Fred Skull of Bassetsbury Manor born 1874
The Rye


Picture from the SWOP website
Reference number RHW : 08043 (Manor)

Bassetsbury Manor, the home that I own
Has a brand new extension, a bathroom, a phone,
The rooms I have furnished with quality goods
And I live among fine things like all good Skulls should,
I restore and conserve bits across in my mill
And I worked with my father until he grew ill,
When he died in the 30s his factory was sold
To Italians, now Ercol, his chair friends of old,
But my knowledge of history and various styles
Kept me working with Ercol for quite a long while,
My antiques are famous, I have quite a few
And even Queen Mary has heard of them too,
She came for a visit to see what I had
And she liked what she saw which has made me most glad.

Fred Skull was the oldest surviving son of Charles Edwin and Georgiana Skull (neé Tilbury).  He broke away from Walter Skull and Son to develop his antiques business and prospered well but he maintained links regarding Skull's reproduction furniture. He continued these links with Ercolani after the Skull firm was bought by Furniture Industries (Ercol).
Back to map