Our Story
Catchpole & Rye has been in business for over 30 years, evolving and expanding into what it is today.
Continue scrolling to read how Catchpole & Rye was started from humble beginnings to what is has become today.
Catchpole & Rye has been in business for over 30 years, evolving and expanding into what it is today.
Continue scrolling to read how Catchpole & Rye was started from humble beginnings to what is has become today.
“Like so many businesses the birth of Catchpole & Rye came about by accident. A cottage we purchased in 1990 featured an old claw foot tub. The restoration of this bathtub led me on a merry journey through the salvage yards of Kent and thus ensued a passion for antique sanitary ware and it’s manufacture. I quickly realised there was a forgotten heritage within Britain and set about understanding the origin of these plumbing products and how they were made.”
Catchpole & Rye has been in business for over 30 years, evolving and expanding into what it is today.
In 1999 Tony and his wife, Elaine, bought what was a run-down Dairy farm in Kent with a vision to turn it into the epicentre and manufacturing base for the business they were just starting. From what was once old cattle sheds and agricultural outhouses, today stands a collection of fully renovated buildings and an impressive Showroom totalling over 40,000 sq ft.
Throughout the 1990’s Tony collected and restored thousands of pieces of original sanitaryware – both from Great Britain and France.
As supply became more erratic and standards more stringent it became apparent that a move to replicate these historic creations was the way forward. So began a process of selecting the most sought-after items and creating patterns and moulds to allow repeat manufacture. Working alongside Dick Pettitt, a master patternmaker, we created a range of baths that could be cast in iron and enamelled within our own workshops.
After having operated near Ashford since 1997, Tony and Elaine decided to take the leap and purchase a premises for their expanding company. In 1999 they bought what was a run-down Dairy farm in Kent with a vision to turn it into the epicentre and manufacturing base for the business they were just starting.
From what was once old cattle sheds and agricultural outhouses Tony and Elaine created a workshop and showroom which opened at the turn of the millennium.
By this time, we had created a full repertoire of our own original designs. We had baths and cisterns cast, basins and W/C’s fired, and taps and brassware manufactured to our specifications. One of our main objectives was to bring as much manufacture as possible ‘in-house’ to ensure quality and control.
Six years into the new premises, it was time to expand the workshops to accommodate an expanding team and expanding output. By now we had restored four of the five old farm buildings and had a workforce of eight people.
The last building on the site was finished and allowed us to increase our polishing facilities hugely. Practically every metal item that we manufacture needs to be polished from a large cast iron bath through to the smallest brass component of a tap. This involved the purchase and restoration of many old Cannings polishing machines. Manufactured in Birmingham in the 1950’s and 1960’s they are still the machines that experienced polishers swear by!
Catchpole & Rye awarded a Distinction at the Aberdeenshire Design Awards for the exceptional restoration of a John Bolding & Sons copper bath and canopy which once again sat fully operational in Fasque House.
Bought Dispatch in-house
Due to the increased demand for brassware like taps, shower, basin frames and towel rails we bought out one of our suppliers, Brass Products Limited. This provided us with our own CNC Engineering capability alongside a comprehensive electroplating facility.
Completed the construction of new warehouse for storage and despatch.
Tony was inducted into The Worshipful Company of Plumbers. The WCP is one of the most ancient of the Livery Companies of the City of London.
A new dedicated 10,000sq ft Engineering Facility is completed allowing increased in-house manufacturing.
10-year anniversary of the opening of our London Showroom, where we celebrated the launch of the Charleston Washstand
Meanwhile, at HQ in Kent, the expansion of Workshops to double the square footage completed in the Autumn. Never standing still at Catchpole & Rye, construction has begun on a museum building – to be continued!
