From about 1868 to his death in 1893, Frederick Garrard made a range of tiles at the Millwall Pottery in London, in early Dutch polychrome delftware style as well as reproductions of early Spanish cuenca tiles and some medieval line impressed tiles. Recently, a few of his tiles have come to light revealing designs based on those of Morris & Co and William De Morgan. The discovery of hearth tiles by Frederick Garrard in one of the fireplaces at Kelmscott House, has established a possible link between Garrard and Morris, which needs to be investigated further.
Chris Blanchett been collecting and studying the history of tiles for some 45 years and is the author of “20th Century Decorative British Tiles”, 3 volumes, Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, 2006, as well a large number of articles for the Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society, of which he is an Honorary Life Member. He is also an Honorary Life Member of Tile Heritage Foundation (USA) and a Member of the Vrienden van het Nederlandse Tegel Museum in the Netherlands. He acts as an advisor on Victorian Tiles to the Church Recorders as well as to the Jackfield Tile Museum, the V & A, the British Museum and the INAX Tile Museum in Japan.
