Maple & Co.

Maple & Co.

Trade name	Maple & Co Maple & Company Maples
Industry	Manufacture of furniture
Founded	1841 (1841)
Founder	John Maple
Defunct	1997
Headquarters	Tottenham Court Road, London

Maple & Co. was a prominent British manufacturer specializing in furniture and upholstery, established in 1841. The company gained considerable prominence during the Victorian and Edwardian periods. It emerged as a foremost producer and supplier of furnishings to the British aristocracy and royal households, with an international clientele.

Based in London’s Tottenham Court Road, Maple & Co. extended its reach through branches located in Paris, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Smyrna.

1840s–1850s

John Maple (1815–1900) founded the business initially named Cook & Maple in 1841 at 145 Tottenham Court Road. The enterprise originally operated as wholesale and retail drapers, cabinetmakers, carpet dealers, and furnishing warehousemen. The partnership ended in 1851, after which John Maple assumed sole ownership while James Cook continued separately with his own nearby shop.

1860s–1870s

John Maple and his wife Emily Blundell welcomed their eldest son, Blundell Maple, in 1845. By 1861, when Blundell was sixteen, he was actively participating in the family business. He became a partner alongside his brother Harry in 1870; following Harry’s death from typhoid fever in 1879, Blundell shared equal partnership with his father.

During the nineteenth century, London's furniture industry evolved with the West End focusing on retail sales while the East End specialized in wholesale production of more economical furniture. By the late 1880s, less than ten percent of Maple & Co.’s furniture was produced in-house. One significant manufacturer supplying Maple was Harris Lebus from the East End, known for crafting bedroom and dining room pieces.

1880s–1910s

Retailers like Maple & Co., aiming to minimize dependence on wholesalers, often procured directly from manufacturers—a practice which sometimes led to ethical concerns. In 1888, Blundell Maple—then serving as a Member of Parliament—was examined by the Select Committee on the Sweating System amid accusations that Maples exploited artisans by inflating material costs, postponing payments, and providing loans to small suppliers to secure large contracts. Maple admitted that approximately one thousand shops around Tottenham Court Road and the East End supplied goods to his company.

Despite these issues, Maples experienced significant growth. By 1883, its Tottenham Court Road premises spanned over five acres and featured extensive artistic decoration services alongside complete house furnishing solutions. By 1889, the firm occupied an entire city block bordered by Tottenham Court Road, Euston Road, Gower Street, and Grafton Way.

Throughout its history, Maples maintained close ties with royalty, furnishing numerous royal residences including palaces and cottages. By 1892, it held the distinction of "Upholsterers by special appointment to Queen Victoria." After King Edward VII’s passing in 1910, Maples received the appointment "Upholsterers and Decorators to King George V." The company capitalized on this royal endorsement by showcasing the royal crest on trade materials well into the mid-twentieth century. Its prestigious clientele also encompassed the Russian emperor, various European monarchs, as well as monarchs from Siam and Persia’s Grand Vizier.

Charity initiatives

In 1897, John Blundell Maple contributed £150,000 to establish an almshouse—later known as Maple Flats—along with a convalescent home dedicated to employees of Maple & Co. These facilities were designed to provide support and express appreciation for the company's committed workforce. The structure, now repurposed into residential flats, continues to be identified as Akrill House.

Accidents and mishaps

Throughout its expansion, Maple & Co. encountered several significant challenges. On 11 May 1857, a wall separating the store from an adjacent residence collapsed, resulting in six fatalities, including staff members residing on the premises. The incident caused approximately £12,400 in property and furniture losses.

In December 1871, a fire inflicted damage valued at £45,000 on the premises and inventory, destroying around 80 wardrobes; however, iron doors installed throughout the building helped contain the blaze. Another fire in 1897 devastated much of the Camden Depository along with its stored goods.

Moreover, a Maple retail outlet was destroyed during the 1993 Bournemouth bombing.

Decline and restructuring

Following World War II, shifts in consumer preferences combined with increased production expenses led to reduced sales figures. In 1980, Maple & Co. merged with furniture manufacturer Waring & Gillow, creating Maple, Waring & Gillow. Later, after acquisition by supermarket chain Asda in 1988, it became part of Allied Maples Group Ltd alongside Allied Carpets. A management buyout took place in 1993.

By 1997, struggling with poor financial performance and heavy indebtedness, the company entered administration, operating 24 outlets and employing 340 staff members at that time. It was subsequently purchased by retailer Allders.

Between 1901 and 1957, the London store’s electricity was generated by a 140-bhp three-cylinder Willans engine steam generator. This engine was later exhibited at Willans’ original factory in Rugby and honored with an Engineering Heritage Award in 2011. In 2017, it was transferred to the Internal Fire Museum of Power located in West Wales.

Prominent commissions

Maple & Co. earned a reputation as a premier supplier of furniture and interior décor during the Victorian and Edwardian eras in Britain, catering to distinguished clientele including members of royal families.

Key commissions included:

• White Lodge, Richmond Park (1870)
• The Grand Hotel situated at Trafalgar Square, London (1885)
• The Constitutional Club, London (1885)
• Interiors for York Cottage, part of the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England
• Furnishings aboard vessels such as the QE1 (1938), QE2, and the Queen Mary
• Crossrigg Hall, located in Penrith, Cumbria
• The Rashtrapati Niwas (Viceregal Lodge), official residence of the Viceroy of India in Simla (1892)

See also

• Waring & Gillow
• Gillows of Lancaster and London
• Druce & Co.
• National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades Association

External links

• The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Guide (1789)