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Twyford Bathrooms is a manufacturer of bathroom fixtures based in Alsager,
1883: Thomas William Twyford introduced the first all-ceramic, free-standing, one-piece, washout, pedestal closet, the Unitas. This incorporated the WC pan with an integral trap as one piece of pottery without the need for a surrounding wooden cabinet. The Unitas was exported throughout the world and the name itself is used to this day in the Russian language to mean "toilet" - see унитаз (Russian).
1887: Twyford's Cliff Vale factory was built as a "model" factory. The new factory's toilet facilities and systems of ventilation were treated by government inspectors of factories as a pattern for the whole of Staffordshire. Every workman had his own opening window.
1889: The first washbasins with combined overflows were introduced by Twyford.
1896: Twyford formed into a private limited company.
1901: Twyford built a factory in Ratingen, Germany, but vacated it in 1914 during the First World War. It was not reoccupied by Twyford but the Keramag company was established and produces sanitaryware at the factory to this day. Keramag is a member of the Sanitec Group.
1919: Twyford became a public limited company.
1921: Thomas William Twyford died. He was recognised as a leading pioneer in the application of principles of hygiene to
sanitary appliances. He became known as the "father of British bathrooms."
1929: A silent, black-and-white movie film showing the sanitaryware processes was commissioned as a marketing tool by the new Twyford management.
1945: Reconstruction of Etruria Works started and the first tunnel kilns were installed.
1953: The Cliffe Vale Fireclay factory was reconstructed, having suffered bomb damage during World War II.
1956: Construction at Alsager, Cheshire, of a vitreous china factory was started on a site. The first stage was completed in 1958.
1960: Twyford commenced manufacture of vitreous china in India, with Hindustan Sanitaryware & Industries Limited.
1962: Twyford established a factory in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
1970: Twyford commenced manufacture of vitreous china in a new factory located in Melbourne, Australia.
1971: Twyford acquired by the Building Products division of Reed International.
1973: Reed International acquires
Twyford Bathrooms
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{{Stoke-on-Trent Bathroom fixture companies British brands Ceramics manufacturers of England Borough of Cheshire East Companies based in Cheshire English brands
Cheshire
Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's coun ...
, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
.
History
Thomas Twyford and his sonThomas William Twyford
Thomas William Twyford (1849–1921) was a pottery manufacturer in England. He invented the single piece, ceramic flush toilet. At the time of Twyford's death he was recognised as a leading pioneer in the application of principles of hygiene to sa ...
established what is now known as Twyford Bathrooms in 1849 in Bath Street, Hanley
Hanley is one of the six towns that, along with Burslem, Longton, Fenton, Tunstall and Stoke-upon-Trent, amalgamated to form the City of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, England.
Hanley is the ''de facto'' city centre, having long been the ...
, Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of . In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement in Staffordshire and is surroun ...
. The worldwide demands for new sanitaryware soon required the building of an all new factory in 1887 at Cliffe Vale, Stoke-on-Trent. This was the first purpose built bathrooms factory in the world.
Today it is owned by Geberit AG
Geberit ( is a Swiss multinational group specialized in manufacturing and supplying sanitary parts and related systems. It is a leader in its field in Europe with a global presence through its subsidiaries.
History
The Beginnings
In 1874, ...
, which is a leading European manufacturer of sanitation equipment, following the 2015 acquisition of Finland-based bath and toilet firm Sanitec for $1.4 billion.
In 1999, Twyford Bathrooms were made holders of the Royal Warrant of Appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Company timeline
1680: Joshua Twyford (1640-1729) was the first Twyford to make commercial pottery near Shelton Old Hall, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. Specimens of his work can be seen at the Potteries Museum in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, including a salt glazedstoneware
Stoneware is a rather broad term for pottery or other ceramics fired at a relatively high temperature. A modern technical definition is a vitreous or semi-vitreous ceramic made primarily from stoneware clay or non- refractory fire clay. Whether ...
teapot inscribed 'Sarah Twyford'.
1729: Joshua Twyford died. The precise date production ceased at Twyford's original factory is not known, but the Twyford family continued potting in the district with the possible lapse of a generation.
1827: Thomas Twyford was born.
1849: Thomas Twyford established two factories where washbasins and closet pans of an elementary nature were made. The first was his Bath Street Works in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. The factory still exists but the street has been renamed Garth Street. The second was his Abbey Works in Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent. Twyford commenced exporting to America, Russia, Australia, France, Germany, Spain and many other countries.
1849, 23 September: Thomas William Twyford was born, in Hanover Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.
1870: The "Annus Mirabilis" of the water closet. 1870 was the start of thirty years of massive growth of the Twyford company and a flood of sanitary invention.
1872: Thomas Twyford died. Thomas William, at age 23, took over the running of the blossoming company.
1883: Thomas William Twyford introduced the first all-ceramic, free-standing, one-piece, washout, pedestal closet, the Unitas. This incorporated the WC pan with an integral trap as one piece of pottery without the need for a surrounding wooden cabinet. The Unitas was exported throughout the world and the name itself is used to this day in the Russian language to mean "toilet" - see унитаз (Russian).
1887: Twyford's Cliff Vale factory was built as a "model" factory. The new factory's toilet facilities and systems of ventilation were treated by government inspectors of factories as a pattern for the whole of Staffordshire. Every workman had his own opening window.
1889: The first washbasins with combined overflows were introduced by Twyford.
1896: Twyford formed into a private limited company.
1901: Twyford built a factory in Ratingen, Germany, but vacated it in 1914 during the First World War. It was not reoccupied by Twyford but the Keramag company was established and produces sanitaryware at the factory to this day. Keramag is a member of the Sanitec Group.
1919: Twyford became a public limited company.
1921: Thomas William Twyford died. He was recognised as a leading pioneer in the application of principles of hygiene to
sanitary appliances. He became known as the "father of British bathrooms."
1929: A silent, black-and-white movie film showing the sanitaryware processes was commissioned as a marketing tool by the new Twyford management.
1945: Reconstruction of Etruria Works started and the first tunnel kilns were installed.
1953: The Cliffe Vale Fireclay factory was reconstructed, having suffered bomb damage during World War II.
1956: Construction at Alsager, Cheshire, of a vitreous china factory was started on a site. The first stage was completed in 1958.
1960: Twyford commenced manufacture of vitreous china in India, with Hindustan Sanitaryware & Industries Limited.
1962: Twyford established a factory in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
1970: Twyford commenced manufacture of vitreous china in a new factory located in Melbourne, Australia.
1971: Twyford acquired by the Building Products division of Reed International.
1973: Reed International acquires Curran Steels
Curran Steels was a manufacturing company in Cardiff, Wales, founded as the ''Edward Curran Engineering Co'' and known locally as ''Curran's''.
The factory was located on the east bank of the River Taff, near to Cardiff Docks. It was served ...
, adding its pressed steel and acrylic baths to the Twyford product range.
1976: A£5 million expansion scheme for the Alsager vitreous china factory was completed.
1992: MB Caradon invested £13 million in a new national distribution centre and new head office, showroom and administrative block on the Alsager site, which became the largest single unit devoted to vitreous china production and distribution in Europe. The site at Alsager now covers .
1996: George Rimmer joined as Commercial Products Director and oversaw a joint venture with Bushboard promoting Twyford as a market leader in the UK commercial sector.
1999: Twyford's 150th birthday
2001, January: HSBC sold Twyford Bathrooms to the Sanitex Corporation of Helsinki, Finland. Sanitec is Europe's largest producer of ceramic sanitaryware in Europe and is quoted on the Helsinki stock exchange. Twyford Bathrooms was re-established with the Twyford, Doulton and Royal Doulton brands of bathroom products.
2001: Twyford introduced the first British-made, specially designed, valve operated toilet suite to the UK market, the View suite.
2005: Twyford's brand logo was redesigned.
2007: Twyford's Sola range was completely overhauled and the Rimless Pan was launched.
2007: Twyford Galerie Flushwise – the dual flush 4-litre and 2.6-litre water efficient suite – launched and won the Water Wise Marque award.
2010: The company's parent group Sanitec announced the closure of the Alsager factory in July 2010, with all manufacturing moving to factories outside the UK.
2011: Production halted after 162 years. The factory in Alsager, Stoke-on-Trent was closed to make way for a supermarket; however, the offices remain.
2012: Planning permission
Planning permission or developmental approval refers to the approval needed for construction or expansion (including significant renovation), and sometimes for demolition, in some jurisdictions. It is usually given in the form of a building per ...
for a supermarket was refused due to the impact on surrounding businesses. In October 2012 Twyford's Bath Street Works in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent was finally demolished. On 28 December 2012 Twyford's Garner Street "Etruria Works" sustained an enormous fire, with many of the businesses in the last original Twyford's industrial units being affected.
References
External links
Twyford Bathrooms
Waterwise
{{Stoke-on-Trent Bathroom fixture companies British brands Ceramics manufacturers of England Borough of Cheshire East Companies based in Cheshire English brands