George Orton, Sons & Spooner Ltd (1875 - 1977)
Dates
- Existence: 1875 - 1977
- Usage: 1925 - 1977
Biography
Orton, Sons and Spooner Ltd., were an engineering company, which produced some of the most sophisticated and sought after rides, wagons and show fronts in the British fairgrounds at the turn of the nineteenth century. The company gained an unrivalled reputation, applying industrial and artistic design to produce some of the most spectacular rides in the sector through a combination of innovative engineering, entrepreneurship and decorative finishes applied by some of the best artists and carvers in the trade.
Orton and Spooner elevated ride manufacturing from its humble man and animal powered beginnings in the pre-industrial revolution to sensorial experiences of beauty, speed, discovery and thrill, matching the social aspirations of an entire nation.
George Orton first stablished the Lion Carriage Works in 1875, making Gipsy and other transportation wagons. It wasn't until 1883 that Orton started trading with fairground showmen by building highly decorative living wagons, which exteriors worked as showfonts. This diversification signified the company’s transition from the transport industry to the entertainment industry.
Charles Spooner was a skilled woodcarver mainly supplying the thriving Burton-on-Trent brewing industry with drays and handcarts. Spooner set up his own business in 1892. His impressive finesse as a woodcarver brought him to the attention of George Orton in 1894. Initially, Orton sub-contracted Spooner to supply carvings for his living wagons and showfronts. Their skills were so complementary that the business became dependant on each other and Orton and Spooner entered into a long partnership, which resulted in the amalgamation of their companies in 1925.
The manufacturing of living wagons soon evolved into lavish showfronts and ambitious rides that dominated the market, especially after the company’s main competitor, Fredrick Savage of King’s Lynn, went into liquidation in 1910.
The company was requisitioned by the government during both world wars; during WWI to manufacture portable aircraft hangers and during WWII to build military vehicles.
Orton and Spooner managed to resume business in the supply of the entertainment sector after both wars, but started winding down the manufacturing of fairground equipment after WWII as the company experienced the effects of fundamental changes on labour conditions and market demand.
From the end of WWII until 1953 they diversified into the manufacturing of light engineering products to offset the unpredictability of the entertainment sector. Orton, Sons and Spooner Ltd., finally stopped trading in fairground equipment in 1954 to specialise exclusively in the manufacturing of mechanical handling equipment until 1977 when the company finally closed.
Found in 806 Collections and/or Records:
Crank Design, 1926
Design for three abreast roundabout crank for J. Evans.
Darwing of Farrar's Yoyo Paybox, c1900 - 1929
Sketch for Farrar's Yoyo paybox. Pencil on paper.
Darwing of The Ritz Cinema, 1935
Front elevation of a building. Pencil and colour pencil on paper, Ritz Cinema Burton on Trent for Orton and Spooner. The art deco interior was designed by Annie Orton. Building designed by John Fairbrother, Glasgow. Later became a theatre and opera house. O & S owned other cinemas in the town. Grade II listed, interior decoration intact. Alternative finish.
Darwing of The Ritz Cinema, 1935
Front elevation of a building. Pencil and colour pencil on paper, Ritz Cinema Burton on Trent for Orton and Spooner. The art deco interior was designed by Annie Orton. Building designed by John Fairbrother, Glasgow. Later became a theatre and opera house. O & S owned other cinemas in the town. Grade II listed, interior decoration intact.
David Braithwaite Collection
This collection contains photographs taken by David Braithwaite from the 1950s and used towards his publications alongside older images collected from other sources as well as business records, monographs, articles, correspondence, newspaper cuttings, advertising material, bibliographies, catalogues, programmes, films and some other miscellaneous items.
Decorative Comic Drawings for Fairground Ride, c1900 - 1929
Series of humorous sketches designed to decoratethe rounding boards on a fairground ride.
Decorative Drawings for Juvenile Fairground Ride, c1930 - 1949
Sketches of various scenes designed to decorate the rounding boards of a juvenile fairground ride.
Decorative Frieze Drawing, c1875 - 1899
Section of Design for a decorative frieze.
Design Drawings for Jaconelli Ice Cream Cart, c1920 - 1939
Sketche for ice-cream cart for Jaconelli showing front and side elevations. Pencil on paper.
Design Drawings for Ride and Show Fronts, c1880 - 1939
Drawings for ride fronts, shows and carts, including Chamberlain’s show front carved by W.E. Hilton, Bostock’s show front, chalk rubbing for window design, centre pay box for organs, Ghost trains, Corrigan’s front entrance, Smart and Elson sign, Frank Codona’s Speedway, Egyptian Helter Skelter design and Parry’s Famous Shows front.
Design Drawings for Risi's Ices Cart, c1920 - 1939
Desing for Risi's Ices cart, front and side views with annotations and dimensions. Pencil on paper.
Design Drawings for Risi's Ices Stall, c1920 - 1939
Design for Risis Ices stall frontage. Pencil on paper.
Design for Army Waggon, c1875 - 1900
Design for army wagon showing scaled front and back elevations. Pen and ink on paper.
Design for Basket Lifting Ride, c1880 - 1889
Design for early basket lifting ride, with letters and numbers. Pencil on paper.
Design for Column's Capital, c1875 - 1899
Design for a heavily decorated column capital, signe C.S. Spooner Burton on the shield. Pencil on paper.
Design for Column's Capital, c1875 - 1899
Design for a column capital showing a woman's torso, birds and profuse folliage, signed Spooner Burton. Pencil on paper.
Design for Column's Capital, c1875 - 1899
Design for a column capital showing a woman's torso, birds, profuse folliage and other animal shapes, signed Spooner Burton. Pencil on paper.
Design for Dodgem Rail, 1937
Design for dodgem rail showing Art Deco style decorations and Geo. Orton Sons & Spooner Burton on Trent stamp. Pencil on paper.
Design for Fletcher's Motor Van, March 1913
Design for a motor van for Fletchers, showing sides, front and back elevations with some annotations. Pencil on paper.
Design for Jack and Jill Slide, c1920 - 1939
Design for Jack and Jill front for Arthur Holland slide, showing a boy and a girl falling forward and a well on top left. Pencil on paper.