John Jackson, the Founder’s son, introduced Fibrous Plaster to the UK, setting the scene for a completely new and time saving approach to the production of interior embellishments. This material was used by Jacksons in theatres, museums, art galleries and stately homes. Between 1900-1930 over half the world’s ships were built in British shipyards and Jacksons revolutionised the appearance of ocean liners by using lightweight decorative fibrous plaster in the interiors of ships such as the Mauretania, Lusitania and Queen Mary. 
(Charles, Ninth Earl Spencer found this note when refurbishment work was carried out at Althorp House in 2013 – 135 years after the work took place. The Jacksons’ history lives on.)
Extended History
1763-1850
From 1763, there was a Thomas Jackson, trading as an ornamental composition manufacturer and frame maker, in the Tottenham Court Road. In 1793 he took out a lease on a new house at 46 Tottenham Court Road. By 1806, George Jackson was also living at this address, carving box wood moulds in reverse, in the Adam style.
From 1815 to 1822 the interior decoration of the Royal Pavilion in Brighton (owned by HRH George, Price Regent) was provided by Frederick Crace of London, who used Jacksons to embellish several rooms including the music room. This is the earliest evidence of Jackson’s work and in 1826 a Royal Warrant was issued by George IV.
By 1817 George had acquired 50 Rathbone Place, Oxford Street. Between 1820 and 1828 he secured further leases on properties in Soho Square; 12 Rathbone Place; Windmill Street; and two cottages in Shortland’s, Hammersmith.
Many gentlemen’s clubs in the early 19th century grew up from the politically based coffee and chocolate houses of the previous century. Jacksons were commissioned in 1820 to by Sir Charles Barry to decorate two clubs in Pall Mall. Also in the same year, the 2nd Duke of Sutherland commissioned the Jacksons to decorate the Duchess’ boudoir with bulrushes and foliage in relief. They also provided four side tables for each corner of the banqueting room.
When the Prince Regent became King he had Buckingham House converted in to a state palace. For the throne room Jacksons supplied oak leaf pilaster strips. For the Green drawing room 9528 composition rosettes for the pilasters and cove, and for the music room composition roses, thistle and shamrocks in descending sizes. In March 1840, Jacksons provided four large glass frame-heads with composition enrichment to hang in the small drawing room (now called the white drawing room). Also for the same room were six large glass frames richly ornamented with composition husk and acorns richly festooned, with fruit and flowers, brass foliage, bases and ornament laid on glass.
In 1828 the Duke of Wellington employed Jacksons for their paste composition ornamentation on the recommendation of architect Benjamin Wyatt.
By 1834 George had taken a lease on 49 Rathbone Place. The façade of the building consisted of a portico flanked by Ionic pillars with an Adam-style fanlight over the door. The hall and board room were decorated in the Adam style.
Benjamin Wyatt, having inherited from his father to position of Surveyor of Westminster Abbey, commissioned Jacksons in 1838 to provide a temporary wood-grain paneled enclosure for marshalling the guests at Queen Victoria’s coronation. Jacksons also provided a gothic style organ case for St Saviour’s Church (in 1905 this building became Southwark Cathedral). Although this case was dismantled in 1890 the three angles are still on display in the Cathedral.
The company also applied decorative ornamentation to the SS Great Britain, when launched by Prince Albert in 1843 as the fastest ship in the world. After floundering near the Falkland Islands in 1886 she remained a wreck there until she was brought back to the UK in 1970 when the company was contacted to renew its association with this famous ship and refurbish and restore its original decoration!
George died in 1850, leaving his sons Thomas and John the sole partners in the firm.
1850-1900
The highlight of 1851 was the Crystal Palace Exhibition where Jacksons won two medals: a First class and a Juror’s Medal. On their stand in the mediaeval Court they exhibited a chandelier of sixty lights made in carton Pierre. John Gregory Crace also exhibited a painted arabesque in conjunction with Jackson who made the border of composition ornament.
The final association with the Duke of Wellington came in September 1852 for his state funeral, for which an 18-ton carriage drawn by twelve draught horses was commissioned. Jacksons made the models and plaster casts, and provided the gilding.
Turning from the fine arts to the performing arts, Jacksons have worked on more than forty theatres in London and the provinces. These included: the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Savoy Theatre, Haymarket Theatre, the Lyric Theatre, the Comedy Theatre, the Gaiety Theatre and the Royal Italian Opera House in Covent Garden.
Museums, art galleries, libraries, universities, asylums and colleges were also decorated by the Jacksons. One such example is the Royal Holloway College, based on the French Chateaux of Chambord, in which Jacksons decorated the ceilings in the Library Museum, Dining Hall and Recreation Hall.
John died in 1876, leaving two sons John Junior and Edward Elliot partners in the company up until the early 20th century.
In 1890, Queen Victoria commissioned a State Banqueting Hall at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. This room had a deeply coffered ceiling composed of fibrous plaster . The walls were enriched with plaster whilst the skirtings and dados were made from Honduras mahogany with enrichments in carton Pierre. The decoration included Indian symbols of Gunesha – the Elephant God of good fortune – and a peacock over the chimney-piece and over-mantle (the peacock alone consisted of over 500 hours of work).
Between 1892 and 1890 Jacksons enhanced the interiors of several P&O passenger liners.
1900-1950
In the early 20th Century, Jacksons added to their already comprehensive collection the moulds of two competitors, Plastic Decoration & Papier Mache Co and G & A Brown of Hammersmith, when they both closed their doors.
Between 1900 and 1930, over half the world’s ships were built in British shipyards. Jacksons revolutionized the appearance of ocean liners by using fibrous plaster in the interiors. While on contract for Waring and Gillow, they created fifteen of the most magnificent floating hotels. Fibrous plaster was especially useful for these tasks because it can be built up in large units and attached to a structure at relatively few points. Ships of note include the Corinthian, Franconia, the Laconia, the Mauretania, the Lusitania and the Queen Mary.
The Automobile Association headquarters in the West End was fitted out with carved walnut wall paneling and fibrous plaster ceilings.
In 1910, Jacksons became a limited company.
In 1915 Jacksons worked on the plasterwork for the drawing room of Broome Park, owned by Lord Kitchener. The original drawings for this project now reside in the V&A Archives.
In the early 1920s, Jacksons were responsible for the carved wood paneling and plasterwork around the fireplace in the fashionable Kit-Kat club in the West End.
From 1922 – 1926 Harrow School erected a War Memorial building in memory of their Old Boys; Jacksons provided the ornamental ceiling.
In 1924, Jacksons provided a fibrous plaster ceiling, cornice and columns to complement the painted ceiling in the Restaurant of Peter Robinson, one of the first large shops to open on Oxford Street.
During the General Strike of 1926, Mr Jackson still paid his employees, and in that same year he was made Master of the Guild of Painters and Stainers.
G Jackson and Sons Ltd were one of the first firms to enter into the acoustic field in theatres and cinemas, with a form of blanketed seaweed inside paneled plasterwork, the object being to project sound waves from the stage to the auditorium. The plasterwork often portrayed Egyptian figures and birds.
In 1929 Edward Francis Jackson travelled to Havana to organize and set up a workshop and office for the decoration of the Capitol (Government House). Jacksons were sub-contracted to Waring and Gillow, who supplied the furniture and fittings.
In 1938 Jacksons worked on the ceilings of the Ballroom, Drawing Room, Library and Morning Room at Bletchley Park, famous for the code-breaking efforts undertaken there during the second world war.
In 1947, Edward Francis (the final director) sold the firm to Harry Leighton of Fenning and Co. Ltd, and died three years later.
1950- Present Day
1952 – Jacksons involved in the repair and refurbishment of Basildon Park near Pangbourne: the ceilings had gaping holes 2 yards square where a previous owner had sent samples to the United States hoping to sell the property, and the Library ceiling had collapsed after a fire, leaving only a corner motif.
In 1968, Harry Leighton died leaving the business to his two sons, Colin and Harry, and director Jack Lambert. Within a year it was sold to Clark and Fenn Holdings.
In 1972 the Lyric theatre, Hammersmith, was demolished and Jacksons were commissioned to construct a replica proscenium arch, using sections removed from the old one before it was demolished.
In the 1975 Restoration of Brighton Pavilion – Jacksons were commissioned to created a replica of the white marble dragon fireplace in Buckingham Palace (originally in the Music Room of Brighton Pavilion, moved to London by Queen Victoria)
Jackons were in 1984 awarded the Plaisterer’s Trophy, the London Regional Award and the Humber Silver Salver for Fibrous Plastering, for the work they performed on the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall.
In 1988 Jacksons moved to Mitcham to join Clark & Fenn
After the fire at Windsor Castle in 1992, extensive restoration work included the Crimson and Green Drawing Rooms, where they installed wall frames, pilaster panels and window-mirror architraves (all completed in time for the Golden Wedding Anniversary of the Queen and Prince Philip in November 1997). In the same year, the recreation of Uppark, West Sussex, earned Jacksons again the Plaisterer’s Trophy and the Humber Silver Salver
In 1994, Jacksons repaired the fire damage at Hampton Court
In 1994 Jacksons were involved in the interior of Aspinall’s Casino in London. Their ornate plasterwork again earned them an award in the Plaisterer’s Trophy competition for that year, which continued the company’s run of successful results.
Between 1995 and 2007 they remained as the specialist plaster arm of Clark & Fenn within the large construction groups of both Kvaerner and more recently Skanska UK. Award winning projects which the Mitcham workshops of Jackson’s have over this period been associated with include The Brighton Dome Theatre, Tate Britain, Bluewater Kent and a private residence near Oxford.
