A stamp of global approval for Bridgnorth company celebrating 150 years of excellence
Every single tile tells its own little story, every single one is individual and every single one is made by hand.”
With such uniqueness, attention to detail, expert craftmanship and drive to deliver quality, it’s little wonder Craven Dunnill Jackfield has stood the test of time.
Founded in 1872, by Henry Dunnill, the company which still manufactures tiles from its original site at Jackfield Tile Works in Ironbridge, as well as one in Burslem, remains world-renowned in the making and supply of ceramics tiles.
As it celebrates 150 years, MD Simon Howells, the fifth generation of his family to run the business, says the company, with headquarters in Bridgnorth, is proud of its past, but has also continually invested in new approaches to production by embracing new technologies.
“Not many companies survive this long doing the same thing with the same product,” says Simon, who exudes pride in what the company has achieved over the years. "We feel we are and have been champions of the West Midlands and, therefore,150 years is a lovely landmark for us to celebrate throughout the year.
“We built the factory in Jackfield in Ironbridge which those from the local area know as the birthplace of the industrial revolution.
"And we still have our division of manufacturing based there which is lovely for us. It’s a working factory within the Jackfield Tile Museum and we hand-craft ceramic tiles from that site today.”
Those tiles have been seen and admired all over the world and in some of the most resplendent of places.
“We are still, to this day, producing and handcrafting ceramic tiles on site for projects all over the world,” says Simon.
“Through the turn of the 20th century, the company really grew with the British Empire and became renowned worldwide through the manufacture of floor and wall tiles.
“It won accolades for installations in churches, cathedrals, banks and consulates all over the world.
“And still, we celebrate the traditional handcraft and those skills which are really important to protect, at the heart of British industry, if you like.
“We supply tiles to projects around the world, from individual bathrooms, to Harrods Food Halls, London Underground stations, places in USA and Australia and beyond. It’s a really lovely story for us to tell.”
He adds: “We are still amazed by how far and wide our tiles are uncovered. We have had enquiries from Japan, Mexico, Australia and the United States about tiles, all made in Shropshire, which still have the company stamp on the back."
“You can take tiles off the wall or a floor that have been there for 100 years and they will have our mark. It’s nice for us to think of where these tiles go.”
Places of grandeur where tiles adorn rooms include Kew Gardens, while in 2021 the last of almost 60,000 brightly coloured encaustic floor tiles, made by Craven Dunnill Jackfield, was laid in the middle of Central Lobby, one of the busiest and most recognisable locations in Westminster.
“Our work at Westminster finished last year so throughout the central lobby, royal gallery, etc, 38,000 tiles were placed and every single one was made by hand in Ironbridge,” Simon explains.
Tiles made in Shropshire also adorn the Parliament of Victoria in Melbourne. The esteemed list goes on.
It’s an acclaimed history to herald, but Simon, as a self-confessed ‘Steward of the Ship’, is mindful of the need to look to the future too.
“It’s about protecting those skills,” he says. “Those skills required to hand produce wall and floor tiles are an endangered craft in the UK.
“Here, we have got a rigid commitment to pass them on to younger generations and to engage younger generations.
“We want people to be creative and use their hands and get clay under their nails, if you like.
“That’s a big part of the company legacy going forward. We have a responsibility with that and feel we represent true craftmanship.
“So we want to engage younger audiences and bring them through. We are actively looking for apprentices and provide avenues for them to come and thrive and transition skills into a more modern world."
“We also run an educational facility in partnership with the Ironbridge Gorge Museum where we host anywhere between 5,000-7,000 people a year through workshops, linking in with schools. It’s an important part of what we see as our future and how we link to the community and how we ensure these beautiful British skills have a future.”
For Simon, that look to the future is something he takes a personal interest in as the latest of his family to take up the reins of the business.
He joined the company in 2016 as the fifth generation of his family in the business and became MD from 2019.
The family link started with employee Frederick Charles Howells, who was employed as a trainee draughtsman and, having carved his own career out in the tile industry, returned in 1916 to take on the business, and the company has been family run ever since.
“It’s a true honour and a responsibility to take over and I see it as important to cherish the best of the past and steward that but also to mould, shape and strengthen it for the future,” adds Simon.
“I equate it to a relay race where you have that individual responsibility as part of a journey to pass the baton.”
Now the company is set for a busy year, with a series of celebratory events to mark the centenary.
“We have initiatives and events and will be celebrating with the staff, who have been so important to this, along with partners, suppliers and customers,” Simon reveals. “And we want to give back to the community, so we are speaking to local charities.
“It’s rare to get to this age as a company and still to have the vigour you started with. We are so passionate about the integrity of our products because we have been doing it for so long. We feel we represent craft and skills and we showcase the best of British. We provide products that last for decades, if not centuries.”
With such eye-catching work, the company looks set to go from strength to strength, as it passes the 150-year mark.
So next time you are in London, if you are not scurrying around the underground, frantically searching for your platform, consider some of the contemporary, colourful tile designs, surrounding you.
You might be seeing a little bit of Shropshire class – tiles made in the county but showcased far and wide.
