“Looking to the future,
staying loyal to our past.”
Staples has been making luxury
Advances in modern technology
handmade beds for over 100 years and
have pushed the limits of handmade
has steadfastly refused to compromise
beds to quite an extaordinary new level.
on quality and workmanship ever since.
On 3rd January 1895 Ambrose Heal
purchased the United Kingdom rights to
the patent for ‘Improvements in Support
for Upholstery Springs’, thereby starting a
revolution in mattress making and founding
a Company which was to be synonymous
with quality and service to the present day.
On October 26, 1915, when visiting his
troops in France, King George V fell victim
to an unfortunate accident causing severe
straining to the King’s back. On his return
to England, the King was advised by his
physicians to sleep on a Staples bed - the
unique construction of which had already
demonstrated its superiority in maintaining
correct spinal support, which we now
recognise as being an essential ingredient
in healthy, restful sleep.
In 1923 a Royal Appointment was
The Company expanded and the need to
granted by King George and has
acquire additional premises to develop
been graciously renewed by each
a quality “overlay” mattress became
successive monarch including Her
paramount. New patents were taken out
Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
and the Staples “Interior Overlay” went into
production.
In 1926 Mr. Harold Heal commissioned the
design and build of the factory which has
since become one of North West London’s
best known landmarks - ’Staples Corner’.
Staples beds have played their part
in British history. During World War II
speciality Staples beds were required,
including one for the Prime Minister,
Winston Churchill, for whom a sound night’s
sleep was essential; later a similar model
was ordered for his home at Chartwell.
Another “special” order which was
executed in 1943 was for a feather weight
Staples products, including the famous
“Granny’s favourite” Cantilever table, were
chosen to display at the Festival of Britain
– a national exhibition organised by the
Government to give Britons a feeling of
recovery in the aftermath of war and to
promote the British contribution to science,
technology, industrial design, architecture
and the arts.
Ladderax, the most versatile storage
Further expansion of Staples led to the
Staples became the only UK bedding
Throughout the 90’s Staples continued to
Staples is participating in the Coronation Festival in
system made in the UK was launched, a
purchase of an additional company and
manufacturer to use the international
develop its contract range, with an upholstered
Buckingham Palace gardens alongside over 200 fellow
system of teak cabinets and shelf units
the formation of Buckingham Beds Ltd, a
“Woolmark” distinction on its mattresses
hotel beds collection, Ladderax and Campus
Royal Warrant holders. The Festival is part of the 60th
supported on metal ladders, enhanced
Staples subsidiary.
due to the amount of pure new wool used.
– a range of study-bedroom furniture widely
Anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation celebrations and
used in universities and colleges.
will be the first time Royal Warrant Holders have been
further in 1976 by the use of wooden
ladders and mahogany and brass fittings.
The range and styles of beds extended
In addition to this, the Staples Excelsior
The huge success of Ladderax led to the
considerably, with a wide range being
model was acclaimed to be the world’s
opening of an additional factory in Hitchin.
offered to the public and customised
most luxurious bed in standard production –
products, such as a 7ft diameter circular
with 1404 pocket springs in its hand-tufted
bed for the Sultan of Oman and a 9ft
mattress.
bed to fit in the aircraft of Air Marshal
square bed for a London journalist,
Cunningham and similar equipment was
amongst many more.
The Company expanded yet again and in
used in a Dakota for Sir Sholto Douglas and
1986 moved to a purpose-built factory in
General Montgomery.
Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
united in an event of this scale.
“Our passion for quality handmade beds began over
100 years ago and while technology has a great
deal to offer, nothing equals the performance of natural
materials, which with traditional manufacturing
methods, produce a bed of superior quality.”
Our uncompromising standards
With the purchase of British rights to
of Staples, reflected widely in the
the patent by the founder of Staples
Company’s product developments.
& Co. Ltd, Sir Ambrose Heal, the
mattress making revolution began.
Whether in the 1920’s or in
2013, customer satisfaction and
From the very beginning the Staples
extraordinary comfort achieved
patent has been synonymous with the
through traditional methods of
highest quality and service; attributes
production are at the heart of what
to which the Company has stayed true
we do. We strive to use the finest
throughout centuries. The sleeping
components to create the quality,
comfort and importance of healthy,
traditional beds that Staples is
natural sleep are always at the heart
renowned for.
By Royal Appointment
The extreme comfort and health
purchased by British Embassies from
attributes have been appreciated by
Moscow to Washington, for residences
the Royal Family as early as 1915, when
and hotels in New Delhi, Calcutta,
following the accident in France, King
Singapore, Rhodesia, Port Elizabeth,
George V was advised by his doctors
Nairobi, Brussels and Shanghai. They
to sleep on a Staples bed. Several
were also commissioned for railway
beds were subsequently ordered and
carriages in Central Africa as well as UK
supplied to the Royal residences. In
and on ships such as the Queen Mary.
1923 the Royal Appointment to King
George V as Bedstead & Mattress
The Company enhanced its production
Makers was given.
by moving to premises in North
London, Staples Corner, whereby
The superior quality and craftsmanship
utilising new facilities and preserving
of Staples products became famous
traditional hand-making qualities, a
throughout the world: with beds being
new era of mattress making began.
Innovation and
development
From the Second World War to the beginning
of the 21st century, Staples created many
products that complimented the bed and
mattress ranges: Cantilever tables, Putaway
beds, Sofa beds, Ladderax and Campus
systems or Fashion (fully upholstered) beds.
Always on trend and using innovative design
methods, Staples developments are of the
highest quality, superior finish and have
extreme attention to detail that provide years
of satisfaction and long lasting use.
The Coronation Festival is being held
Staples is privileged to be exhibiting
to celebrate 60 years of tradition,
at this prestigious event in
innovation and excellence during the
Buckingham Palace gardens in the
Queen’s reign.
summer of 2013.
It is a unique event that brings
To mark the occasion in style, Staples
over 200 Royal Warrant holders to
will be showcasing a very special
present their products and services
celebratory edition bed.
to promote British industry and trade.
A true masterpiece
that we are proud of
The beautiful Ambrose bed has
enormous amount of time and effort
been created specifically for
into each stage of the creation of this
the Coronation Festival. It is a
magnificent bed; from design, through
quintessence of Staples heritage,
careful selection of components to
with a hand crafted base, mattress
the final stages of manufacturing.
and headboard made of the finest
components and using traditional
The Ambrose is testament to the
methods of manufacturing.
skills of Staples workmen and women,
who continue to uphold the Staples
A highly skilled and experienced
core values of tradition, extraordinary
team of Staples craftsmen put an
quality, craftsmanship and excellence.
“Applying 21st century technology to our traditional handmade heritage.”
Signed by Ambrose Heal
Every component of the Ambrose
A notably successful retailer and
bed tells the story of the exceptional
manufacturer, Sir Ambrose Heal was
craftsmanship and heritage of
one of the great artists of his time.
Staples throughout the years. Given
the magnitude of the event that
In 1933, he was knighted for raising
the bed is designed especially for,
standards of design, and in 1939
and the origins of the brand itself,
was appointed a Royal Designer for
we decided to name this beautiful
Industry. His passion for use of the
bed after the founder of Staples &
highest quality materials, making
Co, Sir Ambrose Heal (1872-1959),
quality craftsmanship accessible
to commemorate his significant
to customers without sacrificing
contribution to the British bedding
beautiful designs is reflected in the
industry as well as furniture design.
look and feel of the Ambrose bed.
The true comfort
comes from within
Staples use only the finest natural fillings that
provide superior quality of comfort with a
luxurious feel, tried and tested by generations
of satisfied Staples users.
This beautifully hand sewn mattress includes
4500 pocket springs, topped with latex and
hand teased horse hair to provide excellent
ventilation and breathability; followed by merino
and lambs wool as well as Bactrian camel hair
to ensure incredible thermostatic properties
- insulating or cooling if needed. Alpaca fleece
at the top of the mattress is an extremely fine,
virtually indestructible, sumptuously soft filling
giving the mattress a luxurious comfort and feel.
The Ambrose is finished with one of the
finest quality Belgian damask fabrics with a
wonderfully embroidered signature.
“Every stitch is lovingly hand-sewn
by skilled craftsmen to the highest
standard to ensure that the Ambrose
is the true epitome of luxury sleep.”
It all starts with
a solid foundation
We are proud to have a team of expert
craftsmen, who with their skills and knowledge of
the bed makers’ art can utilise the materials to
build an individually tailored and handmade bed.
The Ambrose base features a unit of hand
lashed, coppered 4’’ conical springs and pocket
springs, separated by a wool pad layer to
provide insulation. Glued and screwed hard
wood supports and solid wood sides give this
Staples base extra strength, whilst padded
upholstery of British wool fabric provides
cushion comfort.
To complement the comfort and look, the base
is hand tufted with antique finish wooden legs
and a brass signature plaque.
“It’s the attention to detail that
really sets the Ambrose apart
from ordinary beds.”
Fit for our Queen
In 1947, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh
spent part of their honeymoon in Luton Hoo
Hotel in Hertfordshire, where they returned to
celebrate many future wedding anniversaries.
This grand mansion and, in particular, the vast
state Queen Elizabeth bedroom, became the
ideal location to present a truly royal Ambrose
bed and show exactly how Staples products
reflect the highest standard and quality to be
suitable for our Queen.
The idyllic backdrop
Luton Hoo stands majestically amongst lush woods
and gardens and provides the perfect backdrop
for a truly magnificent occasion; the genuine
appreciation for the British countryside by a British
manufacturer.
We would like to thank the following for their valuable
contributions to the production of this brochure:
Venue: Luton Hoo 5 Star Hotel, Golf & Spa
www.lutonhoo.co.uk
Photography: Chris King @ Unique Capture
www.uniquecapture.com
To find out more about the current Staples product
range and for a list of stockists, please visit:
www.staplesbeds.co.uk
www.staplesbeds.co.uk
Staples Beds Windover Road Huntingdon Cambridgeshire PE29 7EF | [email protected] | www.staplesbeds.co.uk