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Francis Henry Newbery, known as ‘Fra’ Newbery, was born at Membury, Devon, England on 15 May 1855.

After working for his father as a shoe maker until the age of nine, Newbery was educated and later trained to be a teacher at Bridport Boys’ General School and from about 1869 attended the Bridport School of Art, qualifying as an art master two years later.

Henry Newbery portrait

It was the artist and teacher Henry Newbery who really put the company on the global map back in 1872 when he inherited it from his late uncle. It was the perfect time to take this already age old company and transform it into the power house of interior design. Newbery was a colourful character and when he became the headmaster at The Glasgow School of Art, he was very careful to keep his passion as a teacher and artist away from the business of the day. From the weaving looms to the tapestry frames and the assembly benches to the long rope twisting walks, Henry Newbery & Co have created collections of decorative trimmings for palaces, theatres, stately houses, hotels, offices and beautiful homes throughout the world for over two centuries.

Today, we provide both stock support collections and a bespoke service.

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