Herbert E. Gibbs, furniture manufacturer : records

Contains: catalogues (1957-1975); product photographs (1930-1973); and premises and staff photographs (undated)

Herbert E. Gibbs trained as a cabinet maker at a technical college and also taught carpentry at a school. He founded Herbert E. Gibbs, a furniture manufacturing company in approximately the 1920s. The firm was based at De Beauvoir Road, London and later First Avenue, Montague Road, London. The early directors of the firm were Herbert E. Gibbs, Chairman, Claude E. Gibb, Manufacturing Director, later Chairman and Mary M. Gibbs (married name Langlois), Sales Director. Later senior staff were Claude E. Gibbs’s sons Robin E. Gibbs, Chairman and Antony E. Gibbs, Director. Other staff employed by the firm include: Mr Bingham, accounts; Mr Les Speed, manufacturing; Mr J Curtis, [carpenter/cabinet maker]; Mr Palmer; Mr F Whittle, secretary to Mary M. Gibbs; and Miss London, secretary to Claude E. Gibbs.

The firm produced furniture for domestic and commercial use. This was sold direct to the public and trade and through retailers across the UK, including Heals.

This archive collection is available for consultation in the V&A Study Rooms by appointment only. Full details of access arrangements may be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/archives/.

Access to some of the material may be restricted. These are noted in the catalogue where relevant.

Gift of Peter Langlois, 2012

Information on copying and commercial reproduction may be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/archives/.