Whys...
A battered old stool on a bric-à-brac stall in Wimborne Market. My sister spotted it, my aunt bought it for her.
A long-held desire to start a business producing something both functional and beautiful, here in the UK.
A need to do something life-affirming, after many years working in international news, which is anything but.
Add a dollop of nostalgia for the familiar things of childhood. Many people remember these stools with affection.
A small inheritance provided the means.
Et voilà, the Hornsey began its long journey from idea to reality.
The end result: a product that is good enough to earn a place in your home.
A word on the names. The Hornsey is named after the village in north London where I live.
The company is named after two dearly loved great grand-aunts:
Gertrude Louisa Lane (Giggy) born on 17th December 1888, died on 16th June 1978, aged 90.
Evelyn Emily Lane was called Bab as she was the baby, the youngest of 4 daughters. Born on 2nd June 1902, died on 6th December 1988, aged 86.
A long-held desire to start a business producing something both functional and beautiful, here in the UK.
A need to do something life-affirming, after many years working in international news, which is anything but.
Add a dollop of nostalgia for the familiar things of childhood. Many people remember these stools with affection.
A small inheritance provided the means.
Et voilà, the Hornsey began its long journey from idea to reality.
The end result: a product that is good enough to earn a place in your home.
A word on the names. The Hornsey is named after the village in north London where I live.
The company is named after two dearly loved great grand-aunts:
Gertrude Louisa Lane (Giggy) born on 17th December 1888, died on 16th June 1978, aged 90.
Evelyn Emily Lane was called Bab as she was the baby, the youngest of 4 daughters. Born on 2nd June 1902, died on 6th December 1988, aged 86.
Wherefores….
It was important to me to get the stool manufactured in this country, for many reasons.
It’s a Good Thing for countries to make things.
Sure, we can carry on filling our homes with imported stuff produced far away. But where does that leave us in terms of employment, skills and manufacturing base?
Which is why, albeit in a small way, I wanted to bring it home.
On a practical level, I am just an hour away from my manufacturers, so I have been involved in the whole process, from prototype through to the finished article.
I know the people producing this stool, I have seen where and how it is made, and I have been heartened by the ingenuity and enthusiasm of the men and women responsible.
Nice to know that the stools travel overland direct to you. No international freight, no shuttling between warehouses, meaning less environmental impact.
Giggy & Bab stools are built to last from sturdy materials, so it’s my little fist shake at our throwaway society.
If it’s provenance you’re after, the Hornsey is the stool for you.
It’s a Good Thing for countries to make things.
Sure, we can carry on filling our homes with imported stuff produced far away. But where does that leave us in terms of employment, skills and manufacturing base?
Which is why, albeit in a small way, I wanted to bring it home.
On a practical level, I am just an hour away from my manufacturers, so I have been involved in the whole process, from prototype through to the finished article.
I know the people producing this stool, I have seen where and how it is made, and I have been heartened by the ingenuity and enthusiasm of the men and women responsible.
Nice to know that the stools travel overland direct to you. No international freight, no shuttling between warehouses, meaning less environmental impact.
Giggy & Bab stools are built to last from sturdy materials, so it’s my little fist shake at our throwaway society.
If it’s provenance you’re after, the Hornsey is the stool for you.