by Gordon Gandy
In a regular feature Radio Warrington’s Gordon Gandy, who has been running his “mywarrington” website covering local history for many years, looks back at some of the town’s famous families and historic buildings.
This month he looks at Robert Garnett & Sons, Furnishing Contractors, Cabinet Makers and Upholsterers.
Gordon Gandy
Robert Garnett Snr was born in 1806. He was a cabinetmaker and founded Garnett & Sons. He died in 1877. It was his son, also called Robert, who was the powerhouse of the company.
Robert Garnett Jnr was born on the 6 June 1830 in Penketh. He married Mary James on 15 Sep 1859 in Stanwix, Carlisle and they had one daughter. Garnett’s was a well-respected firm of cabinetmakers and he was a generous local benefactor to many churches. He laid the foundation stone at Penketh Methodist Church. The workshop was a familiar landmark on the Warrington skyline with its Italianate crenellated water tower.
His showroom on Sankey Street was designed by Chester architect John Douglas. Garnett’s described the building as “an imposing four-storey stone edifice to the Gothic style of Architecture”. The factory was on Barbauld Street to the rear of the showroom and they had other shops in Chester and Southport. William Roberts, his younger brother, oversaw the premises in Chester.
Robert Garnett Jnr died on 9 Apr 1903 at Hall Nook, Penketh and was buried in Sankey. Robert left over ten million pounds in today’s money in his will. The Garnetts were great philanthropists and gave a lot to the poor, they built churches and schools so the poor of society could be educated.
The Site later became the CWS printing works, but the building had been empty and deralict for about 60 years before demolition was begun in December 2017. The famous water tower, built in 1906, is also being demolished.
Meanwhile, the former showroom on Sankey Street still exists. From 1913 it was the home of Woolworths until the company closed down in 2009, and is now a pound shop.
To contact Gordon email [email protected] and read more at www.mywarrington.me.uk
Garnett’s Cabinet Works -Picture Paul Jackson
7 Comments
Robert Garnett (Jnr) had more than one child, he had Mary, Helen, Robert, Philip, Fanny, Amelia & Hilda 🙂
His brothers and sisters were called Amelia, Mary, Hellen, William, Fanny & David. There is a large painting of David in Warrington Museum painted by his son, artist & designer Alfred Payne Garnett. Mary Susannah Garnett ( nee.Thornely) (Robert Garnett Snr.’s wife) was my Great Great Great Aunt.
Thanks Paul for your additional information, in particular reagrding the painting in Warrington museum.
I have a book written by Robert and Mary Garnett, Sketches and Letters of Egypt and Palestine, published 1904 with a handwritten forward by Mary. This book was owned by a member of the Whitmore family but I wonder if there might be any further information in your archives. I had an aunt, Minnie Whitmore, who was a secretary within the Warrington Guardian in the early 1900s which could perhaps be a connection.
Unfortunately I don’t have any further information. I wonder if the museum might be able to help?
Hi i have 3mahogany dining chairs dated xxl. xxll and xxlll each engraved R Garnett Penketh my nana was given as a wedding present in 1929
A very interesting article- I am just starting to put together the family tree. Robert Garnett jnr was my Great great grandfather- his daughter Fanny my Great Grandmother-her daughter Maisie my Grandmother who married the Rev Thomas Thompson- they had 4 children; my father Robert Charles( Robin) : I remember my Grandmother speaking very fondly of her grandfather -she was his first grandchild I believe. We have some Garnett furniture
I remember as a kid in the 60s, seeing a CWS PRINTING WORKS sign, going down the outside of the building in Barbauld Street and the CWS logo on the tower for a while. I don’t know when the CWS vacated the building, but have always been interested in the dual purpose of the building before its demolition