Parker-Knoll
of High Wycombe and Chipping Norton (factories)
with shops at 19-20 Berners Street, Oxford Street, London, W1., 33 Kings Street, Manchester, 35 Park Street, Bristol, 43 Temple Street, Birmingham.
1869 Frederick Parker, son of a Finsbury cabinet maker, set up a chairmaking firm in Bracklyn Street.
1890s Frederick Parker was one of the larger East London furniture makers who moved to High Wycombe, contributing to the broadening of the furniture trade in the area.
1898 Moved to 9 Frogmoor Gardens, High Wycombe, becoming one of first local upholsterers.
1900 Parker met the Knoll furniture makers in Stuttgart
1901 Company incorporated F. Parker and Sons Ltd.
1903 Showroom at 20 Newman Street.
1909 Factory at Cowley Peachey.
c.1910 Hired Lucian Randolph Ercolani as a furniture designer.
1920 Moved to Temple End, High Wycombe.
1927 Frederick Parker died
1929 (or 1931[1]) Parker's offered a new design for Heal's using a covered-spring system designed by Willi Knoll.
Supplied furniture to the Viceroy’s House, New Delhi and Haile Selassie’s throne, Broadcasting House and the Trust House hotels.
c1936 The Parker Knoll name was introduced[2][3]
WWII Manufactured parts for the De Havilland Mosquito [4] Made wing spars for Mosquitos.
1950 Parkertex latex cushions.
1952 Opened Chipping Norton factory, as Cornwell Norton.
Early 1960s acquired G. P. and J. Baker
1967 Acquired Dancer and Hearne which was closed 1970.
Factory burned down 1970; Penn Street used for production.
Chipping Norton was doubled in size, upholstery work was moved to it while woodworking carried on at Wycombe
1971 The two firms merged.
By 1980s owned a large number of companies in furniture and upholstery businesses
1988 holding company renamed Cornwell Parker.
Early 1990s All production moved to Chipping Norton.
See Also
Sources of Information
- Furniture Makers of High Wycombe [1]