand all joints were
-
43
strongly mortised or pegged". Utility provided definite improvementson the
designsavailable prior to the war, not just in quality, but also in the thoughtful

application of spaceand comfort. Utility is often thought of as makeshift or shoddy

fizniture, but in the trade the designsare recognisedas good quality, and are

consideredto be some of the most well conceived and well made of this century.
Any downfall may have been in the severity of comfort in the dining chairs, and in
the poor production by certain manufacturers,in spite of stipulations to avoid that.
The Cotswold Range, 'designed by committee', did not go into production

until 1946, and was very similar to the Chiltern in

range style, but it incorporated

more materials and labour. it was also characterized by a lightness of construction

comparedto the solidity of the Chiltem range, blockboard and plywood having
becomeavailable again after the end of the war. It would seemimportant that the

gentlemenwith the trade experience were able to design effectively and with

consideration for in
the market a short period of time. This is in contrastto the
designersappointed to the secondrange, who were less informed and less capableof
the task required, calling in industrial designersto the panel at a later stage. Mr.

Clinch's daughter, Mrs. Brenda Beckford, felt that her father was proud of his

involvement, but that the industrial designershad been passedover in favour of the

159
 big and fashionable names, in spite of the commercial successof their
Work on the
44
first range.
One thing that did unite the designersof Utility was the opportunit-v
it
afforded to produce items of quality free from the constraintsof price competitions
that the industry had previously forced upon them. Furniture for the working and
middle classesbefore the Second World War was characterizedby poor
craftsmanshipand rather superficial applied decoration, which the buying public
seemed to favour. It was argued that the manufacturersshould educatethe public by
producing better quality goods, but the serious competition for businessmeantthat

populartrends, and the buyers ordering for retailers, dictated what was made.
Businesseshad to play safe as the industry was too unstableto gambleon new styles.
Therehad been a tendency towards cautious designing in the ftu-nitureindustry in this

country. Most manufacturers up to that point were fairly small affairs that did not
employ designers as such, but incorporated their ideas from bigger firms. They

mostly made bad copies of upper class ftu-niture, or adapteddesignsfrom the stylesof
bygoneeras- reproductions in vague style only, and not in construction.The buying

public liked anything that 'looked' expensive, or antique. Utility was a chanceto
imposea different sort of quality on both the manufacturersand the public, to educate
to
eachas what well-made furniture was like, with a hope that a market for better
ftuniture would be created. The gentlemen of Wycombe involved in the Utility
Schemehad the successof their firms in common - Gommes(Mr. Bames' firm) went

on to form G
the popular plan furniture, and Goodearls (Mr. Clinch's firm) are still in

businesstoday. In interviews, Mr. Leslie Dandie (of Gornmes)and Mr. Raymond

Peach(of Glenisters) felt that the industrial experienceof such men as Clinch, Cutler
Bames, imaginative vision, enabledtheir firms to break free
and coupled with a rare
timid design forge in business. These three gentlemen lectured
of copying and ahead
andtaught part-time in Wycombe Technical Institute, producing another generation

of designer craftsmen.
The furniture trade was placated with promises of fair and comprehensive

zoning' schemes,to spread the Utility work around, and proper control and

The BoT finally a list of designated Utility

allocation of materials. announced

160
manufacturersin October 1942, but far from the 150 namesthe trade was led to
expect, 25 names were given. Admittedly, thesewere groups of firms rather than
individuals, as was explained later. Significantly, the list included none from High
Wycombe. This decision seemsto have beenbasedon the disunity perceivedbetween
the town's manufacturers and the boards and unions representingthe trade's workers.
In March 1942 the two High Wycombe representativebodies (the Association andthe
Federation)had set up their own negotiating body to arbitrate on local wagesand

conditions rather than rely on national agreementS45.This action, andthe existence

of the two different representativecommittees,meant for complications in dealing
with Wycombe's traders. The point was brought home to the Wycombe

manufacturersin the allocation of Utility work that October, and the enormousthreat
of closures due to lack of work galvanized the town into action. By January 1943
there had been emergency action taken, in which an amalgamationof the Association

and Federation had been effected. It was proposedthat 31 Wycombe firms could
becomesix factory units for the more efficient production of Utility furniture. The
in
changes running the fin-niture industry both there, and nationally, were heraldedas
a chanceto improve the industry as a whole.
"Mr. Allan Janes [Secretary of High Wycombe Association] said that in pre-war days, with

no statutory regulation of wages, manufacturers were able to be exploited on prices, which

had the effect of keeping the industry divided amongst itself The advent of the Trade Board
had eliminated this controversial point, and the industry had got its first real opportunity to
" 46
combine nationally with all the power that that could mean.

High Wycombe and District Furniture Manufacturers Federation was founded in

1913, and their representativeMr. A. E. Barnes had been fully involved in

High Wycombe during the war. The High Wycombe Furniture

representing
Association was formed in 1939 to representabout 200 non-federation who
members,

had approachedMr. Allan Janes to be their Secretary. The two associations seemed

have been a practical one, for representation purposes

amicable and the split might
different interests). However, this disunitý-of
(e.g. large and small firms with
to representation. The
representationwas symbolic of Wycombe's attitude national

treat their craftsmen worse than the rest of the countrY.

manufacturers were seento

161
but were themselves exploited with the lack of pricing and
retail regulations,
competition forcing wages down. This foretold of production
problems in the future,
asmany British manufacturers relied on cheap labour rather than mechanisationto
keepprices competitive.
The first Utility Catalogue was issued in January 1943,
and a further
(apparentlycomplete 47)list of 126 designatedUtility firms, or 160
grouped
manufacturers,was issued in 48
March. Orders for the furniture were not as great
as
hadbeen anticipated, but it was early days, and some stocks of popular ftuniture

madebefore the war were still available, coupon free. There was also inertia in
acceptingthe new designs, as previously a quite ornate style had beenin demand.The
adventof Utility ftu-niture, and clothing, marked a point at which items of reasonably
good quality were suddenly available to people of low income, at prices they could
afford. Prior to the war,,the quality of the majority of massproducedftumiturewas
low. Much of it was considered to be shoddy in design and materials, and the buying

public was not discerning in the choosing of furniture. Price reductionswere the only
way that many manufacturers sought to catch the untappedlower-classmarket.
Buying permits were restricted to the following;
1. Families with growing children needingbed or draweraccommodation.
2. Couples married on or since January 1,1941, or marrying shortly.
3. Expectantmothers desiring to set up home.
4. Personsbombed out desiring to set up home again.
5. Families with children under 16, either setting up home for the first time or to supplement
existing accommodation.
6. Refugeesarriving since the commencementof hostilities and wanting to settle
permanently.(not single persons)
7. Re-housedpersons

No permits were necessaryfor nursery furniture. Couponswere issuedat sixty units

Septemberto hold the demandthat had
per permit, but were reduced to thirty that
suddenly arisen for Utility furniture. The V2 buzz bombs, or doodle-bugs,were used
in attacks on Britain from this time, and caused damage on a scaleunknown since the

blitz destroying nearly 1.5 million houses. This causeda rapid increase in demand

for fimiiture. Those who were granted permits for thirty units were later granted

thirty, August 1944 permits had thirty immediate units and thirV.,
another and after
49
deferred units to try and spread the demand for ftimiture over a longer period.

162
 In June, privately held stocks were drawn into consumption,
with some
reluctanceon the part of the manufacturers owning the stocks. Their incentive to co-
operatewas the promise of prompt recompense,as requisitioning of property was
usually followed by considerable delay in applications for payment. Timber Control
imposedtheir own prices on stocks, sometimesleaving manufacturers
at a loss by
paying them less than they purchasedthe supplies for. 50 Secondhand timber was
defined and regulated by the Timber Control, eventually making a large
contribution
to the volume of timber required and to the employment of labour in the cleaning and
conversion of the salvaged timber. Sponsorshipof this operationwas initiated by
Timber Control in early 1942, and reconditioned material was subjectto the same
licensing as fresh timber, with only timber unfit for anything but fuel being discarded.
Salvagesourcesincluded blitz-damaged property, supplying about 25% of all timber

salvaged,and packing casesthat had contained imported equipment. This supplied

mostly softwood, but some hardwoods were obtained from the stripping of ships
during their conversion for special purposes. Some of this type of wood will have
found it way into the production of furniture. By the end of 1943, Timber Control
had urged finns not to wait for imported hardwoods,or for kiln drying, but to apply
for home-grown timber and special seasoninglicences. Extra homegrown ash,

chestnut,,birch and beech had been approved for distribution.

In June 1943 another list of Utility manufacturerswas published, totaling 136
firms or groups of firms, and specifying eachmanufacturer's designatedarticles for
51 Of these, firms from High
production, and areasthey supplied. seven were
Wycombe, and these were responsible for almost the total production of all types of
in
chairs the country. This included dining chairs, kitchen chairs, arm and fireside

chairs, and nursery chairs. The complete responsibility for chair production was a
but have reflected the outside view of High Wycombe as
considerable coup, may also
a producer of low-class chairs, not cabinet-making. On a positive note, the

manufacture of chairs required certain skills and techniques that were not available in
High Wycombe had
all cabinetmakers. For the first quarter of the twentieth century,
the hosting of an annual publicity week of
proved through numerous exhibitions, and
to
displays, that the manufacturing capability create fine and varied furniture was

163
available there. The town was often compared to Grand Rapids, Michigan USA, but
in
opinion varied the press as to the town's possibilities. Grand Rapids was a huge]y
productive furniture making centre during the the twentieth century, but

manufacturing has since been moved further in

south the United States,cheaper
labour being available there.
Wycombe supplied chairs to towns acrossthe whole country. which was

contrary to the zoning policy. Zoning was introduced to spreadthe Utility contracts

around the country, both for financial benefit to all areas,and to reducethe risk of
bombing damageknocking out an entire section of production. However, High
Wycombe was in a low risk area for targeting by the enemy, and the transportationof

chairs offered fewer difficulties size-wise than the transport of many other articles, so
the concentration of chair-making there would seemunderstandablegiven the
benefits of the town's specialization in that product.
In January 1944 the High Wycombe Furniture Manufacturer's Society held its
first annual meeting to discuss the opportunities afforded by the recent changes. The
Society members' consensuswas that between the wars Wycombe's production

methodswere very slow, with small and inefficient factories using unrealistic pricing

systems. They to
were slow adopt new methods and styles, or to use new materials,
relying instead on tradition and quality of craftsmanship. The increaseduse of mass

production techniques used by other manufacturers, creating competitive prices and

did deplete the market for such work. Some Wycombe
using modem styles, much to
dropped their by lowering wages, and the quality of furniture
manufacturers prices
down as the it
speed was made increased. The Utility chair
producedwent
Wycombe boost to form a niche, in which quality could be
commissions gave a
Mass be, indeed had to be,
combined with new techniques. production could
Utility 52
achievedwithout loss of quality under the scheme.
As early as January 1944 the anticipation of peacetime provoked speculation

increase in supplies. It was hoped that restrictions

as to the end of controls, and
In the event, Utility furniture was produced
would be dropped as soon as possible.
design the was introduced in
until January 21 ", 1952, but freedom of within scheme
dimensions components. but the
November 1948. There were still restriction on and

164
 CC41 mark was applied to a great variety of pieces during thlistime. The lack
of
experienceddesign staff, after ten years of working to statutory designs,
promptedthe
BoT to produce some alternative utility-type designsfor the industry
to work to
initially.
Reconstruction of the industry after Utility neededto include
preparationfor
in
changes materials, continuing quality in the standardsof products(unlike some
pre-war manufacturing), and a division betweenmassproducersand individual

manufacturers,both of which had an important market niche to fill. The

amalgamationof some manufacturers in High Wycombe was anticipatedto prove the
main factor in aiding post-war prosperity. The more efficient organizationand
streamlining produced by the use of machinery to speedup production, and the
improved layout for production flow-lines, continued to benefit manufacturerslong

after war production was ended. Modem technology in plywood production and the
glues and resins used therein also revolutionised fin-nitureproduction and design.
The realisation of the necessity for ground-floor workshop spaceto accommodate

machinery (already foreseen by the likes of Ercolani), and to improve work-flow, also
causeda change in the geography of the industry. The centre of Wycombe had been
fall of small multi-floor concerns,many of which were eventually re-locatedon the

outskirts of the town during and just after the war. This left the obsolete3 or 4 storey
53
properties in the town centre for re-development. The re-organizationand
collaboration of production between companies improved relations between workers
and employers, and helped bring about greatly improved conditions and efficiency.
Post-War, the question of timber availability was of great concern,since

without timber there could be no production at all. Home-grown timber stocks had

beenheavily depleted, but although imports would eventually be available ftorn

previous suppliers, the cost of materials might well be beyond the finances of the

country. However, if full employment was ensured (and with it guarantees of

it be to build up the trade rather than let it die off. It A-as
production), would possible
in debt could pay for our goods with timber
possible that some nations who were also
54 The increase in and possibly surplus, in other
or other raw materials. production,
5-ý'
due was also anticipated. Because of
countries to their own returning workforce

165
 Britain's war debt imports had to be severely controlled, but if
products could be
produced for export at a profit, it seemedlikely that the Govertiment
would seeto it
that timber was made available. It would be necessaryto investigatethe
market for
productsabroad, and to invest in updating techniques,eliminating inefficient
processesand production methods, providing for researchinto this and into design for
56
the industry. In 1939 some Wycombe firms had been looking into the
possibility of
exportstrade, particularly in Europe, and the end of the war saw a return to this task.
The 1945 Annual General Meeting of the High Wycombe Furniture
Manufacturers Society coincided with the eve of Victory in Europe Day
and the
declarationof peace. Later that year the CMCHF was able to reveal the full
extent of
Wycombe's part in the war effort in a special issue. From a total of 83 firms in the
trade,41 were engagedin Utility production or other furniture for the Governmentor
forees,,II produced parts for aircraft, (some were involved in both ftuniture and

aircrafl component manufacture) and only sevenwere closedor requisitioned. The

rest were involved in producing other articles, usually for Governmentcontractsor

reconditioning reclaimed timber. The town's technical institute had continuedto

ftinction and had its annual exhibition of students' work. The provision for broken

apprenticeshipshad been discussedand a schemeof Governmentassistancefor

returning servicemen was announced. This was to include;
Governmentassistancefor free vocational training courses,with liberal maintenance
allowances,to assistin the resettlementof men and womenwho havebeenin H.M. Forcesor
on other work of national importance.
A supplementto the existing 17 Governmenttraining centres. The aim was to have 50 such
centres,including the original 17.
Courseswere to last between3 and 12 months,with 6 asthe average,plus sometraining with
an employer.
" Training would only occur in suitable sustainableeconomicoccupations,with someelementof
choice for the student.
in initial 57
demand.
" The Forcesand Merchant Navy were to be given priority caseof

The casefor people returning from war duties that had interrupted an apprenticeship

was different. They to

were entitled return and finish their apprenticeshipwith some

in This be in proportion to the time they had

reduction time served. reduction would
had in during their service to their country. This
already served, and the time they put
finish having experienced their full
meant that some people would technically without
The training was already considerably less than was previously
quota of training.

166
 agreed to produce fully trained j oumeymen, so there was some
resentmentin the
trade from older, time-servedjoumeymen. 58
For the benefit of apprenticesa new Education Bill (May 1944)
was introduced
which entailed employers to allow "young personsto spendseveralhour eachweek
in a technical or trade school, and it will be incumbent on their
employersto provide
facilities for this". 59 In June 1944 the agreementwas fixed "at least four hours
as per
in
weekend reckoning the number or working hours per week specified in clause5
the Apprentice shall be entitled to count any reasonabletime during which he
may be
absentfrom work for the purpose of attending such classes,and no deductionfrom
his wages in respect thereof shall be made".60 At this time many students
or
apprenticesattended classespart time in the evenings or at weekends. This was quite
satisfactory to the employer, as only the keenestof the traineeswould attendin their
own time, whereasthe studentsattending in work time would not necessarilyhave the
purest of motives. Releasing the apprenticesduring work time also lost the firm
money, on top of payments for the classesthemselves.The JIC later negotiatedfor
"one day a week, if possible, at a technical school"' 61,and this was made compulsory
in 1948. Mr. A. E.Barnes puts the case for changethus;

" Wycombe has also seenthe clash and fusion of two ideals : the old arts-and-craftshand-

made furniture ideal, and the modern everything-by-machineideal. The first washelpedby
the technical school in its early days; the secondby the exigencyof competition. The first
still has a tenacioushold on the work that goesthrough, but is assistedcommerciallyby the
62
successof the second."

The type of supplementary training that could be offered by the technical college was
the chanceto use new materials and equipment, and to experiment with their
application in a way that could not be countenancedwithin the confines of a
business.63 The consensusof those representing High Wycombe was thus;

"On the matter of technical education,the governorsand staff of the Wycombe Technical

Institute and the County Education authority are co-operating wholeheartedly with the

to
industry in the determination of all concerned establish the Wycombe Technical Institute as
institutes the and I hope it Aill not be
one of the premier woodworking technical of country.

167
 long before the town is provided with technical facilities for its industries
which "-III be
secondto none. " 64

Coursesfor the 1946-47 sessionat High Wycombe Technical Institute

were described
as "framed not only to make thorough craftsmen, but also to impart a knowledgeof
drawing, theory of construction, styles ofjudgement and appreciation formed,
are
tastecultivated and originality developed" 65
(SiC). This Wasfully endorsedby a list
of
the leading manufacturers of the town that liaised with the Institute, sometimesalso

supplying teaching staff. This positive attitude was followed up by the

in
commencement 1953 of a new building for the college, (carried on from delayed
and much updated plans left off in 1939), incorporating a modem single floor
machine-shop,large workshop space,experimental workshops,and design
classrooms.
The combined influences of: Wycombe's post war population increase;the

removal of the trade to larger more suitable locations outsidethe town; the
reorganisationof the trade to improve and modernize manufacturingtechniques;and
educationalchangesserved to improve High Wycombe's position in the ffirniture
industry toward the 1960s. In the period 1951-1958, Wycombe had increasedits

shareof the total output for the UK by 4.8%, whereasno other area had increasedits
by
share more than 0.9%. However, more than 80% of the timber used was from

overseas,pointing to a trend of consumer taste, and lack of availability of homegrown

timber of suitable quality for the manufacturers.66

The first Chiltern Range of Utility was based(accordingto Mr. Dandy of

E-Gomme) on Gomme's Bachelor range of fin-niture. As the title suggest,this was a
living in smaller accommodation,and included
rangedesigned for the single man
bedroom, dining and living room suites of compact proportions. This and a number of

other ranges by Gomme's were the forerunners of new style 'suites' or ranges of

ftuýnitureproduced under the G Plan during the 1950s. It was a departurefrom the

for dining, living drawing rooms in that although it offered the

pre-war suites and
designed with different types of housing and
sametypes of pieces, these were
In this type of consideration the G-Plan ramies
in
customer mind. addition to offering

168
were extremely popular partly becausethey included collectable setsof a large
selection of different pieces of furniture. These could be acquiredover a period of
time, and accommodatechangesin house and family size.
Immediately prior to 1939 some manufacturerswere making ftu-niture
of a
similar style to Utility, or experimenting with suites of furniture of similar
proportions. Some of the images in advertising, cataloguesand from CMCHT
articles around this time do show this style, so it is difficult to say whetherthe
Gomme Bachelor suite was really the forerunner of Utility Furniture. If BarnesWas
involved in the design of the Chiltern Range, even if only in consultation,it is

reasonableto assumethat there is some connection between Utility and Gomme's

designs. Whatever the original sourcesof Utility designs,they were at least partlý,

responsiblefor familiarising the public with the modem design changesthat had crept
in pre-World War Il. This study does not set out to cover the post-war period in any
detail, but it is worth looking at some changesthat may have been effectedas a result

of Utility in Wycombe. After the initial reaction to the releasefrom restrictions,

which was a brief return to pre-war 'reproduction' styles, there were many companies
that produced similar ranges or styles to the G-Plan furniture offered by Gommes.
The quality of ftirniture made was generally better than before the war, and the pieces
in
offered were a greater range to suit a greaterproportion of the buying public.
Unfortunately, by the 1970s superficially appealing but poorly-made fim-ýture
intentions the Wycombe-based Utility
was returnmg to the shops, and the good of
designerswere not enough to save many of the medium-sized, non name brand

Wycombe from to
succumbing closure or removal from the town.
manufacturersin
The competition from cheaperproducts and imports with lower labour overheads
brought about the final demise of this medium level of manufacture in Wycombe. In

design during and after the Second World War, the

spite of the boost to industry and
in Wycombe is scale today (2003). The largest
manufacture of furniture on a small
is Ercol, Parker Knoll having relocated during
manufacturer still residing there with
the 1990s. The Gomme family sold the G Plan range to an outside manufacturer.

their factory was demolished in the late 1990s.

in the furniture indusm.,is more
The legacy of High Wycombe's position

169
 evident today in the college housed there, but any Utility chair still in
existencewas
most likely made in High Wycombe. The next chapterlooks
at the evolution of
technical education generally, and how that and the local industry influenced
the
developmentof High Wycombe College and the courses
offered there.

REFERENCES

'High Wycombe is referred to asthe "only areain the

country devotedexclusively to the manufacture
of furniture", and is often referred to asthe "home of English furniture" in contemporarytradejoumals
andhistorical accounts. The quote is from an article 'High Wycombe. FurnitureTown's Contribution
to the War Effort', June23rd 1945,p 597. Papermanufactureand engineeringindustry werethe
other
main employersin the town during the secondwar.
2 'Timber control', CMCHF, (September23d, 1939)
p428.
3"Serious Transport Delays", CMCHF, (September30th 1939) 447.
, p
4"Timber Control, Furniture Trades' NeedsNot to be Overlooked", CMC]EIF,(October 14'h,1939)
p21.
Andrews, J.E., Post- War Changesin the Industrial Structure offfigh Wycombe,(University of
Liverpool, PhD Thesis, 1969) p5.
6"Trade Board Progress",CMCHF, (September30'h, 1939)
p44.
7"New Wycombe Association", CMCHF, (January20th,1940)
p37.
' It is possiblethat the division firms into the Federation
of and the Associationwas basedon some
classof work, or possibly the size of manufacturer.
9" Wagesand Conditions, JIC MembersPay 1/2d increase",CMCHF, (January20h, 1940)
p37.
'0 "Hardwood Supplies,Furniture Making and the Timber Shortage",CMCHF, (January27'h,1940)
p51.
" PrincesRisborough is about four miles from High Wycombe. Seechaptersix for more
information.
12"Timber Control, Furniture Trade Meeting at Houseof Commons",CMCHF, (April 6th,1940)p5-
13"Furrifture Trade and Timber Control, Houseof CommonsMeeting Presentingthe Casefor the
-
Industry", CMCHF, (April 20'h,1940)p89.
14"Timber Committee Formed, Controller suggestsAdvisory Council of Timber Users",CMCHF,
(January20th,1940) p37. 'The Controller' was the headof Timber Control (MoS) 1939-1947,Sir
Archibald Harris. He was regardedas tough but fair.
'5 "War Work Wanted", CMCHF, (June 1", 1940)p 175. The Minister of Supply was Mr. Herbert
Morrison.
16 , nd
Timber Control Changes", CMCHF, (June22 1940) P22I.
,
17Geffrye Museum Trust, CC41 Utility Furniture and Fashion 1941-1951,(London, London
EducationAuthority originally, 1974),p8.
18"Timber for Civilian Furniture", CMCHF, (August 31', 1940)p 115.
19Geffrye Museum Trust, (1974) p8.
2' There are delightfully and competitive designs for these bunks, using the bare
several minimalist
1940. The of designs
essentialsof timber, in severalCabinet Maker issuestowards the end of sparest
encounteredconsistedof a stretcheraffair, to be restedon the top edge of a bath tub.
The Bailey bridge, which succeededthe Ingles Bridge, was a set of floating platforms able to be
to over a stretch of river. Many floating Pontoons
constructedswiftly and strong enough carry vehicles
folding Dummy and guns for use as decoys during the blitz
and boats were produced too. aeroplanes
were also constructed.
21Geffrye Museum Trust, (1974) p9-
22House, F.H., Timber at War, An account of the Organization andActiv,ities of the TimberControl
(London, Ernest Benn Limited, 1965)p95,96.

170
 2' House,F.H. (1965) p57.
2' Lend Lease allowed raw materials to be 'loaned' and paid back later
on a weight-for-weight or
volume basis.
25"Timber Control Meeting War Needs", CMCHF, (February 1" 1941)
p53.
26"Concentrationof Production", CMCHF, (March 29th,1941) 65.
p'l
27Geffrye Museum Trust, (1974) p9.
28"Some Reflections on Furniture ExporC', CMCHF, (February22nd 1941)
, p87.
29The Timber SuppliesCommittee was a branch of the Ministry of Supply's Timber Control.
overseeingthe registration of firms for work.
30Mr. A. E. Barnes,High Wycombe and District Furniture Mfrs. Federation,Mr. W.J. Castle,
of the
same,and Mr. F Croxson, of Croxson Brothers, High Wycombe.
" "List of Members", CMCHF, (October 4'h, 1941) p8.
32"Main Timber Quota Release",CMCHF, (October 18th, 1941) p3 1, and
Geffrye Museum Trust, (1974) p 10.
33Geffrye Museum Trust, (1974) p 10.
34"Main Timber Quota Release",CMCHF, (November 1", 1941) p59.
3' House,F.H., (1965) p242.
36Andrews,J.E., (1969) p35.
3' This could not have been revealedprior to 1945,as the sitesof suchactivity had to remainsecret
until peacetime.
38Naylor, G 'Design and Industry' Chapter8, in Ford, B (ed) The CambridgeGuid to theArts in
Britain Volume 8( Cambridge University Press,1989)p261.
39Naylor, G (1989) p262.
40Private interview with Mr. Dandy at Wycombe Museum, August 1998.
41Brutton, Mark, 'Utility CC4 1', Design Magazine, (August, 1974) p68.
42Brutton, (August, 1974) p68.
43Geffrye Museum Trust, (1974) p 13.
'4 BrendaBeckford was interviewed by the author in July 1999.
45"The High Wycombe Agreement", CMCHF, (March 14th,1942)p 130.
46"Unity in High Wycombe.", CMCHF, (January2nd 1943)p 14,15.
,
47Therewere further lists and updatesand additions for the remainderof the war.
48"Notes and News. The Complete Utility", CMCHF,(March 6th,1943)p233.
49Geffrye Museuin Trust, ( 1974)p 17.
50"Privately Held Stocks to be Put Into Consumption.", CMCHF, (June 12th 1943)p588.
51"Utility Furniture, Complete list of DesignatedManufacturers.", CMCHF, (June 12'h,1943)p581-
587.
52"Progressin High Wycombe, the First Annual Meeting and Report of the Society.", CMCHF,
(March 25'h, 1943) p257-258.
53Andrews, J.E., (1969) p20,2 1.
54R.J.W.Appleton, Managing director, the Educational Supply Association,"The Timber Market.
Noteson Post-war Position.", CMCHF, (March 25th,1944) p257-258.
55Sir Archibald Harris, Timber Controller, "Notes and News. Sourcesof Supply.", CMCHF.
(December16th,1944) p546.
56Mr. C.E. Weeden,"The Timber Market. A Reply to Mr. Appleton.", CMCHF, (September 30 th
1944)p287.
57"Vocational Training.", CMCHF, (August 18'h,1945) pl6l.
58The term 'journeyman' denoteda period at the end of the apprenticeshipduring which the craftsman
to
left to go travelling with his tools. He was expected stay away for an appointed time, making a
journeying was not part of the deal. but
living from his trade as he went. During the twentieth century
the title denoteda sort of probationary, or proving period.
59"Notes and News. Claims of Education." CMCHF, (May 13th,1944)p413.
60
Form Agreement." CMCHF, (June 3rd. 1944) p482.
Apprenticeship. A Model of ,h
61 Apprenticeship. A Model Form of Agreement." CMCHF. (May 18 1946) pl 116.
. 13th,1943)
62A. E. Barnes, "High Wycombe, The Inner Struggle for Progress." CMCHF, (November

p469.

171
63"Technical training, Its Value in Post-war Reconstruction." CMCHF, (November8th,1945)p235,
' Mr. Allan Janes,secretaryof the High Wycombe Furniture ManufacturersSociety."Future of High
Wycombe." CMCHF, (May 26th,1945) p498.
65-High Wycombe News. Technical Education." CMCHF, (September21", 1946)p644.
66Andrews,J.E., (1969) p34. The population increasein Wycombeduring the 1950sand 1960swasin
the order of 3000 people, as a contrastto many other areaswhich experienceda decrease.

172
 Chapter5
The History of the College High Wycombe.
at

During the 1890s The City and Guilds London Institute

of set up special
coursesand provided the syllabus for them as a responseto the
needfor some
supplementthe apprenticeship system. The classescould be conducted
anywhere
with appropriate facilities, but the problem of finding suitableteachers
was
prominent. For a trained teacher, it was a lot of effort to changespecialism
mid-
career,and the practical subjects"did not count for seniority". ' Nor did they
pýky
as well as other,,less marginalised, subjects, and the lack of statusthen interfered
with promotion prospects. However, areassuch as High Wycombe with a densely
populated local furniture industry, could offer a pool of craftsmen,
experiencedin
the trade and familiar with the training of apprentices. Someof thesemen had
an
aptitude for tuition, and were available to take placesteaching in suchclasses.
The Science and Art School at High Wycombe evolved into such
a centre,and
many of the staff there came from the locality.
On December 13th 1893 the Science and Art School in High Wycombe

was officially opened, giving evening classes for local boys in a variety of
technical skills useful to the local ftu-niture trade. This school was built for its

specific purpose in Frogmoor Gardens, using money supplied by a national (and

very unpopular) tax on beers and spirits. The Local Taxation Customs and Excise
Act of 1890, increased the duty on beer and spirits "some of it to establish a police

superannuation fund, a limited amount to compensate licensees for the non-

house licences the to the 2 There
renewal of public and rest supplement rateS.,,.

was some opposition to the use of the revenue for licensees, and so Acland (the

parliamentary spokesman for the educational reformers) succeeded in getting the

money allocated to technical education instead. In High Wycombe, the County

3
Council supplemented this finance. The dispensation of the money was at the

discretion of the local authority as if the money had come to them as a result of

their own efforts. The Technical Instruction Act of 1889 announced that Manual

Instruction was to become a compulsory subject.

173
 The act stipulated that the instruction was to be:
1.In the use of ordinary tools used in handicrafts in
wood or iron.
2. Connected with the instruction in drawing that is
to saythe work must be
from drawings to scale previously made by the
students.
3. Given out of school hours in a properly f4
itted workshop.

This encourageda wave of support for Technical Education

that swayedthe local
authorities in favour of increasedinvestment in local collegesand institutes,
rather
than the alternative use which was the reduction of local
rates. It happened,as a
result of this new influx of finance,,that many of the local subscribers(guilds,
firms, and private benefactors) withdrew their financial
supportfor the technical
institutes. This resulted in the Scienceand Art School in Wycombebecoming
a
wholly municipal responsibility at that point, enabling the prevailing views on
technical education to have a greaterinfluence than the more vocational needs,
(and often conservative desires), of the local industry. The difference between

what was wanted educationally by the industry, and what the Government
advocated,has been the subject of continuing debate.
During the first years of the twentieth century technical educationfor

children broadened in variety from full-time trade schools(in London and a few
other areas), which were for children at the end of their schooltime in lieu of
finishing their elementary schooling. Thesewere day schoolsthat addeda course

of schooling for two or three years, specialising in a particular areausually

5
relevant to local industry and its demands. The first of theseday schoolswas
Shoreditch Technical Institute, London, openedin 1901. In the 1907-08Lists of
Technical Schools in Great Britain issued by the Board of Education, High
Wycombe School of Science and Art was categorisedas a School ofArt, whereas
6
Shoreditch came under the category of Day Technical Classes. In the previous

year's categories, High Wycombe did have an entry under the heading 'Other

Schools and Classesfor Further Education' in addition to its listing as a School of

Art. At this time in Wycombe, the emphasiswould seemto have beenArt

education related to industry, but not specific classes for industry in the manner of

Trade School. This have been because the funding in Wycombe was not
a might
local industry, Shoreditch did receive support from local firms.
reliant on whereas

174
 It

Figure 5.0 High Wycombe Science and Art

school. This photograph was taken of the
refurbished building in the 1980s.
Copyright Dennis Edwards from the HI,, h
Wycombe Archive photos series.

High Wycombe School of Science and Art offered day technical classes, along

with the Central School and Green Street School, to small groups of children from

other elementary schools. In this way the outlay for tools and workshops was

concentrated, and pooled for both technical and art classes. The Art School

offered its own classes during the day and evening - 29 female day students were
listed in 1907-08 (no male students during the day). and 138 male and 36 female

evening students were on the roll. It is apparent that the majority of students at
this point would have been in employment or apprenticeship already, and only

to
able attend college during the evenings. In the 1907-08 list Shoreditch

Technical Institute came under the category of a Trade school since its classes

were put into the Da Y Technical Classes lists. Short articles in the CMCHF

indicate more interaction between the school and the trade in Shoreditch than in

Wycombe. The classes offered at Shoreditch for the furniture trades included

for teachers, and 'general subjects for persons

upholstery, manual training
intending to enter the wood working trades'.

The numbers of students at both High Wycombe and Shoreditch stayed steady,

between 1907 and 1910 in the Lists of Technical Schools. The differentiation

between Wycombe's day and evening students disappears in the 1910-11 listing.

for female to the addition of day and

when the total number students approximates

for The student total came in as 183. and

evening students previous years. male
there were no male day students to
(with nothing to add to the evening students as

175
 speakof) this constitutes quite a suddenrise of nearly 50 students. The totals for
male and female students rose again the next sessionto 207 and 101 respecti,,,
elN-.
and the following year (1912-1913) went to '260 boys and men' (not 'male')
and
'105 girls and women'.
It is presumedthat the interruption to the Board of Educationlists this
at point was
on account
of World War 1.
In 1919, after the war had ended,the first daytime classesfor
men at the
High Wycombe School of Art began. Thesewere for the rehabilitation
of
wounded men and included all the skills necessaryfor thesemen to makea living
in the trade. This training took eighteen months. Although at a review of their
in
exhibition July 1920 the work was reputedly 'well executed'and 'men in the
trade were delighted with the skill displayed and the excellenceof the

workmanship', eighteen months was held to be too short a time to acquirethe

7
skills that an apprentice took years to gain. The Chairman of the County Council
(Lord Anslow) was asked to make representationat the National TradeAdvisory
Committee that the period be doubled. Such coursesfor adults were run alongside

those forjunior students. The Board of Education report on Notes concerningthe

developmentofthe school ofArt and Technical School - High Wycombehad this

to say:
"Up to 1913 the above classesheld in connectionwith the Schoolof Art, in the Science,
Art and Technical School were very sparselyattended. The craft classeswereconducted
in small and dilapidated workshopsin Turnbull's Yard, the carving class,underthe
County Craft Instructor, was held in the Tin Hut at Frogmoor. The Schoolof Art

occupiesrooms 8& 10 upstairs, the small room No. 2 downstairs,

the tin hut andthe

" 8
small workshop in Turnbull's yard.

The report made a differentiation betweenthe work of the Art School and of the
This is also the first the term Technical
craft-oriented Technical School. use of
School, in relation to High Wycombe, found to date. The old Grammar school site

bought in 1914 (according to this report) as enrolments for the fin-nituretrade

was
doubled. Five more workshops were planned, but the
and evening classes
1, for
Grammar school was taken over during World War and not made aN-allable
1919. The Art School was intended to stay at
general teaching again until

176
 Frogrnoor, but moved to the Grammar school in 1919to enable
coursesfor ex-
servicemento take place at Frogrnoor.
The leading article in the CMCHF issue of August 10' 1920
was High
Wycombe,The Influence of the Local Art School.9 It coveredissues
such as the
lack of accommodation, how apt it was that 80% of the pupils 'are
engagedin the
manufacture of ftimiture and of its branches', and that a number of
apprentices
were allowed to attend during working hours. The Septemberissueof the same
year carried a small article on Wycombe'sNew Technical School, for boys of
10
thirteen years and over. During the 1920sand early 1930sHigh Wycombe's
technical education featured in many CMCHF articles, alongsideShoreditchLCC

and Birmingham Central School of Arts and Crafts. Wycombe, Shoreditchand

Birmingham seemto have been of similar interest to the writers of CMCHF.
At High Wycombe Technical Institute the first move toward changes
in
suggested the 1902 Balfour Education Act was in 1920. Under this act, Local
Education Authorities becameresponsible for providing secondaryas well as

elementary/primary education in 1902. High Wycombe was behind the times in

improving its provision. The Science and Art School had its title changedto
Wycombe Technical Institute and classeswere moved to the Royal Grammar
School site in Easton Street, although some still continued at Frogrnoor Gardens
for a finiher ten years. The extra spacecreatedby the move was neededfor the

opening of the 'Junior Day Technical School for boys of thirteen and over', the
first of its kind in the country. ' 1 The initial coursewas a year long, and it was
it
anticipated that would extend to three or four years for those studentswho
definitely wanted a career in industry and required a specific basic training. The
There
school had similar standing and purposesto those of a secondaryschool.
for in the local trade, releasedby their
were also evening classes apprentices
for It
this part of their training. was judged that by then most of the
employers
in the larger factories in Wycombe would have had training at the
men employed
12 included evenings, from
Institute at some time. At this time the working week
to be releasedto study. Over eighty per cent of
which the apprentices would need
in of fin-niture or related subjects.
the classesat the Institute were the manufacture
from local industry. The
indicating some sort of vocational influence the

177
 impression given from Board of Education listings (seebelow)
was that the
School of Art was providing less specific design for industry
education.
A Bucks Herald article in May 1921 reported the
annualmeeting of the HE
committeeat the TechnicalInstitute in High Wycombe.13Amongstotheragenda
items,32 applicationswere receivedfor Junior TechnicalSchool for
scholarships
that September,and 300 entriesby eveningstudentsfor externalexaminations
were recorded. Examinations includedthoseof the Union of Technical
institutions,Royal Societyof Arts, City and Guilds,andBoardof Education.The
exactstartdateof the Junior TechnicalSchoolat Wycombehasnot been
pinpointed,althoughit was probablyat aroundthe sametime asthe title Technical
Institutewas coined,around 1920-1921. JuniorTechnicalSchoolswerecreatedto
feedinto TechnicalColleges. The studentsleavingthe JTSwould be expectedto
enterthe industry and continuewith their educationduringthe evenings.

Terminology
At this point it is worth examining some of the terminology related to technical

education in order to be clear about the evolution of technical training. Terms

such as craftsmanship, craft-skills, and handicraft refer to the physical skills used
in making and constructing furniture, and were commonly regardedin the tradeas

the essentialrequirements for employees. There was somedebateas to the

balanceof machine-and hand-work within technical educationto relate it properly

to the industrial positions of the trainees. Artfurniture andArts and crafts style
to the furniture in this 14Industrial Art refers to the
refer more style of made, case.
practice of design for industry, usually a separatesort of course from the technical.

practical or craft-related courses. Commercial courseswere for office and

administrative skills, and Engineering coursescovered any of the technical trades

related to building, construction, machinery, or some of the sciences when applied

in a practical manner. Appendix two covers the history of technical education in

this country, and explains some of the differences between these ty pes of
.
Period to furniture that is, or appears to be, a reproduction
education. style refers
in history. Period-adapted is a modern
of the furniture style at an early period
or decorative features
version of any period-style, usually taking certain elements

178
 of the original pieces but not using the original constructiontechniques
or
materials. Reproduction furniture could refer to either correctly reproduced
period
styles from history, or period-adapted styles, and further information is
neededto
ascertain which is in
meant that context.

The 1922-23 Board of Education List of the

more Important Technical
Schoolsand of the Schools ofArt (in England) put ShoreditchTechnicalInstitute

under the category of Technical School, listing its classesas cabinet-making,

upholstery, french polishing, woodcarving, decorating & design,dressmakingand

embroidery. High Wycombe came under the Schools ofArt category,
with no
official list for their courses.The buildings usedfor teachingwere named;
'Chepping Wycombe School of Art Frogrnore Gardens,and CheppingWycombe
Technical Institute, Easton Street'. Also mentioned in the categoryof Junior
Technical Schools was 'Chepping Wycombe Junior Technical School,Frogmore'

offering furniture and engineering 3-year coursesfor boys aged 13-14 on entry,
and with 113 enrolled. The Board of Education report implied that almost all
classeswere taken over to the Easton Street Grammar School site in 1920. The
crampedconditions alluded to at Frogmoor would seemto reinforce that numbers
for the JTS and Art School were small, whereasit is known that numbersfor the

evening classesat Easton Street were in the hundreds.

A CMCHF article in October 1923 showed 'Furniture made by Students
Exhibited at the High Wycombe School of Aft'. 15 Imagesincluded five

reproduction dining chairs, two carved mirror fi-ames,

and a tallboy/wardrobe.
Nothing original or contemporary from a design point of view was shown,nor was

the work of the technical school mentioned. The focus for the School of Art

be than design. Shoreditch Institute day technical

seemedto craft skills rather
had been to Shoreditch Junior Technical School in 1912-1 3. and
classes relocated _3
was then offering 3-year courses to 14+ entrants for cabinet-making and

woodworking trades in 1922-23 BoEd listings. 133 studentswere enrolled at

Shoreditch.JTS. The impression thus far is in

that addition to the Art School.

Wycombe JTS, although responding to the local trade, was still offering
Shoreditch JTS However. in the City
something slightly more general than was.

179
 and Guilds of London Institute (CGLI) examination report for 1918Shoreditch
LCC is not mentioned as entering any students.16 This is
surprising becausethe
CGLI examinations were trade and hand-craft
oriented, which was Shoreditch*s
focus. High Wycombe School of Art was credited
with 2 classesof 26 students.
of whom 3 enteredthe CGLI examinations, and 2 passed. This
contrastswith
Loughborough Technical Institute with 8 classesand 92
students,41 of whom
entered the CGLI exams and 15 studentspassed.17 Loughboroughhad
much more
of an Art School and Art for industry background whereasShoreditch
was quite
the opposite - training for trades being its emphasis. Wycombe
was perhaps
somewherein between the two, with the Technical School and School Art
of
providing different types of classes.
The City and Guilds of London Institute was createdin 1878
as an
amalgamationof various livery companieswith the following ideals.

The objective of the Livery companieswas to improve the technicalknowledge

of all
employees,(worlanen, managers,foremen, Principals.) engagedin manufacturein this country.

It was not their objective to develop expertisein handicraft, but the knowledgeof scienceand
art and the principles of their part in manufacturing.

a The initial plan was to be a gradual developmentof theseends.

A Central Institute (in London for 'more advancedinstruction') and the establishmentof Local
Trade Schoolswas intended.

The Central Institution was also' to supply competentteachersfor local tradeschools'and

superior workmen, foremen, and managersschooledin the principals of manufacture.

Local trade schoolswere to teach ' the application of scienceand art to particulartrades',to
'foremen, workmen, apprentices,and others'.

The CGLI was to look towards aiding the Founding of Local Technical Schoolsby residents
locally to where they were most needed.

Exams were to be held in the Central Institute, with Prizes and certificates of merit to be
awarded 18

Any institution or department allied to the CGLI could be assumedto have these

goals, or similar aims. CGLI Exam results for various institutions give
information on student numbers, and an indication of the quality and tvpe of work
Guilds were usually a small item to be
produced. (City and practical examinations
joints The was on working from
made with particular and techniques. emphasis

180
drawings and quality of craftsmanship. Theory Papersincluded
calculationsand
questions designed to show an understandingof craft and materials.) In
some
casesan understanding was given of the technical role of a department(NAithina
college) offering students for City and Guilds examination
as opposedto
departmentsthat did not. CGLI exam syllabusesduring the inter-war
period
typically consisted of practical and written assessmentof craft skills, rather than
design. They were not design oriented, and yet were predominantly
usedby the
Schools of Art.

A CMCHF article of July 1923 entitled 'Furniture By Students,SomeDesigns

from the L. C.C. Educational Exhibition' describedShoreditchTechnical
Institute's work as being
(particularly interesting, and includes, from the day school,a mahogany
table, mahogany music cabinet, walnut music cabinet,mahoganywork-
table, laurel-wood work table, mahoganytable (three drawers),walnut
flap-table and several drawings; while evening-classwork includesa chest
19
of drawers... a table... and a small inlaid cabinet'.

Treated as a group, under the L. C.C., the London collegeswere praisedfor having

some element of design in their students' work, and that the items madewere
'familiar with tradition to some extent, but their productions are boldly
independentof the leading strings (sic) of style.' Indeed,the imagesshown have

some Arts and Crafts influence in structure and simplicity, with some slight
decorative highlights reminiscent of Period work.
A CMCFH article of October P 1925 showed work by the students of the
20
Wycombe Technical Institute including 'both traditional and original work- .
The images included do include both types of ftuniture insofar as details of design

are concerned. An example of contemporary work was a small cabinet with

door, simple bracket feet, and a chair with a more modern-

quartered veneered
looking curved back rail with plain curved back-splat support. HoWever, the type

traditional dining chairs, occasional

of furniture being made was still strongly -
furniture (footstools, small tables, umbrella stands,mirror stands,small cabinets).

were acquiring knowledge of their craft, not

It is true although, that the students
The (especially earlier in the course)
making these pieces for industry. emphasis

181
 would have been on skills and techniques,rather than design. Also, the
machines
and materials available at the Institute might have limited any contemporary
design element. In 1924 the article covering Shoreditch Technical InstitutCs

courses listed 'design for cabinet makers furniture draughtsmenand upholsterers'.

but as a separateevening course for studentsalready working in the industry. The

preparatorycourse at Shoreditch Day Technical School did not cover design.

Someof the evening classesat Wycombe Art School might have
offered design.
but the items shown in the 1923 article do not reflect this.
Another institution favoured with attention for their technical
educationfor
the fumiture industry was Bimiingham Central School of Arts and Crafts. The
ftu-nitureshown in the 1925 CMCHF article on the school showsdesignsof 'a

clean simplicity, a straightforward, practical air of doing their job satisfactorily

and knowing how to begin and where to stop with decoration.', stronglv
21
reminiscent of Arts and Crafts style. The text indicates that there was a strong
relationship with the local fumiture industry. as indeed was the casewith
Wycombe Technical Institute. Apart from naming membersof the various

committee boards, and suggestingthat the manufacturersare supportive,the

relationship between industry and the is in
colleges never really elaborated the
CMCHF.
The 1926-1927 prospectus for Wycombe Technical Institute re-named
both the Art and Craft Department, (offering coursesin furniture, design,history,

timbers and construction with 'close co-operation with the local industry'), and
the School of Industrial Art, (which 'a
offered special Furniture Trade course
by Furniture Manufacturers' Federation and the Furniture Trades'
approved the
22
Association. ). These were then two distinct departrnentsfor the two types of
The School Industrial Art offered evening apprenticeclassesfor
courses. of also
boys. Earlier in 1926 a CMCHF article on the Wycombe's students' exhibition
Institute 'includes a school of art, and has a strong art and craft
statedthat the
departments'. 23 The article goes
section, in addition to the commercial and other
Art Craft section. The photographs and revieA's
on to look at the work of the and

of the work by first and secondyear students comprise of small reproduction

ely photographed.
items. However, third year students' work was extensiN,,

182
 (averageage 15), and included 'modem gate-legtables,
veneeredmusic cabinets.
Sheraton,Queen Anne, and Chippendale and
modem chairs, inlaid and veneered
palm stands,tracery-bar book casesand show cabinets'. Attention
was given to
period styles but the emphasiswas for infom-iing the students
of constructionand
history of style, rather than copying and reproducing infiniturn.
ad Creativework
included 'sheets of pattern design [that] showedthat the
principles of designhad
beenthoroughly taught during the first and second
year and the value of this
teaching was shown in some of the successfuldesignsfor simple furniture
carried
out by the third year boys'. In contrast, the day coursesat Shoreditchin 1926
were
in
not mentioned such depth by the CMCHF, whereasthe eveningclasseswere
24
well listed . Evening provision included advanced,intermediateand elementarý,
classesfor those aged 17 and above (unless in attendanceat a Central School,or at
a Secondaryschool and with consent from the Head) if they had completedstudy
at a day trade school, junior evening institute, or passedan entrancetest. Only the
drawing and setting-out course at Advanced level included the term 'design', the

rest of the course titles implied craftsmanship as the emphasisof the work
covered.
The 1927-28 list issued by the Board of Education was entitled Technical

and Art Education and otherforms offurther education. The categorieslisted

were rather more diverse than the previous list of 1922, including
Colleges of FE
More important Art Schools [sic]
Technical Day classesnot in collegesof FE
Junior Technical schools
Junior Housewifery schools
Schoolsof Nautical Training

Shoreditch came under the heading Non-university institute ofFE, and provided

evening classesfor furniture trades, domestic and women's trades, and design &

decoration. There were 446 students enrolled, but they are not defined as being

Shoreditch JTS the samecoursesas in the 1922

evening, day or part-time. offered
list, simply stated as coursesfor the 'cabinetmaking and woodworking trades'.
High Wycombe came under Day Technical Classesoffering a one-yearcoursein
10 Chepping Wycombe JTS. at sites
pharmacy, on which studentswere enrolled.
Frogmore School. offered the samefurniture and
titled the Technical School and

183
 3
engineering -year course as previously, but a new commercial coursefor
age I
15 entry was also provided. Enrolled on this latter course
were 2_33
boys and 67
girls. 103 studentswere enrolled on the furniture and engineeringcourse.
Although catering for the local industry, Wycombe seemsto have been
offering
more diverse in
courses addition. There were, at that time, three distinct
'departments', the Junior Technical School, the Technical Institute,
and the School
of Art, although this latter title was used less frequently after this point. A 1927
CMCHF article on the Institute at Wycombe 25mentions that it falls into 'four

main divisions - the Junior Technical School, the Commercial School, the School
of Arts and Crafts and other senior day courses,and the eveningclasses'. Overall
there were 230 full time day studentsand over 600 individuals attendingevening

classes. It is probable that evening-classeswere offered by all three of the main

departments.
In a CMCHF 1927 article on the Shoreditch Technical Institute's

exhibition there is mention of evening classes,but more coverageof the day

26
school's three-year course. Nothing of contemporary design work is mentioned
in the text, but the accompanying photographs of work by third-year students

showeda tendency towards simple lines for design and Arts and crafts style of
fizniture. The 1927 interim report from Wycombe Technical Institute (as opposed

to the JTS or the Art School) statesthat the Institute was "mainly concernedwith

preparation for to the ffirniture trades".27 The coursehad a common

entry
curriculum for the first two years, and in the third year of study boys were divided

into 2 sections, section A containing boys intended for Engineering and

Constructive trades, and section B containing boys preparing for the artistic side

of the ftirniture trade. After two years experience it was found 'impossible to

retain a sufficient number of boys to warrant the continuanceof Section A'

[engineering] and the third year course was consequentlyabandoned. The section

B boys were enrolled onto the full time day course in the Art Department,and this
found 'quite The for route B studentswas defirUtely
was satisfactory'. emphasis
design-oriented education, the work of the Technical school
on artistic and
becoming similar to that of the Art school. The Junior Technical School was

Technical Institute, general training for

regardedas the 'feeder' for the providing

184
the majority leaving at 14. A select few could go onto the TechnicalInstitute 15
at
or 16. This 1927 report gave some numbers for studentsfinishing at the Technical
Institute, and their occupations.
Table 5.1 showsthe studentnumbersin each categoryof occupation,takenfrom
the 1927reporL
1926 1927
Occupation Number of students 0, -Cup ion Number of students
Engineering 7 Bank 3
Paper making 2 Office 4
Air force 3 Engineering 3
Architect I Wireless operator I
Accountants 2 Auctioneer I
Surveyors office I
Paper making I
Air force I
Architectural office 2
Accountant 2
Farmer I
Antique dealer I
Phannacist 2
Table 5.1

Eleven of these 23 studentswere on free scholarshipsgainedfrom the JTS

scholarship scheme. From the diversity of occupationslisted, it would seemthat

the work of the Technical school could have been more generalto include Art and
Design. The craft needsof the local industry were probably servedby the pre-
technical school JTS students,who would enter employment at 14, and later

attend evening classesvoluntarily. The report also statedthat:

"It seemsthat a certain number of parents in Wycombe desirethat their boys shall

receive further education after leaving the JTS but the curriculum formed by the

combining of the two part time coursesalready referTedto doesnot appear

appropriate to the needs of the "

students.
As a solution to this the following pagesoutlined principal proposalsfor a Central

School programme included the following outlines.

Junior CentralSchool to the same.28

a) JTS 2
to offer year courses,and the offer
b) Day technicalcoursesto be offered as full in
time over one-year seniorcommerce
for
and a generalistcourse engineering.
in andmaths to be offeredalso.
c) Classesfor occasionalstudents chemistry,physics

185
Full time senior courseswere favoured to continue at the School Art for boys
of
wishing to enter the furniture trades. As far as changesto the JTS
coursewent
the board felt that
"In orderto securea goodthird year classit would probablybe
necessary
to
doublethe sizeof the presentJTSandmakethethird year
optional"
andjustified the reduction to two years (compulsory study) insteadof threethus;
"It is unsatisfactory that at the end of two years training
in the JTS so man,.
pupils should seek commercial employment the remaining five appear to
desire to enter engineering and this number is insufficient to
warrarit a full
time course. " 29

Along similar lines, the responsefrom Buckinghamshire Education Committee

was to state that committed pupils could stay at the Secondaryschool andtake
someclassesat the Institute (two or three half days per week). No more
scholarshipsor money was to be 30
spent on providing the third year of teaching.
Dated a few days after this, the Higher Education Committee report brought

evidencethat local employers liked the course. The statistics to back this up
included the fact that 149 studentsfrom outside the borough attended,80 from

within the borough. The out-of-town student total was a 50% increaseon the
previous year. Statistics for the third year of study between 1922 and 1927

showed that between 20 and 30 boys were entering year 3 but a number would not
graduatebecause of finding employment before the end of the academicyear. The

H.E. Committee put a positive slant on this situation. The committee also

mentioned the good retention rates of scholarship students, who were not allowed

to leave before the end of the year without the sanction of the Council Higher

Education Committee, and the fact that this generosity gave some incentive and

was therefore worthwhile. It was also pointed out that although the early

departureswere detrimental to the course,they were also a good reflection on the

The destinations of the last 119 boys who had

standardsbeing achieved. ultimate
left the college after three years of study was encouraging.
Furniture trades 64 54%
Engineering and construction 37 31%
Commercial offices and other 18 15%

The numbers leaving to work in 1926 were also positive.

186
 Furniture - 19, Engineering - 7, Papermakinglaboratories
- 2, Air Force 3,
-
Shop assistant 1, Accountant 2, Railway
- - clerk - 2.

The final responseon the debatefrom the Board Educationin

of the
Septemberof 1927 approved the third YearOf training for two-year
studentsin the
Art and Craft of Cabinet-making. " Scholarshipswere grantedfor two
yearsin
the first instance,,and in the future were to be held definitely for threeyearsin

order to ensure the pupils could stay on for the final year of study. This Wasa verY
in
positive response the light of the previous negative recommendationsfrom the
local Council. This was an important point in the developmentof courses High
at
Wycombe, as investment in coursesensuredtheir continuing success.
The CMCHF article covering the 1928High WycombeExhibition was

presentedmore like a general Arts and Crafts exhibition, than a report on the work
of the Technical Institute 32 Section 'A' comprised of work by the day students;
.
with section 'B' covering work of the apprenticesand evening students. The
implication in the article was that section 'C' was for somedrawing or design

class, and that Section 'D' was an 'open' class. The exhibition seemsto have
beengeneratedby a prize-giving competition, and the majority of illustrations

show chairs, mostly of a reproduction style, but somecabinetswere also included.

The overall impression of the article was an emphasison craftsmanship,with

praise for carving and traditional It

reproduction. also included criticism of over-

ornamentation, and of a lack of originality in designs furniture is, for the

-'The
most part, based on sound traditional lines, [while] introducing someinteresting

modem tendencies of a desirable nature'. There was nothing in this article

indicating any changesfrom 1927.
In April 1929 the Education office at Aylesbury found that an inspectionof

Wycombe Technical Institute was required, the reasonsgiven being a list of

issues.33 The in its introduction that Wycombe

administrative report commented
for
Technical Institute was unique in this country, supplying graduates several
diverse industries, namely the furnishing trades at Wycombe, the railway.

Slough, printing papermaking and metalworking at

engineering works at
Chesham. The report stated that most
Aylesbury, and brush and boot-making at

187
 technical institutes were placed in more denselyPopulatedareasthan
Buckinghamshire, the implication perhapsbeing that Wycombe Technical
Institute was offering more variety becauseit covered a
greatergeographical
spreadand that this was unusual. This seemsthe casewhen Wycombe is
compared with Shoreditch, which seemsto have had a greateremphasison craft
training for the furniture trade. The stimulus for this enquiry was the growing

expenditure of Wycombe Institute, and the report was 'not concernedwith the
quality of teaching or with other matters ... of a normal inspection'. The debate
throughout the ED 98/1 papers for Wycombe seemsto be more in terms of

provision of Science/Engineeringthrough the Technical Institute, and the costsof

34
providing technical education generally. The inspectorson the whole seemed
satisfiedwith the School of Art, and with the provision of generaltechnical
education for Furniture and other trades. The numbersof JTS studentsdid drop
from 41 in 1928 to 27 in 1929, and evening work (except in the Art School)

seemed'focusless'. With a lack of evening classesrunning there was 'no proper

provision' for 14-16 year olds in spite of the fact that admissionwas provided
free, and admittance was extended if conduct and attendanceproved satisfactory.
The excusefor non-attendance(and thereby reduction in classes)was that many

studentswere from outlying areasof the county. With factory hours running late
into the evening attendancewasn't always possible when combinedwith travel.
The review of Wycombe Technical Institute's exhibition of 1930in the
CMCHF does show a changein design ethos, even commenting that 'Most of the
designsin the senior section were modem in character,but someof the work,
definitely influence the "period" 35
particularly the chairs, showed the of styles'.
This is reflected in some of the work photographed,which showed decoration in

the form of veneeredflush panels with stringing inlay detail, and the form of some
lines. The images show a strong mix of (seemingly)
piecesalso shows clean
authentic reproduction pieces and more modem (possibly original) work. although
late in style isn't possible due to the
placing the modem work as early or modem
limited pieces. This more contemporary type of work was continued as shown in

Institute.36 In contrast, Shoreditch Technical

the 1931 CMCHF article on the
1931 traditional work The Arts
Institute's exhibitions of 1929 and show more .3'

188
 and Crafts styles in early Shoreditch articles was not evident in items during 1919-
1931, and the style and types of furniture made (washstands,
wardrobes,bureau:
x.
cabinets on stands, in mahogany, oak and stainedpine) indicate a focus on
traditional hand skills. Certainly the text accompanyingthe articles
seemsto
reinforce this, for example from the 1931 article 'hand craftsmanship
remainsa
fundamental quality of the furniture maker's powers, even though the
greaterpart
of his attention is directed to the control and operation of machines'. All the
work
in
mentioned this article seemedto be reproduction, high classfurniture except
,
for the 'original work on chaste and tasteful lines carried out in the highest
...
classes,some of it in its way not inferior to work of the old masters.'. Emphasis
was laid on the number of excellent studentsachieving high City and Guilds
awards- something not previously publiCisedat Shoreditch. This is not to say
that the teaching at Shoreditch was poor (quite the contrary) but that the emphasis

of the work, and structure of the departmentsthere seemedquite different to that

at High Wycombe.
The CMCHF articles covering the Birmingham School of Arts and Crafts

exhibitions of 1929 and1930 show some leaning towards modem design,with

38
somemodem versions of reproduction furniture also shown. The main
indicators of modem styles were seenin flush veneereddoors on contemporary

and reproduction pieces, lowered plinths or shorter legs, and simple relief edges
around drawer fronts. The effect was still more reminiscent of Arts and Crafts

styles. Whether these pieces were designed by

as well as made students is

unknown.
The 1931 article on Birmingham statedthat the cabinet-makingclasses

were founded there sevenyears previously, and had grown in numbers attending

then.39 The descriptioncommenced 'The keynote of the displa"

since exhibition
is utility, dignity and beautyof style. Thereis a certainamount of freshness about

designs the modem taste finds expression in a certainplainness

manyof the ...
from the like'. The implicationfrom
with... a freedom mouldings,comersand
to apprentice learners from
is
the article that eveningclasses only were offered,
CMCHF that the Birmingham Schoolof
the local trade. The 1932 article revealed
work as to hand craft. Nvhich
Arts and Crafts gaveequalemphasisto machine
189
perhaps explains the modem slant in the style of furniture producedby the
there 40 Mr. C. A. Richter,
students . giving out prizes, said in his speechthat he
was glad to hear that studentstook examinations,and advocatedthe CGLI

examinations and courses. This might infer a correlation betweencolleges

advocatingthe use of CGLI, who also had a leaning towards Art School-type
syllabuseswith some design content. Although CGLI examinationsdid not
incorporatedesign skills, the formal teaching and assessmentof craft skills
might
havebeenpart of an Art-school style of working.
The 1932 Technical, andArt education, and otherforms ofFE list

producedby the Board of education listed under Technical and Commercialthe

sameone-yearpharmacy course offered previously at CheppingWycombe
Technical Institute during the day. Evening coursesoffered included mechanical

and electrical engineering, building, chemistry, subjectsincluding modem

languages,domestic subjects, ftuniture trades,and paper manufacture. Therewere
563 studentsenrolled in total. This was an enormousincreasefrom the last

statistics in 1927. Within the Junior Technical School departmentChepping

Wycombe Technical Institute provided furniture, building and engineeringcourses

of 3-year duration, with 105 male students,and commercial courseswith 14 male

and 93 female students. Under the title Art Schools Chepping Wycombe also
housed38 full time and 253 part time students.The part-time study provision

showedthe greatest overall increase.

The 1932 Shoreditch in

entries the BoEd Technical, and Art education,

and otherforms ofFE Lists came under the heading Technical and commercial.
They were more prolific than high Wycombe's and included 'senior Full time 2-

These in the evening for the subjectsof fimliture.

year' courses. were available
domestic and women's subjects, design and decoration, chemistry, varnishes,

timber biology, men's tailoring and handicrafts. Shoreditch JTS offered more

trades 3-year courses, with 106 male

specific cabinet-making and woodworking
tailoring were also offered, but
students. Dressmaking, upholstery, and mens'

only female students were enrolled.

during 1933 1934 on High Wycombe Institute
Articles in the CMCHF and

do illustrate an leaning towards more modern styles and techniquesof

I ()()
 construction. A photograph of a sideboard designedand createdby a third-year
student in 1933 included flush doors with decorative
veneer,fully flush carcass
front (i. e. no applied mouldings), and although the cabinet had
relatively long le-c-'s.
they were jointed into a veneeredfloor-level plinth. 41 The accompanying

photographshowed an adapted-reproductionbureau,and upholsteredarmchair,

both with veneereddecoration rather than applied mouldings or
carving. Earlier
that year a CMCHF prize was awarded, in the Royal Society of Arts Industrial
Design Competition, to a mr. Norman Sidney Avery, of High Wycombe Technical
institute. It is unclear as to whether Mr. Avery was a studentor staff member,but

the design was for an armchair/bed/table. It included modem tension-sprung

upholstery, as well as incorporating the square-sectionsand style of the modem

42 The CMCHF
style. article covering the 1934 Wycombe Technical Institute
exhibition showed several photographs of upholsteredarm-chairsfor sitting-
rooms or dining furniture, some with restrainedreproduction styles,but with
modem-style veneereddecoration. Cabinets included veneereddecoration,
restrainedbox-construction with flush fittings and door/drawer-fronts,and straight
legs with low underframes - no cabriole, carved or turned feet. Nothing too

angular or 'ultra-modem' was shown, but a definite move away from straight
43
reproduction work was evident.

The final list of FE institutes available, from 1935, comprised of the headings;
Technical and CommercialInstitutes
Junior Technical Schools
Art Schools
Nautical Training Schools

Under Technical and Commercial Institutes, Chepping Wycombe School Easton

Street, and Chepping Wycombe Technical Institute Easton Streetoffered, (to 473

I courses by da)1. Evening

Part time students), engineering and pharmacy -year
include electrical engineering, building.
courses had expanded to mechanical and
meat trades. At the JTS. 141
chemistry, pharmacy, commerce, office subjects, and
boys were enrolled on the newly-established 3-year furniture, building and

in 8 boys & 88 girls attended the 3-year

engineering courses, and addition

191
 commercial course. The Art School had 47 part-time and 195 full-time
studentsin
attendance.
In 1937 both Wycombe Technical Institute
and ShoreditchTechnical
Institute had standsat the British Industries Fair. No
other institutions were listed
as having exhibited, but the North Western Polytechnic did have
a short paragraph
its
about stand at the 1937 BIF exhibition. 44Wycombe Institute also had a stand
at the BIF in 1938, but no commentary on that entry has beenfound. Two
small
imageswere included with the short article on the 1937BIF
college entries.
Wycombe's items appearto be principally focused
on chairs, including somequite
modem arm-chairs, in sycamore,walnut, and cherry. Reproductionpiecesinclude
Sheratonand Regency were mentioned in the text but
not obvious in the
photograph. Some small cabinets were also included but details were not
discernible. The Shoreditch stand included some semi-modular
units, which
seemedto be an amalgamation of bureau, sideboard,radio-cabinet,cupboardsand
bookshelves. An upholstered suite was included, as well as a matching dining

suite. These did create a pleasing room-setting for the display, but leanedstrongly
towards the more traditional types of furniture.

The College in Wycombe After World War 11.

In 1939 there were plans and money set asidefor a new building for Wycombe
Technical Institute which had to be postponeddue to the outbreakof World War
11. Post-war, the original building, plans had to be re-drawn to accommodatethe

enormous changesin technical It

education. was fortunate that a start had not
been made on the building before the war, as changesin design and equipmentfor

the new site were considerable. The first new building, the workshop block for

the new College of Further Education, was started on the QueenAlexandra Road

site in 1953. A multi - storey block and an extension to this were completed M
in
1962. These buildings are still used, particular the blocks for the School of

Furniture, which were allegedly designedby H. J. Cutler, a long-standingtutor of

Furniture Department. 45 Queen Alexandra Road is on
great reputation within the
the edge of the town near to the M40 motorway junction, and so is very easily

High Wycombe itself is fairly and had a densedistribution of

accessible. compact.

192
 ftuniture manufacturers at the time the college
was built, rangedalong the valley
bottom.

In 1946, as after the First World War,

courseswere devisedand offered to
rehabilitate the returning servicemen to work in industry, and
arrangementswere
made for returning apprenticeswhose training had beenbroken. The
apprentices
were not required to serve the rest of their time entirely, specialarrangements
were made to accommodatethem at colleges and within their placeof work, At
.
this time there also came about the National Agreementfor apprentices,
under
which;

"Training must be in the employer's own premises,

with one day a week. if
possible, at a technical school. Under the National Agreementemployers
are bound to give apprenticesor learnersleaveto attendapproved
technical classes,if they are available, during the first two yearsof

apprenticeship, for a total of eight hours in eachweek with no deductionin

pay.', and employers were 'to submit the work of apprenticesfor
46
examination ... showing that effective instruction is being given"
.

The National Agreement was negotiated by the minister of Labour and the JIC.

and was to compensateapprenticesfor the break in their training, allowing for

time lost but made up whilst in the forces or on National service. Commentswere

made on practices that went on before the war as well, and how the situation could
be improved. The local industry was forced to co-operatewith the college by

thesenew stipulations. Attendance for apprenticeshad previously beenvoluntary

with evening leave from their employers, and the college had continued its

businessthroughout the War in this manner.

The Working Party Report on Furniture of 1946 (WPR) outlined some
47
ideas for the future organisation of the industry. This included a proposalthat
be a centreof excellence for
there was a national need for a college, which would
furniture
48
At this time there courses specialisingin design
training in crafts. were
in
training the Art Technical schools, providing for designersand operatives.
and
for in
There was also some provision of evening classes people alread'y-vorking

193
 the industry. High Wycombe and the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London

were cited as the only two places offering a'senior course'with broad cultural
training and specialist instruction in deSign.49 The CMCHF comment
on
publication of the Working Party Report statedthat:
'To remedy the position of design the report suggestedthe
establishmentof a
national college devoted to the furnishing trades. to produceefficient
...
designersand to produce personnel who could assume
positionsof high
responsibility in the industry. This meansthe employmentof a high]y skilled
staff of teachers."O

The CMCHF advocated four regional centresfor education,situatedat London,

Leeds, Glasgow or Edinburgh, and Bath or Bristol, and a national furniture college
for further study was proposed-51PerhapsWycombe was too closeto London, and

too provincial to be considered. A similar courseoperatingat Shoreditchbefore

the War had ceased. One of the problems in running suchcourseswas that the
instructors themselves usually came from industry with little or no teaching

experience,and were trained in either design or making, but not both. Handicraft
teacherswere often artisans brought into teaching, or teacherswho undertook
far-thertraining for the craft subjects. Training coursesfor teachersconvertingto
handicrafts were available and held annually, (either in summeror Easterholidays,

or evening and weekend classes),until the outbreak of World War 11in 1939.

Some coursesof this nature were offered at Wycombe, as the CGLI examinations

results for 1951 list students from High Wycombe College of F.E. as amongst the
More candidates from Loughborough and Shoreditch
winners of various prizes.
than Wycombe were awarded prizes in the Teacher Training categories.
Shoreditch went on to specialise as a centre for the training of craft teachers,
Wycombe diversified to offer F.E. and H. E. provision for Furniture crafts
whilst
and more general subjects.
be (by
During the 1940s design skills came to regarded progressive
form to
essential all elementsin
members of the industry) as a of communication,
industry for instructors, designersand makers to
the and training, managers,
As long the 1890s,it was felt that if apprentices
understand one another. ago as
the design and drawing side of their trade. theN"'
had a greater understanding of
thoroughly. This would keep the
would be able to follow their work through More
194
standard of their work high, whether working in small workshopsseeinga piece
through from beginning to end, or in large manufactories,working on one
aspect
of a job and liasing with the managersand 52
designers. To this end, the 1946
WPR's chapter on education in the industry expressedthe view that
existino,
centresof education should be encouragedto improve and expandtheir courses.
in addition,,a National College'was advocatedwhich would'provide training for

all those who are to assumepositions of high responsibility in the industrýy.

in
whether management,production or design.'. The college should proN-ide
courses for'apprentices and learners...personsat presentin the industry
....
designers refreshers University graduates.'.53 The WPR also statedthat a
.... ......
major problem with design in the industry had been the distancebetweenthe
design office and the shop floor. Designers were creatingwithout consideration
for the equipment and techniques available, and designshad to be alteredfor

production on the job. Design changesthat should have been ironed out before

the production stagewere being left to the production people to sort out. There
had to be a better overlap of skills for the quality of the production to be kept up.
It was generally expressedthat prior to the SecondWar, both designarid quality of
fin-niture had been of poor quality. The Working Party was set up to adviseall

areasof industry how to improve on this situation, not just get the industry back

on its feet. The ideal vision of a national central college for furniture education
Centre for instruction designersin 'consumer
also included a Design the proper of
fostering [a] wider understanding of design
needs,... materials and methods, ---
through exhibition and publication, ... the running of an advice bureau to put

manufacturersand designers in touch with each other', and where possible co-
between departments. 54 It is possible
operation and interchange of staff all these
the few decades in High Wycombe College
that the changestaking place over next
lines these This not least because
were influenced to move along the of proposals.
Furniture and Wood Technolog'. N' until
Mr. Cutler (Head of the Department of
Working Party, advocate of the Utilit. v
1959) was a member of the and an
included many of the
Furniture 'creed'. The building of the new college
laid like the shop floor, a large
in
suggestions the WPR; a machine shop out
facilities (and timetable space) for
benches for hand work, and
cabinet-shop with
195
 drawing and design classes. Many of the tutors and technical
staff in the Fumiture
dept. were recruited from the local industry, as examination
of the prospectuses
for the 1970s and 1980s reveals.
In the sameyear of the publication of the WPR 1946ý
of the Government
Vocational Training Schemefor the Furniture Industry
was launched,to'provide
more skilled workers' for the industry. 55 Utility firniture was still being
produced.
(and was carried on in some form until 1952), and thereforethe
needfor
designers,and skilled craftsmen, was minimal becauseproduction
was limited to
the Utility designs. The industry in High Wycombe was finding it hard to attract

recruits becauseof these limitations to production, and becauseNational Service

would interrupt studies. The Schemeincluded 'a high proportion of practical work,
supplementedby the lectures and demonstrationsrequired to give the necessary
background', and the 'elementsof drawing' rather than designclasses.
Compulsory attendanceof 'vocational classesfor one day a week, or its
56
equivalent'was introduced for boys in the trade in 1948. Mr. Albert Ivermee
came into 57
the technical education systemafter 1945 when he was apprenticed
,
in the firm of Castle Bros. Ltd, a large High Wycombe ftm-iituremanufacturer.
Although the mandatory classeswere a step forward, Mr. Ivermeefelt that the

problem with day releasewas that most of the apprenticesor learnerssimpl),

treatedit as a holiday. He saw that methods of manufactureusedin the factories

were outdated as manufacturers were on a very tight budget, after the War. Even

though much of the studying was up to date, it was not useU, in spite of the

syllabus being carefully worked out between the tutors and factory bosses. The

problem was with college tuition on machines that were not available at the

factories, or taught material that was irrelevant the jobs undertaken during the

Later, Mr. Ivermee saysas well as dropping attendance to

apprentice's work time.
incentives like cups, shields and money at the end of the year
one week a term,
helped to keep the students interested. There was a climate of inertia amongst the

learners if they trained them up too quickly.

older men against younger, cheaper
There were no problem-solving exercises due to late design change problems on
fines were inflicted for
the shop floor under the Utility scheme, and severe
design The continuing Utilit,.
%, rules meant there
infringement of the restrictions.

196
was no need for the overlap of design and manufacturing skills that Nvere
advocated in the WPR. A basic set of practical skills were all that were needed
or
by
wanted most employeesand employers, who were thereforenot creating
a
demandfor the teaching of broader skills. Theselimiting factors
on the design
and manufacturing processesenabled manufacturersto employ lesshighbytrained
staff at lower wages.
Furniture Teaching at High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire College
From the late 1920sonwards Mr. H. J. Cutler was teaching the ftirniture
on
course at the Institute, and had himself been a studentthere in the 191Os. Mr.
Cutler stayedat the college for over 40 years,becomingheadof the Furniture
Department, and a member of many important boardsin the industry, including

the Ministry of Education Regional Advisory Committee for Furniture, the Board

of Trade's Furniture and Industry Working Party, and the Utility Furniture Design
Panel as one of the three designersfrom High Wycombe whosedesignscreated

the first Utility furniture. During his time there the furniture departmentat High
Wycombe College progressedwell, as shown by its reputation aroundthe country

and the fullness of employment in the local industry. There were many tributes to
Mr. Cutler in the local and trade press on his retirement in 1959, after forty years
teaching in High Wycombea. The current courseleader,Mr Philip Hussey,was
taught by Mr. Cutler, as was Mr Peter Legg, another lecturer in Fine Craft. Of the

staff teaching at High Wycombe on the Fine Craft course during the 1990s, only
trained the This follows
one member of the seven strong team was not at college.
in a long tradition of local craftsmen who trained at the college, worked in

industry for some time and then returned to teach at somepoint, whether full or

part time. There is also a history of staff remaining in their teaching positions
indicate a very strong integrity of teaching in the
until retirement, which might
department, but also may reflect the small pool of suitable teaching positions and

teachersavailable in the subject.

following section is a brief
This study covers the period 1900-1950, so the
High Wycombe College. This is to
outline of the culmination of developments at

later of the college, the culmination of the

show the stagesof evolution
developments of the early 20"' Century.

197
 Figure 5.2
Buckinghamshire College.
The final building, shown
here in 1958. housed the
craft and machining
workshops, as well as design
facilities.

There have been no documentsfound to cover the history

of High Wycombe
College during the I 950s. In 1963 the Diploma in Art and Design (DipAD)
Was
created. Its precursor was the National Design Diploma (NDD) and it was to be
'broadly comparable in standardto a first degree',as a full time threeyear
course.
Initially, six colleges were approved for furniture craft at this level of study,but

surprisingly High Wycombe College of F.E. was not one of them. It is unknown
whether Wycombe offered the NDD or the DipAD, at any time. Somelocal
industry members were happy with this, as "The greateremphasison art education
in the new diploma coursesmay be valuable in providing the studentwith a wider
background but it may also mean that designerswill emergewith much less
".
practical experience of production methods, 58 What local businessesfailed to

notice was the college at Wycombe had startedtraining and recruiting studentsfor

the national as well as the local trade. The DipAD courseslastedonly about 5

yearsbefore becoming BA degreecourses(circa 1968).

In 1970 the successfulFurniture Production and Managementcourse
59
(FPM), began at High Wycombe This was at diploma level (HND equivalent)
.
and was for managers in the furniture industry, respondingto local and national
Increasingly, studentswho wanted to set up on their own in business were
needs.
finding their way onto this course, and so it was decidedthat Wycombeneededto

compete with other colleges already catering for these people. (In particular
Rycotewood.) In 1982 the course split to createthe BSc in furniture production.

Furniture Production Management Diploma (Fine Craft) course.

and the and
According to Philip Hussey, who trained at Wycombe himself. and who took over

the running of the Fine Craft course in 1984, there was 'no comprehensivecourse

198
document and as far as the Council for National Academic Awards
.... (CNAA)
was aware, [it] was simply a modified version of FPM.,.60
An example of a course produced in collaboration
with the industn,. in this
casethrough FPRL and the Timber Researchand DevelopmentAgenc,,, -
(TRADA), was included in a 1971 booklet on coursesavailableto the Timber
Trade.
Diploma in advanced timber technology, 3 years full time
HW college of Technology and Art. Entry requires IxA level. 5x0 levels
(including English and Maths) or ONC/OND equivalentqualification.
For those who want to be managers,senior technical men, or marketing
in
executives the timber trade.

Anticipation of this coursehad been noted in the 1966Annual reportsof the

Forestry Products ResearchLaboratory ResearchBoard.

"The Laboratory has been co-operating in preparationfor a3 year full time

course in Wood Technology, leading to a Higher National Diploma. to be started
at the High Wycombe College of Technology and Art in 1967. The coursewill
include studies of basic wood science,all aspectsof wood technologyand
processes,those aspectsof forestry which mainly affect wood quality, and
businessstudies. Provision will be made for most of the final year to be devoted
to a specialist study in some aspectof this subject. Each studentwill spend3
months in industry during the course. It is hopedthat studentswho completethis
course will enter the timber trade and the timber processingand timber using
industries and will play a major part in raising the level of technical awarenessin
industry."

There were numerous coursesfor people at all levels of industry offered by the
FPRL, and later by TRADA when the responsibility for different areasof
for industry between the two 61 A number of
education the was split organisations.
in
these were wholly or partly collaboration with High Wycombe College, using

staff and facilities for the delivery of the courses.

Another source of later information about the college in High Wycombe

has been a collection of prospectusesand pamphlets held at the British Library.

"The Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education information Handbook

1976-77" included advertisementsfor local firms, and employment opportunities

that had links Aith education
with them, showing the type of manufacturers
locally. These included: 62

Ercol

199
 G Plan (offering apprenticeshipsas wood machinist,
cabinetmaker,polisher,
veneer operator) 'enjoy guaranteedday release', contactwas Mr. Barry Danill,
Training Officer, E.Gomme Ltd.
Allen - A. J.Allen contract furniture Ltd.

Ercol and G Plan were two of the main manufacturersof fimiiture in the
country
at that point, and so it is more surprising that Parker Knoll (a firm of similar
standing) was not included in this list. On page nine of this handbook
a synopsis
of the history of the college included the information that Buckinghamshire
College of Higher Education was createdon 1" September1975,as the result of

a merger between High Wycombe College of Technologyand Art, and Newland

Park College of Education (createdin 1946 in Chalfont St. Giles). The current
buildings were erected in 1954 at QueenAlexandra Road. It is unknown whether

the titles Buckinghamshire College of F.E. (used since 1951or before) and High
Wycombe College of Technology and Art were usedconcurrentlyas two diff erent
departmentswithin the samebuilding. By 1975 the CNAA had supportedthe
decision to offer degreesat High Wycombe and the nameof the entire campus

was Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education. Courseinformation in the

1976 handbook included degreecoursesin the repertoire,presumablya result of
becoming a Higher Education institution. 63

Within the School of Art Design, Furniture and Timber the following departments

and their courses were manifestations of

1. High Wycombe School of Art
2. Wycombe Technical Institute, and
3. Industrial technology education initially provided by the FPRL-

1. Art & Design dept

BA Hons 3D, in Furniture, silver metal/jewellery, interior years FT
a) studies -3
b)MA furniture design & technology (CNAA 4 terms)
2. Furniture Production and Managementdept
Diploma in furniture and management years FT
a)College production -3
for ftu-niture industry provided as day
b)City and Guilds of London Institute courses the
release/blockrelease, inc. CG555,569,570,579,586,606
3. Timber & Materials Technology
diploma in Advanced Timber Technology year FT
a) College -3
in
b)College diploma timber studies-I year FT
Institute of wood science courses - block release
c)
64
d) Short coursesfor industry

200
 In addition the schools offered a range of non-vocational
classeson a dav or
evening class basis, which "vary from year to year, but will normally include
furniture restoration; pottery; traditional furnishing;
cabinet-making;drawing and
painting; sculpture; upholstery; soft firnishing andjewellery. '" At this
point the
college was providing training for all levels in the furniture and timber industries.
and all courses were advertised together in the sameprospectus. Other schoolsin
the college included; Building, businessstudies& home economics.Education

and Social Science,Engineering, Humanities, Management

studiesand languages,
Scienceand Enviromnental studies.
From the Buckinghamshire College of H. E. Prospectusfor 1979-80,
which
was similar to that of the previous year, an advertisementfor E.Gomme Ltd
appearedadvocating them as a starting point for a careerin management.The
company were supportersof "craft apprentice,commercial trainee,sandwich
student(sponsoredby the company) diploma holder or graduate.", and this
illustrates the strong relationship somefirms had with the college. At the School

of Art and Design, Furniture and Timber (within the college) the following
courseswere listed.
1. School of Art degrees were unchanged, except that the BA Hons 3D became the CNAA
degree 65
(theMastersdegreeof 1976mighthavebeenin a separate prospectusasit wasn'tlistedhere)
2. Furniture Production and Management
a)College diploma in furniture production and management-3 yearsFT
b)C+G - 555,579,586,569 (both a) and b) the sameaspreviously offered)
3. Timber and Material Technology
a)BSc in timber technology (CNAA degree)-3 year FT (changedftom a Diploma)
b)College diploma in timber studies-I year FT (sameaspreviously)
c) Institute of wood sciencecourses- block releaseat intermediateand (new) final levels
d) coursesfor industry (no changeftom previous indicated exceptthefollowing additions)
e) C+G 586 machinewoodworking, variant C sawmilling
f) C+G 586 advancedcertificatein machinewoodworkingandtoolroomtechnology
Additional courses offered were continued from the previous year, and a separate

pamphlet was issued at around the sametime as the prospectus,which gave

information on the following: 66

Part time. block releaseand short coursesat the school of Art and Design,Furnitureand
Timber
Art & Crafts - non vocational
Furniture Craft Courses- certificated
institute of wood Science- certificate BR
Saw Doctoring - certificate
Saw Milling - certificate
Timber and Associatedtrades- certificate
Wood machining - certificate
 Short courses
Hardwood appreciation saw maintenance, softwood
appreciation, sheet materials, timber
infestation, timber preservation, trussed rafters.

Whether this pamphlet pre-datesthe 1978-79prospectusesis

unknown. but the
differentiation of H. E. from non-H.E. coursesby using
separatepublications was
well established by the 1980s. The degreecourseswere included in
separate
prospectuses,and applications were through UCAS, whereasentry to non-degree
by
courseswas direct application to the college itself
The HND Furniture Design and Craftsmanshipcourse(attendedby the

author) ran alongside other non-furniture degreecoursesduring the 1980s. it was

validated as a Bachelor of Arts in 1990, with little changeto the structureof the
HND that had existed for sevenyears. It was the first degreeof its kind in the

country, and the only change since 1990 was to adopt a modular structurealong
with the rest of the college in 1994.67
There were three other furniture coursesat the college in 1996;
BSc honsfurniture production,(four yearftill time sandwich)
BA honsfurniture restorationandcraftsmanship, (threeyears)
HND designfurniture, (32 weeks)68

A technical NVQ qualification, offered for apprentices, was for the most

part in the control of the companies and the local industry advisory services.
Some High Wycombe companies felt they have been left with the entire

responsibility of delivering training, and had therefore ceased to offer training.

Others, usually the larger companies, made use of the college if they could, but the

involvement of the college in industrial day- and block-release training was

diminishing, and in-house training replaced it. Ercol's apprentices' college

attendance was reduced from 45 days a year to 15 in 1989.69

In 1989 the college moved away from County Council funding and became

U. K. 's first independent Higher Education Corporations. In 1992 it

one of the new
becamea College of Brunel University, and currently is seeking degree-awardi g

HND, Bachelor degree, Masters and PhD higher degrees related

powers, offering
faculty design.70
to furniture within the of

202
 Whilst Technical Education is waning BCUC, Technological
at training is
increasing. Another significant development at BCUC
recently was the
establishment of the Forestry Products ResearchCentre (FPRC) and the
colle2e's
role in researchfor the industry. The work covered by the FPRC and Wycombe
Technical Institute's relationship with PrincesRisborough Laboratory
is also
looked at in the next chapter.
Buckinghamshire College developedinto a University from
offering a
uniquely broad spectrum of coursesfor the furniture industry. The continually
slightly late development of courses(comparedto other colleges)possibly enabled
the college to keep stronger relations with industry, as at all times Wycombe

offered vocationally appropriate qualifications when other institutions were

offering the more academic counterparts. Whether BCUC deliberatelyemployed
this strategy, or whether supply and demand,or higher powers, dictatedthe
timing, is unknown.

Shoreditch Technical Institute moved out of its Pitfield Streetsite in 1951,

to more expansive grounds at Runnymede. Recruitment of studentsextended

throughout Britain and the Commonwealth, training including supplementary

coursesin handicraft for qualified teachers. By 1964 studentsnumbered550, and

shortly after that the first B. Ed degreecoursewas validated there. In contrastto
Buckinhamshire College's diversification and expansion, Shoreditchbecameone

of the leading centres for training teachersof Craft Design and Technology,but

suffered a setback during a recessionin teaching recruitment. This forced a

merger with Brunel University in 1980, with Shoreditch at Runnymedebecoming

the second campus. The CDT gave way to DT (Design Technology), and this
in
resulted a loss of focus on handicraft teaching, nationally as well as at
Shoreditch At the present time, Runnymedecampusis the site of the Faculty of
.71
Design, and the teacher training campus for Brunel is at Twickenham.

REFERENCES

1Blachford, G. History of Handicraft Teaching (LondonýChristophers.196 1) p54.

,A
2Hennock, E.P., 'Technological education in England, 1850-1926:the usesof a German model'
History ofEducation, (Vol. 19, No. 4,1990) p3 10.
,
203
 3
Overthrow, J. 'Buckinghamshire College Celebrates100 Years', BucksFree Press,
( Ma,.,28d'
1993)p I, and
MacDonald, S. TheHistory and Philosophy ofArt Education, (London, University
, of London
PressLtd., 1970)p298.
4Blachford, (196 1), p48-5 1. "During the ten
years 1880-1890,the inspectorsof the Departmentof
Educationhad beenwatching the independentattemptsof the various
schoolboardsto get the
subjectstarted. It was on the basis of their reports that it was."
5Thorns,D.W., 'Market Forcesand Recruitmentto Technical Education:
the Exampleof the
Junior Technical Schools', History ofEducation., (vol. 10,No. 2,198 1) 125.
6Board of Education,List of TechnicalSchools, p
various, (BoEd, London, 1907onwards)A
collection of BoEd lists held at the British Library, BS 10/36. College entriesand categories
changedwith eachlist published. All of the Lists camefrom this sameBritish Library reference.
The Board of Education was a Governmentbody, not a local entity.
', WycombeFurniture Exhibition. Disabled Men's Work', CMCHF, (July
I Oth,1920),p301.
8From Kew Record office ED 98/1 CheppingWycombe Technical Institute JTS
1920-1934
records. This is a collection of notes,reports and recordsof the variously namedmanifestationsof
WycombeTechnical School. A full selectionof the reports is noted in the Bibliography. This
particular item is not dated, but items were presentedchronologically, andthe adjacentpiecewas
dated 1921, so this report could be placed at 1920or thereabouts.
"High Wycombe, The Influence of the Local Art School' CMCHF, (Au th 1920)p240.
gus t14
10'Wycombe's New Technical School' CMCHF, (SeptemberII th 1920)p325.
"'Wycombe's New Technical School', CMCHF, (SeptemberII th 1920)p325.
12'High Wycombe, The influence of the Local Art School', CMCHF, (14th August 1920),
p240.
13BucksHerald, (May 7th,1921) p 14.
14The Arts and Crafts movementwas an attemptto re-establishtraditions that had been
removed
by industrialisationand mechanisation.Naylor, G 'Design and Industry' Chapter8, in Ford, B (ed)
TheCambridge Guid to the Arts in Britain Volurne 8( CambridgeUniversity Press,1989)p260-
261 The popular styles of Arts and Crafts furniture madewere emulatedby somemanufacturers,
but not necessarilymade using the advocatedtechniquesof the movement. Arts and Crafts
furniture would have lent itself well to teachingexercises,but surprisingly did not figure hugely in
photographsof students' work at any institution featuredin the CMCHT.
Art furniture, as far as can be discerned,was usually light, decorativelypainted furniture.
15'Furniture made by StudentsExhibited at the High Wycombe School of Art', CMCHF (October
6'b,1923)p7.
16CGLI annualreport 1918.
17CGLI annualreport 1918p70.
" City and Guilds ofLondon Institute, a short history 1878-1992,(City and Guilds Institute,
London, 1993).
19'FumitureBy Students,SomeDesignsfrom the L. C.C. EducationalExhibition, CMCHF (July
14'h,1923)p53. As well as Shoreditch,London Day Training College (SouthamptonRow), the
CamberwellSchool of Arts and Crafts, and the HammersmithSchool of Arts and Crafts.
20I Work by Students of the Wycombe Technical Institute' CMCHF (0 ct ober 33'd,1925) p4-5.
21'Training Craftsemen.First Year's Work of Cabinet-makingClas at Birmingham CentralSchool
of Arts and Crafts' CMCHF, (July 4th, 1925) p4.
22'Wycombe Technical institute Prospectus for 1926-1927' CMCHF (September 25th 1926) p570
571.
23'Wycombe Technical institute Exhibition of Students' work' CMCHF (July 24th, 1926) p 142.
24'Shoreditch Technical institute Prospectusfor the Session,1926-1927'CMCHF (September
18th1926),p570-571.
25'Wycombe Technical institute, Wednesday'sSpeechDay and Exhibition of students'Work'
CMCHF (July Wh,1927) p56.
26'Students' Work Exhibition at shoreditchTechnical Institute' CMCHF, (January I't. 1927)p53-
54.
27From Kew Record office ED 98/1 Chepping Wycombe Technical Inst,itute JTS 1920-1934

records.
28The JCSswere Engineering schools.

204
 29
ED 98/1 this was from the interim report (their words) for the Technicalinstitute,
Alfred S.
Bames acting for HMI. The report was handwritten,and from experiencethis
could meanit that It
was awaiting editing.
30ED 98/1 19'hJuly 1927.
31ED 98/1 3rdSeptember1927.
32'(Traditional Sources,Modem Tendencies)High WycombeExhibition,
Judges'Report'
CMCHF, (December 1", 1928), p472-473.
33ED 98/1 Board of Education Special Report HMI
of on the CheppingWycombeTechnical
institute, May 1929. Handwritten.
34The Ed 98/1 papers,held at Kew Records
office, were a collection of BoEd papersunderthe
headingof High Wycombe. The collection includeslettersand reportson many
aspectsof the
technical educationprovided at Wycombe.
35'Exhibition at Wycombe Technical Institute' CMCHF, (August 91h 1930)
, p288-289.
"'Wycombe Technical Institute, Achievementsin Craftsmanship',CMCHF, (September12th,
1931), p477.
37'Shoreditch Technical Institute, presentation fimiiture' CMCHF (July 20th 1929)
of p602-60)
and 'Shoreditch Technical Institute, Year's work of the cabinetmaking classes,examplesby trade _3
studentsof handcraft', CMCHF (July 0,193 1) p2-5.
38'Birmingham Craft Exhibition, Technical School's Achievements'CMCHF, (May 18b 1929)
p540 and 'Studies in Hand Made Furniture' CMCHF, (June2 I't, 1930) p687.
39'Exhibition at Birmingham. Furniture by Students'CMCHF (June6th 1931)
, p463)465.
40'Birmingham School of Arts and Crafts, Annual Prize distribution by Mr. C.A. Richter' CMCHF,
(June4th, 1932), p435437. Mr Richter had taught at Bath TechnicalInstitute, andwas thena
representativeon the Cabinet making Advisory Committeeof the City and Guilds of London
Institute.
41'High Wycombe Institute. Training for the Furniture Trade', CMCHF, (October28th 1933)
p 124.
42'Industrial Designs Competition. "The Cabinet Maker" Prize-WinningDesign', CMCHF,
(August 5th,1933) p 171. L5 was awardedfor the designof 'a piece of useful furniture for a bed-
sitting-room'. Designs for smaller accommodationwere becomingmore popular as lifestyles
changed.
43'Wycombe Technical Institute. Exhibition of Students'Work During the PastYean', CMCHF,
(July 2 V, 1934) p75-76.
44CMCHF articles on BIF and WFTEx are coveredin a previous chapter.
45Details on the new college building camefrom; 'Technical Training. Proposalsfor a New Type
of School', CMCHF, (January7h, 1939)pl, and
'Buckinghamshire College Celebrates 100 Years, (Bucks Free Press, May 28th 1993),p 13.
,
46'High Wycombe Notes. Broken Apprenticeships'; CMCHF, (May 18th 1946),p 1116
,
47cEducation', Chapter III in: 'Working Party Reports.Furniture. ', (11MSO,London,1946)Mr.
Cutler was on the board compiling the report.
48'Design Education'; CMCHF, (December 10,1946), p 1341.
49City and Guilds of London Institute, a Short History 1878-1992,(CGLI, London, 1993)p 121.
50'Design Education. The Proposalsof the Working Party Report', CMCHF, (December14th.
1946) pl341-1342.
51'Design Education. The Proposalsof the Working Party Report', CMCHF, (December14th,
1946)pl342.
52'Technical Education', CMCHF, (January,1896)p 185-186and (February 1896)p205. The
publication was monthly at that point.
53Blachford, G. (196 1) A History ofHandicraft Teaching(London, Christophers,1961) p 127-
128.
54BlachfordG. (1961)pl29-130.
55'Training Craftsmen. Government's Scheme the for Furniture Industry'_CMCHF, (June 8th.
1946), p1282.
56Rudd, J.H., 'Technical Education. City Guilds and Other Examinations', CMCHF, (June
22ndj 946), p 1831.

205
57Private correspondencewith Mr Ivermee,who was apprenticedto the firrn Castle
of Bros. in
High Wycombe during the 1940s. During his apprenticeshiphe was obliged to take both day
release and later block releaseclassesat the technical college.
58'Dip. A. D. Higher Design Qualification. But will it be too
academic';CabinetMaker and Retail
Furnisher, (October 25h, 1963),p30 1.
19HND courseswere developedfrom 1955 onwards. Wycombe'slate developmentin
most phases
of education (compared to the rest of the country) has perhapsaided in keepingits relationship
with industry.
' Private letter from Mr. Philip Hussey,6th September1996. Mr. Husseyis the
presentBA Hons
Furniture Craft courseleader at High Wycombe.(2003)
61Seethe separatechapter on researchin the industry for more detailsof FPRL and TRADA.
62MiscellaneousBucks college pamphletsand prospectusesat the British Library X0519/1048.
63Page10 of the 1976 coursehandbook. The CNAA wasthe validating body that enabled
Polytechnicsto offer degreeswithout their own degreeawardingpowers.
' From the 1976 handbook.
65It is unknown what difference this would make,or why the previousdegreewasn't CNAA
validated, but there might have been more prestige with a CNAA degree than otherwise. Who
awarded the degree (listed in the previous prospectusfrom two yearsbefore)hasnot been
discovered.
66From the British Library collection, P.521/3088Blue coveredA5 prospectusof the late 70s
67BuckinghamshireCollege Prospectus,1996-97.
68Private letter from Mr. P.J Keen, training officer with Ercol, 29th October 1996.
' Samson,Mr. Alan (of The G Plan Company,High Wycombe),'The Training time Bomb';
CabinetMaker and Retail Furnisher, (January27th,1989), p9-
70Undergraduateand Postgraduateprospectusesfor BCUC, 2002-2003entry.
71Williams, John, and Sandwell,Jill, ShoreditchCollegeHistory,
b=: //www3.syMpatico.ca/jill. sandwell/shoreditc-h/pqges/histoEy. htm (1998).

'06
 Chapter 6
Researchand Training for Timber Technology in the High Wycombe
area

The Forestry Products ResearchLaboratory (FpRL)

at princes Risboroughwas
establishedat that in
site 1927, a few miles from the town of High Wycombe.-file
following history of the FPRL is taken from FiJýYYears
oftimber resear ch, A
short history ofthe Forestry Products ResearchLaboratory written by B.J.
Rendle who was Director of the FPRL until after World War II ',
and from
correspondencewith Dr. J.D. Brazier. (Brazier joined the FPRL in the late 1940s,
and was Director until the Princes Risborough site was closeddown in 1977).
The effects of the Laboratory on the timber use of the nation during the inter-war

period, and during World War H form an important part of changesin the
industry's use of materials and development of techniques.
In Rendle's history of the FPRL, one of the reasonsfor locating the
Laboratory near Wycombe was the well-established furniture Industry in the

town, which implies that there was some collaboration between the Laboratory

and the manufacturers. Having said this, Brazier was of the opinion that although
the Laboratory was situated between 'the wood using industries of HW and the

academic centre of Oxford, neither had a very profound effect on the activities of
2
the FPRL'. Any that the FPRL had the industry in Wycombe
effect on would
have been through research,either general or through commissionedwork, or by

offering training opportunities. Very little evidence of any specific collaboration

has appearedin manufacturers' documentation, or in the local press.
From time to time the bulletins of the FPRL, which relayed the results and

conclusions of the researchprojects, were featured in issuesof the CMCHF.

Initially the researchcarried out at FPRL during the 1920sand 30s was directed

by the FPRL itself, and funded by the Government for the sakeof knowledge

than fimiiture-oriented. The

generally. It was mainly timber-based rather
CMCHF article reported on an inspection of the new FPRL buildings in 1928,and

the falling 'into three stages:laboratory tests, large-scale

outlined research as
tests, and tests on a commercial scaleto Prove the economic soundness of the
3 The the laboratory was to *prornotein the national
results.'. primary purpose of
Firms could contract the Laboraton,
interest, the more economical use of timber'.
behalf, this kind of work was paid for
to conduct experiments on their and

20-
privately and therefore not published. The only referencesto any such
collaborations between the laboratories and manufacturerswere found in the
earlier (pre1969) FPRL Bulletins. Thesewere informal, infrequent,
and lacking in
detail.
The first Forestry Products Laboratory establishedin the USA
was based
at Madison in 1910. In 1913 the CanadianLaboratory at Montreal,
which later
moved to Ottawa, adopted the USA's strengthtests createdat Madison. In 1920
the Indian FPL also adopted thesetests at their laboratory at Dehra Dun, which
was established in 1906. Theseagreedstandardsfacilitated international timber-
trading.
After World War I the sourcing of timber suppliesfor national usewas an

urgent problem. Conservation of original suppliesand creation of new was

paramount. In the UK increasedimportation of timber and improved efficiency
and economy of use was necessary. In 1920 the British Empire Forestry
Conferenceissued recommendationsfor governmentsof Empire countries on
forest crops and their utilisation. For Great Britain, the Forestry Research
Institution founded the Imperial Forestry Institute at Oxford. Utility of Products

was referred to the Dept of Scienceand Industrial Research(set up in 1916) and

in June 1921 the DSIR appointed the Forestry ProductsResearchboard "to

organise and carry on researchinto the utilisation of timber and other forest

products": 4

1. Wood technology,includingthe testingandseasoning andpreservationof timber.

2. Investigationinto forestproductsotherthantimber.

A number of representativesof the Timber or AssociatedTrade committeeswere

for different aspectsof the work of the FPR board.
appointed
1. Identification and structureof timber
2. Testing of physical and mechanicalpropertiesof wood.
3. Seasoningand general water relations of timber
4. Preservationof timber and study of lossesdue to decay
5. Extractives

happy the site of the initial FPR Laboratory

By 1924 the authorities were not with
as too remote. Princes Risborough was
at Farnborough, which was seen
because it close to Oxford, and "near the
considered as an alternative was
home-grown timber, at High Wycombe. ' It
important furniture industries, using
the labs at Teddington (for Chemistry. and
was also convenient for London, with

108
.
the National Physical Laboratory), Kew (for botany), and Oxford (site of the
Forestry Institute). It was also close to Princes Risborough
station for
transportation of materials and equipment. The site examinedwas 36 acres(well

over the 5 acres required), and once it was accepteda separaterailway siding was
requested for the Labs.
Building started at Princes Risborough in 1926,and the Laboratory
was
open for business in June 1927. Prior to the work of the FPRL seasoningof

timber was an inexact science,basedon 'a year per inch', and stocksof home-
grown timber were severely depleted as a result of World War 1. The
development of more accuratekilning techniquesmade acceleratedtimber

seasoningfeasible and attractive to the trades as a predictablemeansof

controlling materials and production. Brazier wrote that 'it was often said that
Ercol's successful use of elm was made possibleby work at FPRL that showed
6
how the timber could be kiln dried'. Effective timber kilning broke the
bottleneck that had previously been one of the biggest problems of industrial

production. Courses in kilning timber for the fin-niture and timber industrieswere
available at FPRL from the 1940s onwards.
Earlier FPRL Bulletins did contain occasionalreferencesto individual firms or

areasas being part of their researchprocesses. An early exampleof this was in

June 1928. A preface to this, the FPRL's secondbulletin, was written by Ralph S.

Pearson,Director of Furniture Products Research.

"In November 1925 the High Wycombe Furniture Manufacturer's Federation

the Forestry Products ResearchBoard for and

assistance advice in
approached
in
dealing with worm oak and ash timber. A preliminary investigationwas made

by Dr. J.W. Munro, at that time entomologist to the Forestry Commission, which
insects occurred at High Wycombe,
showed that three classes of wood-boring
Pin-hole borers, Longhorn beetles, Powder-post beetles, of these the
namely,
(latter) were found to be the most important and arrangements were accordingly
for an investigation to be
made, after consultation with the manufacturers
into injury caused by these beetles,
undertakenat the FPRL the occasion of and
their ravages. The first stage of this
and into possible methods of checking
investigation are dealt with thisin bulletin. "'

209
 Infestation occurred within the sapwood of storedtimber. Larvae
were transferred
into furniture during the making, only emerging in the homes
of purchasers,to be
returned to the factory at great cost to the manufacturer. The follow up to this
work was contained in Bulletin 16 (1932) A survey of the damagecausedby
insects to hardwood timbers in Great Britain. The conclusion from Bulletin I

was that the Lyctus beetle spreadin the UK post

war, from imports of American
Oak and Ash, and so further information was gathered
on:
1. Occurrence,distribution,prevalencein importedtimber
2. Handlingby yards
3. Occurrencein home-growntimber
4. Generalattitudesof membersof related tradesand industries

This researchwas imperative in the light of the hoped-for increasein

use of
Empire Timbers. Field work commencedin March 1929,with inspectionsof
timber in yards at Bristol & Avonmouth, High Wycombe, Liverpool, NE Lancs,
Manchester and District, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Leith, Glasgow & District.
Work on the project was temporarily suspendeduntil April 1930 when
Birmingham, Gloucester, Hull, Leeds, London and district, Sheffield were
included in the resumed study. An additional number of small towns were also
included. 189 of the premises looked at were those of furniture manufacturers,
but these were not specified.
Another collaboration mentioned in theseearlier bulletins included
Bulletin No 5 (1930) The moisture content of Woodwith special referenceto
furniture manufacture. The foreword establishedthat in December 1929the
National Federation of Furniture Trades took early advantageof the newly

established FPRL to enquire about data of appropriatemoisture content for

furniture, and variation of moisture in service conditions. Sampleswere provided

by Wrn Lawrence & Co Ltd, Colwick, Nottingham and Messrs Waring and
Gillows Ltd., Liverpool. Thesetwo plus, Messrs E.Gomme, High Wycombe and

Mr. E.P. Bates, Principal of the Municipal Technical College, Hull "co-operated

in the work by having charge of and making regular observationson the set of
in localities. ". The follow up to this foundation was
sampleskept their respective
14, but further was made of the assistingbodies.
published in bulletin no mention
Regarding the type of researchcarried out at FPRL, Brazier wrote that

210
 'in it's earlier, pre-WW2 years, the researchat FPRL,
was directedto meeta
distinctly national (rather than immediately commercial)
need- better utilisation of
home gown timber, especially its drying and protection,
widening the useof
Empire timbers, etc. It was not until later, with the
adventof the Ministry of
Technology, that there were positive moves to address
particular needsof industry
and, at the sametime, expect industry to co-operateby part funding and
implementing the work undertaken."

Although the financial input of industry was to be welcomed,the dictation

of
researchthat this entailed was not always in line with the original intentions of the
FPRL.
As well as research,the Lab was to "ensure that existing technical
knowledge was applied in practice" and as this becamebetter known, advisory

work and enquiries from manufacturers grew. This continuedto increase,and the
economic advantagesof such work was favoured by the authorities over the
longer term in-depth research. Although not preferred by the FPRL the

consultative work establishedgood relations with industry, and kept staff in touch
with reality and the needs of industry when devising projects, but the answeringof

enquiries and advisory work interfered with research. Straightforward replies

were free of charge, but a fee was charged for anything over and abovethe work
that the Lab was already doing. FPRL officers could make free visits if it could
be proved that the work was in the interests of the Laboratory.
Arrangements were soon made for firms to sendmen to the Laboratories
to be trained as kiln operators. First these were individual visits, which then led to
finally the "well known five day course in timber drying" was
groups, and
in the UK and throughout the Empire. Improvements in
established,effective
Kiln drying helped overcome understandableprejudice to kilns due to inefficient

Attention could then be directed towards improving techniques of

controls.
9
woodworking, and timber protection.
The Researchand Experiments Branch (later a Department in its own

Raid Precautions division were housed at the FPRL during the war.
right) and Air
Morrison Shelter prototypes were built there and tested, and a result of the testing

was replaced by a wooden version which was

was that the original steel structure
Some FPRL staff were transferred by the
in
as strong tests as the metal one.

211
DSIR to R&E at other sites, and others were called up, or releasedto
volunteer,
but not replaced. Under the Timber Control schemeduring World War 11 Lab
the
to
was report on plans for new kilns, advise on moder-nisingold ones,,and training
kiln operators. This work was essentialfor utilising timber stocks
efficiently. and
in
was constructive providing accurateinformation that swept away prejudices
about kilning and its previously unpredictable results. Courseswent on at short
intervals, and by the end of the war around 400 firms had beenvisited in this

capacity. FPRL also worked to develop the knowledge of timber for plywood,
and new glues, which servedthe aircraft construction industry well. The
repercussionsof the advancesin this technology were felt throughout the fumiture
industry, increasing the quality and output of manufacturers. The improved

materials and glues also influenced construction techniquesand therefore

design.10
After World War II, FPRL contributions to the timber and ftu-niture
industries moved over slightly from advising to contributing in professional

consultation for private practice and the Timber Development Associatior4 and to
technical education and training in timber technology. There was a steadyflow of
FPR publications, a fall collection of which can be found in BCUC library. Prior
to the war staffing had been extensive at all levels. During the conflict, staffing
suffered there as it did everywhere else. After 1945 officers were appointedand
stayed on during the 1950s and 1960s, but the recruitment of junior staff was

more problematic, as they often requested relocation for more convenient evening
BSc The first degree programmes at I-Egh
study towards qualifications.
Wycombe did the 1970s,so studentswould have had to travel
not commence until
to Oxford from Princes Risborough for evening study.
In 1958 the Forestry Products Research Board (comprised of, at times, 12-

by
18 people) was replaced a smaller Steering Committee consisting of the

Director of FPF, two senior DSIR members, and two Industrial representatives.

L. B. Ercolani, managing director of Ercol / Furniture Industries Ltd, was a

from 1963 1968. From 1958 onwards the field of

member of this board until
FPRL drastically reduced. Proposals were made to take
operations of the was
from FPRL them with the Timber Development
some areasof work the and place
it felt the TDA could not cover these in the same way
Association. However, was
lengthy long-term projects could not be
FPRL, the transition would be as
as

212
 handedover instantly, and the TDA was not regarded
as an impartial bod\- oAing
to its involvement in foreign imports. At this time the FPRL offered annual
coursesfor four Technical Colleges in Britain that offered forestry
courses.
namely Aberdeen, Bangor, Edinburgh and Oxford. Imperial College Science
of
annually sent a small group of students to the laboratory.' 1
In the 1962 FPRL annual report, the section dedicatedto Education
included the information that "During the year a limited survey
was madeof the
facilities available in University Departments and Colleges of Technology fbr
teaching or researchin Timber subjects. From the information obtainedit is clear
that timber does not receive the attention it deservesas a structural material, and
there is a need to encourageprovision of more facilities for instruction in timber
technology to professional level. ". 12 On relations with industry the report went on
to say that, "In view of the fact that more than half the country's total

consumption of hardwood is used for making ftu-nitureof various kinds, plans for

a survey of the ftu-niture industry requirements have beenworked out and visits to
somerepresentative factories have been made.". 13 Possibly as a result of these

observations,the responsibility for training in certain aspectswas developedin the

following decade. In particular some of the courseswere moved from the FPRL
to another Wycombe-basedorganisation known as TRADA.
In 1962 the TDA becamethe Timber ResearchAnd Development
Association (TRADA), another DSIR researchassociation. TRADA's Head

office was created at High Wycombe, with branchesestablishednationally, but

most of the training offered by TRADA was at High Wycombe. Whether this was
done actually at the premises of TRADA's offices for all coursesis unclear,but it
is possible that equipment at other locations (for example, the Technical College)

have been for 14

might used short courses.
Throughout the 1960sopen days, courses,and visits were encouragedat
investigations, discussions
the FPRL. Commercial firms sponsoredspecial and
held Universities Technical Colleges regarding the facilities (or
were with and
for The Lab frequently had students
lack of them) timber technology students.
as part of sandwich courses. Home-grown timber
working there on vacation, or
When the British FPR Laborator,,,
was the basis of a substantial area of research.
DSIR did substantial funds for reforestation
was first created the not provide
in Britain as there was in countries like
becausethere just wasn't the space

2133
Canadaand the USA. Researchtherefore also extendedto the
nature and
behaviour of Empire timbers for importation. This work
was carried out b,.
degreesprior to and during World War 11,and a large-scaleinternational
studv
was funded during the 1970sby the EEC (as it was then titled) looking at
under-
utilised African hardwoods. Brazier wrote that "When Britain joined the EEC in
1974 we took part, with FPRL co-ordinating the work in the UK. Somehalf
dozen different timbers were received for commercial assessment;
one of these
was longhi (Ghambeya africana), logs of which were made available to Thomas
Glenister & Co. (of HW) for conversion, drying and manufactureinto
chairs".
Planning of researchprojects had previously beenleft to sections
within
FPRL. During the sixties, this was reviewed betweenFPRL and the Forestry
Commission Committee and they co-ordinated investigationsaccordingly. One

subject that was revisited in the FPRL annual reports was the questionof
educational provision. In 1964 the Department of Technology met with the FPRL
to discuss this subject, and the laboratory's educationalfacilities were updated
from the previous survey of 1962. The Trade and Industry (meaningthe timber
trades and timber-using industries both here and in developing countries) were

aware of the need for highly-trained staff. The FPRL was given the mandateof
examining ways in which it could help this situation. The 1965the FPRL
reported that discussions for University level-courseswere underway led by the
Committee of the Institute of Wood Science,and progresswas being made. It is

remarkable that provision was not already made at this level in Britain, and the
failure to do so is looked at in Appendix two, the History of Technical Education.
In another spate of government re-organisation, the DSIR was dissolved

the FPRL transferred to the new Ministry

on 31 March 1965, and control of was
Technology. The Steering Comn: littee of the FPRL decided to give more
of
to
attention publicising the advantages of new techniquesand processes,

especially woodwork, timber protection, and use of composite wood products.

Firms were encouragedto sponsor investigations on their own account, and more
One notable example, related in the
courses for training operatives were offered.
HND at Wycombe
1966 FPRL Steering Committee annual report, was the courses
in 1971.
which were eventually commenced
in for a3 year full time
"Tbe Laboratory has been co-operating preparation
leading to Higher National Diploma, to be started
course in Wood Technology, a

214
 at the High Wycombe College of Technology and Art in 1967. The course
xvill
include studiesof basic wood science,all aspects
of wood techno]oK-and
processes,those aspectsof forestry which mainly af&ct wood quality. and
businessstudies. Provision will be made for most the final
of vearto be devoted
to a specialist study in someaspectof this subject. Each student I
wil spend'3
months in industry during the course. It is hopedthat studentswho completethis
coursewill enter the timber trade and the timber processingand timber using
industries and will play a major part in raising the level technical
of awarenessin
industry."

The Lab's advisory committees were reorganisedto increasethe relevanceof their

work to industrial interests, and close collaboration was maintainedduring this

time with TRADA. The main researchareaswere in processingandtechnology,
lesstime being given to fundamental work than previously. In 1967the long-term

work constituted only 10% of the lab's total output, and this was reducedfurther
in 1968. However, the work was perhapsbecoming more related to the
immediate needsof industry. By the end of 1967 over 100 furniture had been

visited manufacturers in this pursuit. Repaymentwork and researchcontractswith

industry were encouraged.Home-grown timbers continuedto be investigatedin

co-operation with Forestry Commission. The FPRL had the first practical
machinery for stressgrading timber in Europe, and coursesof visual stress
grading remained with TRADA but machine grading courses became the
FPRL. 16 Coursesthere to include many more
responsibility of the also came
overseasstudents. This period also coincided with the retirement of many of the
long standing and experiencedsenior staff, and in 1969 there were further

increasesin short-term work reported, and decreasesin the long-term projects.

The Ministry of technology reorganisedthe structure of the FPR Laboratory into

three divisions; buildings, anatomy and preservationof timber, and

structures and
timber. There were regular meetings between the
production and processing of
FPRL, FIRA, and the Building Research Stations. TRADA's director regularly

the FPRL steering committee by invitation.

attended meetings of
News the quarterly newsletter was distributed b, post
In 1969, Timberlab
Trades Journal, and it replaced the annual FPRL
as a supplement to the Timber
the work of the Laboratonl. (Timberlab
report as the main method of presenting

215
was the informal name, and well known telegraphic addressof the FPRL)
Timberlab was used as the FPRL name for the purpose
of popular publications,
although it was felt changing the name FPRL entirely would be counter-
productive, as there was a well-established reputation attachedto FPRL already.
1971 saw the FPRL transferred from the Department Trade
of and
industry (formerly the Ministry of Technology) to the Departmentof the
Environment (DOE). The FPRL steering Committee and sub-committees
were
disbandedand in 1972 the FPRL Laboratory was amalgamatedwith Building
ResearchStation and the Fire ResearchStation to form the Building Research
Establishment (BRE). The FPRL was renamedthe PrincesRisborough
Laboratory of the BRE and an advisory committee for the BRE wasproposed.
One of the changesmade to the distribution of work at this time included
transferring the timber drying section to TRADA. This included moving new

equipment from Princes Risborough, and a member of staff was secondedfrom

PRL to train TRADA staff in the use of this. No finther work was done at Princes
Risborough on home-grown timber, by agreementwith the ForestryCommission.
Work on timber stressescontinued, as did work on compositeboards,adhesives,

mechanical fastenings, finishes, and infestations. TRADA also took over

responsibility for delivery of the timber drying and kilning courses. Two Colleges

of Technology took over the saw and Cutter maintenance but

courses, they are not
in Rendle's 17 However, a 1971 booklet on coursesavailable to
named account.
the Timber Trade offered the following course at the High Wycombe College,

which had been anticipated in the 1966 annual report.

3
Diploma in advanced timber technology, years full time
HW college of Technology and Art. Entry requires IxA level, 5x0 levels
(including English and Maths) or ONC/OND equivalentqualffication.
For those who want to be senior
managers, technical men, or marketing
in the timber trade."
executives

Wycombe Technical Institute had the resources for delivering part or all of many

listed in the FPRL and TRADA bulletins. Whether the college was
of the courses
is at present,as the listings In
instrumental in delivering these courses unknown
'High Wycombe' as the location of
the 1971 pamphlet are not specific and state
Buckinghamshire College of H. E. offered
courses listed after this Diploma.
the 1980s, aný towards the end of the
in
courses timber technology throughout

2ý-16
 twentieth century the Forest Products ResearchCentre (FPRC)
was establishedas
a department of Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College. The FPRC
(undertakesconsultancy work, and provides training in the form
of short courses.
distance learning qualifications, a taught MSc degree,
and PhD studies'. The
Centre also 'has ten academicstaff, which makesthe FPRC the largestUK

academic department specialising in wood science.'19 The Laboratory at Princes

Risborough continued to offer, amongstother things, the insect
and rot control
courses but was finally closed in 1977. Much of the work that had beencovered
there was transferred to TRADA, which as an independantassociationwas
financed through testing and consultancy work, alongside income from
an the
Timber Trade Federation and the Government. The work of TRADA has
always
focussedmore on timber than ftuTiiture.20

Conclusion
Whether the FPRL had much effect on or interaction with the fin-niture
industry within High Wycombe is not entirely clear. Certainly there were some

named firms involved from time to time, and there are many membersof the
industry who say that collaborations to work on the developmentof gluesand

plywood during World War II did If

occur. so, these were most likely with firms

manufacturing aircraft parts. What is more significant, perhaps,is the fact that
Wycombe offered the Technical College as a site for the practical Diploma in
Advanced Timber Technology in the 1970s. This coursecould have goneto
Oxford where the nearestforestry coursewas housed. Perhapsit went to
Wycombe becauseof the precedentof successfuldelivery of HND coursesthere,

the fact that it a Technical college rather than a University, and had a
and was
reputation for building relationships with industry. This type of work at
Wycombe College addedto the already broad spectrumof courses in Furniture

the college unique in Britain. It was deemed

subjects, possibly making
include information about this type of work into the 1960sand
worthwhile to
Forestry Products Research Centre
1970s becauseof the establishmentof the
(FPRC) at the college during the 1990s. Further researchinto the manufacturers'
Post-World War Il 1950s-60s era could be pursued by
commissions for the FPRL
journals. As time passes, firms are also
looking at a wider range of contemporary
kept It is a fact that m,o firms
more likely to releaserecords previously private.

', I-
investigated here are mentioned in FPRL literature. Gomme were
part of the pre-
war experiments with timber behaviour, and Ercol usedkiln-drying techniquesfor
elm that were developed at the laboratories. Mr Lucien Ercolani was also a
member of the board for a number of years. Whether the fin-nitureindustry in
Wycombe was a reason for locating the labs at Princes Risboroughor not, these
initial links suggestthat there was collaboration with the industry.
The number of coursesthat the FPRL offered, and that TRADA choseto
house in Wycombe (as opposedto other regional offices) further enhancedthe
town's reputation as a centre for furniture and timber expertise. This might have

attracted other organisations to the area,including the Furniture and Timber

Training Board (housed in the centre of Wycombe from 1969until the 1980s),

and a regional office of the British Furniture Manufacturer's association(BFM).

The High Wycombe District and Furniture Manufacturers' Society, foundedin
1943, appearsto have been the Wycombe branch of the BFM, responsiblefor
training opportunities and businesslinks within the ftuniture industry in that
region.

REFERENCES

'Rendle, B.J., Fifly Yearsof timber research, A short history of the Forestry ProductsResearch
Laboratory., (FIMSO, London, 1976).
2Private correspondencefrom J.D. Brazier, former director of FPRL, August 2002.
3 'Forest Products ResearchLaboratory, Furniture Experts at PrincesRisborough',CMCHF,
(August 4th, 1928), p215.
DSIR, the FPI;
ý and of the Wycombe trade, P.J.
Included in the visiting team were membersof the
Birch (president of the HW Furniture Manufacturers' Federation), R. W. Bartlett, F.R. Gomme,
O.T. Lippold (of R- Howland & Sons),and W. J. Winter Taylor (secretary of
P.Goodearl, E.A.
Wycombe Federation of Furniture Manufacturers).
4 Rendle (1976), p 10.
' Rendle (1976), p 17.
6Private correspondencefrom Dr. J.D. Brazier, former director of FPRL, 22 ndAugust 2002.
7Prefaceby Pearson,R.S. Director of Furniture ProductsResearchto
Lyctus Powder-Post Beetles Bulletin No 2 (FPRL, High Wycombe.
Fisher, R.C., Research into the
June 1928) p iii.
8Brazier, 22d August 2002.
Forestry (Institute of Chartered
9Brazier, J.D., 'Seventy Years of Forestry ProductsResearch',
Foresters,Vol. 70, No. 4,1997) p340-
10Rendle (1976) p75-
" Annual report of the FPRL ResearchBoard, 1959. Copies held at BCUC.
Report on Education.
12FPRL annual report 1962, published at High Wycombe. section
" FPRL annual report 1962.
High Wycombe College in connection Aith
14Brazier, (1997)p338. Brazier doesnot mention
its first degree courses in the 1970s.
education or researchcollaborations until
15 nd
Brazier, 22 August 2002.

218
16Annual report of the FPRL, 1967. Copiesheld at BCUC.
17Rendle (1976), chapter 8 'Reorganisationfor Technology, 1965-1971'.
181971booklet of courseat High Wycombe College.
19From the FPRC website hltp://www. buckscol.ac.uk/technology/fprc/FPRCinfo. html (September,
2002).
20'Turning the spotlight on the timber trade' BucksFree Press,(July 20th,1984),p8 and 'Fiftv
Bucks Free Press, (July 6th,1984), '
years of timber research' p35.

219
 Chapter 7
Conclusion

High Wycombe was named "the only area in the

country devoted
exclusively to the manufacture of fiu-niture", and "the home of English ftuniture-
in contemporary trade j ournals and historical accounts.Thesequotes from
are a
CMCHF article 'High Wycombe. Furniture Town's Contribution to the War
Effort', June 23rd 1945.1 Wycombe came to the fore in chair-making during the
late 1800sfor several reasons. The geographyof the areaenabledsmall makersto
flourish in the abundant woodlands, and they were amply supplied by local
timber. At that time, the road links enabled entrepreneurialbusinessmento export
cartloads of chairs to neighbouring counties (and further afield) in direct
competition with the chair makers of those areas.
The title of this study is High Wycombe'sFurniture Industry 1900-19jO.
The initial aim of the researchwas to examine High Wycombe as a centreof

excellence in the cabinet making industry. When it becameapparentthat cabinet

making and furniture manufacture were quite different activities, and that histories

of Wycombe manufacturers, and Buckinghamshire College, were not already

compiled and waiting to be used,this aim was altered, and three areasof
investigation were chosen. Thesewere manfacturers.education,and research.
The main focus of the thesis becamean assemblyof a great deal of
different information about Wycombe furniture manufacturers,and a
for interpretation of the data. The main body of referencework for
methodology
in
future researchersis housed the CD ROM appendices, in the form of Excel

databasefiles. All company namesand addresses for Wycombe ftirniture firms

appearancesin Kelly's Directories, and for

were entered under their categoriesof
in CMCHF, as descriptions of the exhibition presentations
advertising the as well
in the CMCHF. At the very least, this database could serve as a starting
covered
Wycombe firm during the first half of
point for anyone researching a particular
be complete if taken without the context of
the 20thCentury. This work would not
in Chapter 2. Taken ftirther, this could
the methodology and overview contained
in the industry, possibly taking in
form the basis of future studies many aspects of
history, directories. and advertising. The
(for example) geography, business
the background information collected
history of the College was amassedusing
on the history of Technical Education in Britain generally. Working backwards
from the present day, it was clear that there had been
somelinks betweenthe
industry and the college, not just in educationof workers, but in industrial

research. This led to discovering the existenceof the FPRL in Risborough.and

the work carried out there during the period of its existence. Establishingstrong

evidence of the links between Wycombe's Industry, the college, and the FPRL has

not been possible yet, and this is discussedlater in this conclusion. Although the
main initial aim, of putting High Wycombe's fiirniture manufactureinto the
context of the wider industry, was not quite met, this is an excellent foundation for
continuing on to that goal.

Keyfindings
Initially small and seemingly disjointed amountsof primary documentary

evidence came to light from a few Wycombe furniture firms. Searchingfor

further contemporary material brought the Kelly's Directory entriesto light, from

which a list of firms with some furniture (rather than chair) production was

produced. The suitable candidateswere limited further by introducing

information from the Cabinet Maker and CompleteHouse Furnisher

advertisements,and coverage in the CMCHF of the annual WholesaleFurniture

Trades Exhibition and the British Industries Fair. It was most important to
develop background knowledge of all thesetypes of information, and put them
into context for interpretation. No one type of evidencecould be taken in

isolation, but any of them could have been usedas a starting point for

investigating any firm. Judith Attfield examinedthe role of design as a practice.

firms and two furniture manufacturers as case studies to
and used six retailing
2
fUrniture. In particular the firm of J-Clarke.
explore the marketing approaches of
to analyse the firm's attitude to design.
High Wycombe, was used as a case study
time. The information about various ftirniture
selling, styles and clients at that
in of interpretation of data.,
retailers and the hierarchy the trade was an example
in of this dissertation. The work of
and this was the approach used sections
Shaw & Tipper the foundation to put data
Billam, Worden, Edwards and provided

into context and understand the material that was available.

presented in the form of a
The information for each manufacturer was
between each firm for each categorý'of
catalogue, enabling direct comparisons

-)-)I
information. Kelly's directories were used to make the initial list for
investigation, but working backwards from existing information
on the two larger
firms of Gomme (G Plan) and Ercol (Furniture Industries) helped develop
to the
interpretation of Kelly's data. The links betweenthese
and smaller Wycombe
firms (Skulls and Castle Bros.) proved fortuitous, making the final list
of seven
manufacturersa fairly even spread of types. The variety of manufacturing
practices in the case studies enabled some conclusionsto be drawn about the
terminology chosen (or omitted) in adverts, articles and directon, entries.
The interpretation of Kelly's Directories data fed back to provide
information in context for other companies.This period for this work on
Wycombe manufacturers covered from the early 1900suntil 1939.
World War 11marked the final demise of outdatedmanufacturing

methods, styles and materials in Wycombe. This was a new era of production
organisation for the surviving manufacturers.The significant contribution of
Wycombe manufacturers and individual designersto the Utility Furniture

movement could not be ignored. Early in the war the town's manufacturers
becameunited in a manner that had not previously been seen. Previously
Wycombe had been full of many small firms, using antiquatedtechniques,that

were gradually declining in number during the 1920sand 1930s. Many more of
thesedisappearedforever during the early 1940s,and instead severallarger
manufacturers came to the fore during the post-war period. This cameabout for a

number of reasons,some of which were concluded to be the following:

1. The hitherto unknown (to the furniture industry) streamlining and efficiency
brought about by the experience of working accurately,with new technologies

and techniques, and improved factory organisation, on aircraft and related

farsighted to have adoptedtechnology to their
articles. Firms that were enough
style they produced, were seento have
economic advantage,whatever
World War 11.
continuing manufacturing successafter
2. The co-operation between manufacturers forming alliances or trading

some of the casestudies in this thesis.

relationships, as was seen with
in
3. The continuing production of chairs what was the only chair-producing area

duration the was remarkable. The Utillt, %

in the country for the of war
town's supported Wycombe's
contracts awarded to the manufacturers
 reputation, and at least one manufacturer (Ercol) took advantage
of the
Windsor chair legacy to establish related lines furniture
of very successfully.

The successof the first Utility range of furniture

can clearly be credited to the
Wycombe men who designed it. Their experiences
working, designingand
teaching in the Wycombe Rumitureindustry provided them
with a unique abilit-N,
to provide quality designs within a tight brief and short deadline (six
weeks). The
Chiltern range was economical to manufacturein terms
of time, materials and
equipment. Whilst it was not the epitome of aestheticallypleasing design,the
range answered all that was askedof it. Its successorswere not so popular,
possibly becausethey were answering different problems.
Individual firms' contributions during the war
were varied. Bames Branch
was not credited with any furniture manufacturing work during World War 11,
although the timber merchant side of the businesscontinued, and still exists today.
Further researchon the firm confirmed that traditional, high quality, but
outdated
production methods contributed to the demiseof the cabinet-makingside of the
firm's work. William Birch fared better than BarnesBranch, in that the firm

survived and continued to manufacture furniture, but gained no Utility contracts.

However, their production of chairs (M. O.D., not Utility), shoesoles,Mosquito

wing sections, skins, leading edges,shrouds,brake flaps, and bomb doors for
4,0001bbombs did reflect a degreeof adaptability.3 Castle Brothers had acquired

modem premises shortly before World War 11began,and the firm was granteda
Ministry of Aircraft commission for airscrew construction. This links them more

closely with Gomme's war production, perhapsindicating other similarities

between Castle Brothers and Gomme. This might explain why Ercol relinquished
the bidding for Castle Brothers to Gomme in 1958. However, Birch (a more
traditional manufacturer) was also taken over by Gomme in 1954. Gomme was a
larger, modem outfit credited with very accurateand advancedwork on aircraft
Gomme's successwith the G Plan range was not entirely due to the
construction.
firm's wartime experience, as the company was on the way to creating modular
fin-niture before 1939. The war work on Mosquitoes came about because the firm

staffed, and the management adaptable to new

was already well equipped and
Gomme's G Plan range was one of the first with a
techniques and tolerances.
branded identity. The firm broke with tradition by using national
nationally

22
-3,
 advertising to make themselves known to the public, managing to pressurisefar
more retailers into stocking G Plan ftamiture than would otherwise have done
so.
This entrepreneurial spirit reflects that of the early Wycombe
chair makersývho
drove their Windsor chairs on wagons round the country,
selling in competition
with local makers in far flung areas. G Plan furniture is still madetoday
'(200")
and items from the first suites in the range can still be purchased.
During World War 11Ercol, earlier known as Furniture Industries,

produced tent pegs, pulley blocks, fold-flat chairs, tool & instrument boxes.
rolling pins, butchers' blocks, barrack forms, snow-shoes,,and steeringwheelsfor
aircraft. The company was involved in the felling and conversion of large
quantities of timber for the war effort,. and also the production of prodigious
amounts of plywood for the industry. The manufacturing capabilities, and
modem set-up of Ercol were not exploited in the sameway as Gomme's, housed
directly next door to the Ercol factory. Ercol's later successwas in rangesof
furniture based on the Windsor chair,,and sympathetically designedfurniture to

accompanythis. Their modem manufacturing techniquesare applied to assistin

creating a hybrid of traditionally crafted furniture, and perhapsthe last vestigesof
traditional manufacturing attitudes affected the firm's wartime contracts.
Mr. Gomme and Mr. Ercolani were on extremely good terms, probably enhanced
by the fact that with such different products there was a less competitive edgeto
the relationship. Ercol's successwas basedmore on a traditional product being
brought into the 20'h Century, creating traditionally constructedfin-niture
facilitated by modem equipment and adhesives.Contrastthis with Gonune

creating modem furniture using techniques and designsthat suited modem

materials. Ercol continue to manufacture in High Wycombe today, and the early
fin-niture of both Gomme and Ercol has recently become 'collectable'.
The reputation of Buckinghamshire College's filmiture courses had

in
brought me to that town the first place. The twofold evolution of the college

from Technical Institute and Art School, into a College of Further and then Higher

Education, enabled degreesand practical courses to co-exist. In spite of the title,

history to the present day, and this was felt

this study relates the of the college up
in the initial history and the eventual outcome.
necessary order to explain properly
The evolution of the college has been briefly compared with that of other
Loughborough, Shoreditch (Brunel) and
institutions, but an in depth study of

224
 Birmingham School of Art would provide a wider view the dev,
of elopmentof
Technical Education today in Britain. This study also
offers (as an appendix) a
background in the development of technical educationin Britain during
the period
1900-1950, serving as a foundation for further work looking the development
at
of similar institutions to Wycombe College, that have developedinto providers
of
modem technical and design education.
Extensive evidence that the Forestry ProductsResearchLaboratory
(housed for so long at Princes Risborough not far from Wycombe)
collaborated
extensively with either Wycombe manufacturersor the college was not found, in
spite of the availability of many publications. Gomme and Ercol excepted,no
Wycombe manufacturers were named in FPRL publications, or researchdoneon
their behalf found to be published. This was surprising, as many interviewees
were sure that there had been researchdone at the Labs for local manufacturers.
Even if firms were reluctant to make researchthat they had paid for generally

available, some account of it ought to be traceable. An investigation of a broader

range of contemporary journals may well bring material to light. Later in its
existence the work of the Princes Risborough Laboratorieson timber technology
was transferred to Buckinghamshire College (now BCUC).
Since World War II the Timber Technology departmentat High Wycombe
College has built up substantially into a faculty in its own right, conducting

research for industry and training students from the EU and ftirther a-field. A wide

range of furniture coursesand related degreeand postgraduatecoursesare still

available at BCUC today (2003). It seemsmore than likely that some
(between the FPRL and Buckinghamshire College) of ideas,staff
collaboration
occurring prior to the FPRL furniture-related work being re-
and equipment was
sited at the College.

Limitations ofthe research

Like many studies, the information gatheredand explored here has not

been drawing conclusions, but rather the beginning of

always a means of strong
the left, and the means of building a picture of the
understanding evidence now
industry in one town. The techniques outlined in the methodology were not all

had been hoped, partly due to the lack of material

employed as extensively as
However, it was important to include as much
available for many manufacturers.
 of the information as possible here, to make this work a resourcefor further
research. It will be beneficial to add to the range of sourcesusedhere,
such as
other Journals, advertising, exhibitions, directories and firms from other
areasof
furniture manufacture.

Opportunitiesforfurther research
Wycombe's contributions to the national industry have been
significant.
Initially High Wycombe produced Windsor chairs at
a rate that enabled
enterprising businessmento export to neighbouring counties,in direct competition
with local industries elsewhere. Wycombe's smaller manufacturersincreasedas
the demand for chairs allowed. During the interwar period a transition phase
began,numbers of smaller makers declined. culminating, after World War 11,
with
the emergenceof three major manufacturers,namely E. Gomme (G Plan), Ercol,
and Parker Knoll. There were also a number of strong intermediatesizedmakers,
not known as named brands,,but providing fimiiture for retailers all over Britain
and supporting and independentmarket. The firm of William Bartlett is one such
example still in businesstoday. William Birch and CastleBrothers were two
more, who although not failing in business,choseto amalgamatewith large
brand-namemakers.
An investigation of theseintermediate makers, and their relationshipswith
the retailers that they serviced, would be a logical extensionto the methodology
in
presented this study. The 1950s and 1960s would be a sound starting point as
is
there a quantity of data available in the form of order books and related

materials. The author followed up several leads from Bartlett's 1950sorder

books. Although not able to provenanceany work specifically there were signs

that this line of enquiry could be pursued.

During the course of this work (1996-2003) documentsfrom many firms

have been lost or destroyed. The Gomme factory site was demolished in the late

1990s,before G Plan records could be extracted, and with them any information
W. Birch. Barnes Branch documents were rescuedfrom a
on Castle Brothers and
Even if a fraction of seemingly incomplete
skip by an associateof the author's.
data from the CMCHF. Kelly's
information was retained, the supporting
Directories, and other contemporary sourcescould build up much clearer pictures

hitherto contributions to the furniture

of manufacturers' (perhaps anonymous)

226
 industry. The data collected in this thesis could be
expandedin a number of wa-ys.
Incorporating examples from a greater variety of
publications and directories, and
the use of these techniques on similar towns with reputationsfor ftmiiture

production would be two possibilities.

The next phaseof work, building on this foundation
could include the followin,,.
9 Work on articles expanding the use and comparison directories
of and
publications of that era.
9 The fin-ther study of firms in late 20'h Centur, Wycombe.
v which ma.v require
further researchfor methodological approaches.

9 The migratory aspect of workers, and the inner and outer town siting of
premises. These second of these was touched on here in the relocation of firms
outside the town centre,.but could be an areaof extensivestudy.
9 Studies of the intermediate sized manufacturers,supplying retailers
acrossthe
country and abroad, would be supportedby methodologicalapproaches
brought together in this study.
The inclusion of CD ROM appendiceswas settledon to maximise the

accessibility of the Directory and Advertising entries for future use.For this
reason the dossiers compiled during the study included many more Wycombe
manufacturers than were covered in the casestudies. Thesefiles, and the archives
on other aspectsof the study, are going to the Museum in High Wycombe. A
copy of this Thesis will also be included, and anothercopy will go to the town's
reference library, to make the work as accessibleas possible.
It is my intention to write up some of thesechaptersfor publication in the very

near future. These include the history of High Wycombe's technical education,
the business histories of the casestudy firms, and the useof Kelly's Directories in

this context.
I would like to thank the University of Liverpool, and my employer Liverpool

Hope University College. for the unique opportunity of studying for this PhD.

REFERENCES

1'High Wycombe. Furniture Town's Contribution to the War Effort' CMCHF, June 23d 1945
p597.
2 Attfield. J, Therole of design in the relationship betweenjurniture manufactureand its retailing
Clarke, (D.Phil thesis, 1992,Sussex and
1939-1965 with initial reference to thefurniturefirm ofJ
V&A).
3 The blank' in this caserefers to the shapedwoodenbutt of the rifle.
 Bibliography of Books

Abercrombie Patrick, Sir The book of the modern house: IIMSO, London 1939
a panoramic survey of
contemporary domesticdesign

Andrews J.E. t, ost- war Changes in the University of Liverpool, BA 1969

Industrial Structure offfigh Thesis
Wycombe

Argles Michael South Kensington to Robbins. London, Longmans, Green and 1964
An Account ofEnglish Co Ltd.
Technical and Scientific
Education since 1851

Ashford L. J. TheHistory of High Wycombe London,Routledge,

ZD Kegan and 1960
ftom its origins to 1880 Paul

Ashwin Clive, & Educationfor Crafts. A study )f London, CraftsCouncil, 1988

Channon, the Education and Training of Educationand ScienceDept.,
Anne, Craftspeoplein englandand HMSO
Darracotý Wales
Joseph
Attfield J. Therole of design in the D.Phil, Sussex,In collaboration 1992
relationship betweenjurniture with the V&A
manufactureand its retailing
1939-1965with initial reference
to thefurniturefirm ofJ Clarke

Ballard Philip Handwork as an Educational London,GeorgeAllen& Unwin 1910

Boswood Medium Ltd.

Billam Michael The Cabinet Maker and Royal College of Art, MA 1986
Complete House Furnisher as a Thesis
commentator on developments
within the British Furniture
Trade 1920-1939

Blachford G. A History of Handicraft London, Christophers 1961

Teaching

Take a Seat, The History of [Whittlebury? ] (sic) Baron 1995 1995

Bland Stephen,&
Birch, Clive Parker Knoll
1926
Board of Surveyof Technical and Further HMSO
Education Education in England and
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