The History of Robert Welch Cutlery
The History of Robert Welch Cutlery
Discover the history of Robert Welch Cutlery. Rich with British design, ingenuity and strong core values of simplicity and form, there’s a reason why this company has been recognised for over six decades as a leader in silversmithing and silverware.
Shop Robert Welch Cutlery1955 - Robert Welch graduated from the Royal College of Art
He was the only silversmith in his graduating class. He had taken an interest in Scandinavian modernist and simple designs but wanted to apply his skills in creating high-quality stainless steel tableware and cutlery.
After working successfully with some producers in Birmingham and the Malvern Hills, including creating an early piece in silver in 1950, he set up his first solo design workshop in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire.
The room was a disused workshop within an 18th Century silk mill in the heart of the Cotswolds. It was a simple camp bed and a drawing board set up, and it was here that a 26-year-old Robert Welch began his very first designs.
1956 - Welch designed and released the ‘Campden’ range
Collaborating with David Mellor, with whom Robert had studied, Welch designed and released his first tableware and cutlery range, called the ‘Campden’, named for the village where the workshop was situated. This was the first major product launch for Robert Welch Cutlery.
1958 - John Limbrey joined the team
John Limbrey, a silversmith and artist, visited the Chipping Campden workshop while on a trip to the Cotswolds. He knocked on the door, exclaimed the location was a beautiful place to work and asked if Robert Welch needed any help with work. He was offered a job and became responsible for commissioned ecclesiastical silverware and the domestic silverware ranges. He worked with the Robert Welch Cutlery company until well into the 21st Century, regularly collaborating and creating designs and ranges.
1965 - Robert Welch was elected a Royal Designer for Industry by the British Royal Society of Arts
1969 - The Robert Welch Studio Shop opens
The shop was only 50 yards from the original studio in the silk mill. Robert reportedly wanted to open a dual-purpose space so he could better understand the needs of customers, meet them in person and create timeless designs that suited a changing modern world. The Studio Shop is still open and operating today from the original premises, carrying out its original purpose of meeting and serving customers, and interpreting their design needs.
1979 - Robert Welch was awarded an MBE for services to arts
Also in this year, the Kitchen Devil’s Professional range was designed and released, immediately becoming one of the most successful and affordable kitchen knife ranges that delivered quality results for chefs.
1984 - Awarded a Design Centre Award
Following the success of the Kitchen Devil’s Professional range, Robert Welch Cutlery was awarded a Design Centre Award, recognising contemporary British design in industrial applications.
1990 - Alice Welch and Rupert Welch, two of Robert’s children, join the company
Having grown up watching their father sketch and design around the house, and seeing him in the workshop, Robert invited them to join and help continue moving Robert Welch Cutlery forwards into a new era and preserving his legacy and designs.
2000 - Robert Welch passed away aged 71
Alice and Rupert inherit the company and step into the roles of joint Managing Directors. Together, they work to ensure their father’s vision and products maintain their quality, designing the ‘Robert Welch Way’. They have also expanded the product range out from the traditional dining tableware and cooking to include more lifestyle and homeware products, like bathroom fittings, lighting, jewellery and table decorations.
2007 - The ‘Signature’ knife range
Launched to market, and stocked by many UK and global stores, the Signature knife range became a popular range in the domestic market.
2015 - 60 years of Robert Welch Cutlery designs
Celebrated with the release of a book - Robert Welch Design: Craft and Industry.
2016 - the Queen’s Award for Enterprise
In recognition of five years of consistently strong export growth, in part thanks to Alice and Rupert Welch’s vision and dedication to the company, Robert Welch Cutlery is awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the ‘International’ category.
2017 - Princess Anne visits the Robert Welch Studio Shop
Following their 2016 award, HRH Princess Anne visits the Robert Welch Studio Shop to tour and view the studio and meet the dedicated design team, as well as Alice and Rupert. At the end of the visit, they are awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the ‘Innovation’ category. This was in recognition of their ‘Signature’ knife block set, a knife block that holds five knives and has a built-in sharpener for easy maintenance.
2019 - ‘Family Business of the Year’
Continuing their strong presence in the Cotswolds community, Robert Welch Cutlery is awarded ‘Family Business of the Year’ by Cotswolds Life Family Business Awards.
today
Robert Welch Cutlery remains one of the most popular and enduring designers of cutlery, cookware, and homeware. The vision of Robert Welch is preserved by his children and the small team of designers. His original sketches and designs have been digitised and archived for future conservation, and many of the original prototype products from the 1960s have been preserved in museums such as the V&A London, The British Museum, The Museum of Modern Art (New York), Museum Boijmans van Beuningen (the Netherlands), and the KODE Art Museum (Norway).
Robert Welch Cutlery continues to produce beautiful, timeless designs, often referring back to the original ideas of Robert Welch, as well as innovating to meet a market more focused on casual home dining and high-quality fine dining experiences. Their advances into the homeware sector as well have proved successful, with their sleek minimal designs suiting many modern homes and buildings looking for a luxury finish to their bathrooms, living spaces, or corporate environments.
Honeycrock Lane, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 5DZ
