Born in 1905


1905

Crawley Rd. London

Brothers Walter and William Wilson join forces with Edward Barber to form the partnership ‘Barber Wilsons & Company’ making castings from wooden patterns hand made by Walter in the Crawley Road premises that would become the company’s headquarters until the present day.

barber wilsons the founders

barber wilsons the founders


1908

Casting taps & forging friendships

The company becomes ‘incorporated’ and a highly skilled workforce is recruited for the foundry and workshop. Strong friendships are formed that would see many of the original team remaining for half a century or more.

1908 barber wilsons tap manufacturer team in front of factory

1908 barber wilsons tap manufacturer team in front of factory


1914

Success in the skies

During the Great War production is diverted to enable the manufacture of shell noses and fuses and a breakthrough device which was to revolutionise aerial combat enabling machine gunners to fire through their aircraft’s rotating propeller blades.

Gloster_Gladiator_3_ExCC

Gloster_Gladiator_3_ExCC


1920’s

From Turnpike Lane to Park Lane

The company wins a contract to furnish the newly built Dorchester hotel on central London’s Park Lane.

barber_wilsons_the _dorchester_1930s

barber_wilsons_the _dorchester_1930s


1930

Opening doors across the Atlantic

The company is commissioned to produce bespoke door handles for RMS Queen Mary, the flagship ocean liner of the Cunard White Star Line, offering a weekly service between Southampton, Cherbourg and New York.

barber_wilsons_RMS_Queen_Mary_2

barber_wilsons_RMS_Queen_Mary_2


1936

The Birth of the 'Mastercraft' range.

The original Capstan head design of the Mastercraft range, was designed by Dame Bridget D’Oyle–Carte and Barber Wilsons for the Savoy Hotel in the 1930s. This pioneering woman personally oversaw the interior design of both The Savoy and Claridge’s. The company went on to design the full range and it is with great pride we continue to produce an Art Deco original. Our product remains in Claridge’s to this day having been involved in every refurbishment of this iconic hotel.

barber wilsons savoy

barber wilsons savoy


1940-45

Once more unto the breach

Despite the ravages of bombing raids on London during the Second World War, Barber Wilsons’ factory escapes real damage and is able to support the war effort producing a variety of much needed equipment for both the British and American forces. Over a million components are dispatched for use in aircraft and warships.

timeline placeholder 1

timeline placeholder 1


1950

Post War Britain.

Barber Wilsons saw the demand for plumbing products grow to staggering proportions, as London property construction and repair became a matter of National priority.

barber wilsons factory

barber wilsons factory


1970

The home of Victorian elegance

The rediscovery of period fittings not made for 40 or 50 years, but still found in Barber Wilson’s old catalogues become fashionable again in refurbished Victorian homes. Old patterns are dusted off and the company’s Wood Green factory begins producing its traditional taps once more.

barber wilsons catalogues

barber wilsons catalogues


1990

Speed Merchants

The company takes a completely new direction and sponsors the Barwil Period One Sidecar Championships with a young Simon Wilson riding sidecar alongside the company’s Barwil branded Triumph 650.

barber wilsons speed merchants

barber wilsons speed merchants


Taps fit for the queen

Queen Elizabeth II is just one of the many who appreciate the style and quality of Barber Wilsons & Co taps and honours the company with a Royal warrant, repeating the honour presented earlier by HM The Queen Mother.

barber wilsons buckingham palace taps

barber wilsons buckingham palace taps


2019

Continuing traditional quality

After a century ‘specialising in specialities’ Barber Wilsons & Co are proud to have involved four generations using traditional skills and the highest quality materials to continue supplying the very best luxury taps and bathroom fittings to our valued customers around the world. We enter 2020 with a proud new identity and a vision to continue our rich heritage of innovation.

barber_wilsons_motif 01

barber_wilsons_motif 01