Gibbs and Canning Limited was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

manufacturer Manufacturing is the creation or Production (economics), production of goods with the help of equipment, Work (human activity), labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of the secondary se ...

terracotta Terracotta, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta (; ; ), is a clay-based non-vitreous ceramic OED, "Terracotta""Terracotta" MFA Boston, "Cameo" database fired at relatively low temperatures. It is therefore a term used for earthenware obj ...

and, in particular,

architectural terracotta Architectural terracotta refers to a fired mixture of clay and water that can be used in a non-structural, semi-structural, or structural capacity on the exterior or interior of a building. Terracotta is an ancient building material that transla ...

, located in Glascote, Tamworth, and founded in 1847. The company manufactured a wide range of terracotta and faience: statues of lions and pelicans to adorn the Natural History Museum in London; architectural terracotta for banks and schools; and garden urns and planters. By the 1950s, when the factory finally closed, it was best known for more practical items, such as drainage pipes, sinks, vases and jars. Today, there is little evidence of the factory in Glascote, but the legacy lives on in the decoration and plumbing of many buildings in Britain’s major towns and cities.

Buildings featuring Gibbs and Canning terracotta

Natural History Museum A natural history museum or museum of natural history is a scientific institution with natural history scientific collection, collections that include current and historical records of animals, plants, Fungus, fungi, ecosystems, geology, paleo ...

, South Kensington, London. Designed by

Alfred Waterhouse Alfred Waterhouse (19 July 1830 – 22 August 1905) was an English architect, particularly associated with Gothic Revival architecture, although he designed using other architectural styles as well. He is perhaps best known for his designs ...

. Both the interior and exterior statues, and the block-work, are Gibbs and Canning (G&C). *

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...

, South Kensington, London. The buff, ornamental terracotta on the exterior. * 142 Holborn Bars, Prudential Assurance Building, Holborn, London. Designed by Alfred Waterhouse with all the red terracotta by G&C. *

Methodist Central Hall, Birmingham The Methodist Central Hall, 196–224 Corporation Street, Birmingham, Corporation Street, Birmingham, England, is a three-storey Architectural terracotta, red brick and terracotta Grade II* listed building with a distinctive tower at the north ...

. Ornate, red terracotta. *Imperial Buildings, Victoria Street/Whitechapel corner, Liverpool, 1879. Cream terracotta.''Pevsner Architectural Guides - Liverpool'', Joseph Sharples, 2004, *

Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, Manchester The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus on Oxford Road, Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, England was designed by Joseph Aloysius Hansom, Joseph A. Hansom and built between 1869 and 1871. The tower, designed by Adrian Gilbert Scott, was erected i ...

. Roof vaulting of hollow terracotta blocks, 1869–71.''Pevsner Architectural Guides - Manchester'', Clare Hartwell, 2001, *

Manchester Town Hall Manchester Town Hall is a Victorian era, Victorian, Gothic Revival architecture, Neo-gothic City and town halls, municipal building in Manchester, England. It is the ceremonial headquarters of Manchester City Council and houses a number of local ...

Designed, again by Alfred Waterhouse. *

Victoria Law Courts The Victoria Law Courts is a red brick and terracotta judicial building, which accommodates Birmingham Magistrates' Court, on Corporation Street, Birmingham, England. It is a Grade I listed building. History For much of the 19th century, cri ...

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

. Interior buff-coloured terracotta.''Pevsner Architectural Guides - Birmingham'', Andy Foster, 2005,

References

External links

{{commons category
Research page including details of many buildings that used Gibbs and Canning terracottaTamworth Castle - has a small display Gibbs and Canning wares and manufacturing techniques
Building materials companies of the United Kingdom Ceramics manufacturers of England Staffordshire pottery Terracotta Design companies established in 1847 Manufacturer of architectural terracotta Manufacturing companies established in 1847 1847 establishments in England

Buildings featuring Gibbs and Canning terracotta

References

Further reading

External links