COMMENT AND OPINION | Derek Miller
DEREK MILLER OPINION
With some personal memories, the co-owner of Scope Bathrooms in Glasgow looks back on the life and career of industry pioneer Geoffrey Pidgeon and how he opened his eyes to the exciting possibilities of the bathroom industry
A life well lived B
ack in the late Nineties, Scope Bathrooms was in its infancy and we were keen to source innovative products that would set
He will be
remembered as an enthusiastic innovator and pioneer of the
modern bathroom industry, which he helped shape
us apart from the crowd. One name that came up repeatedly during our various visits to factories and showrooms was that of Geoffrey Pidgeon, the owner of Original Bathrooms in Richmond, London. ‘You have to meet Geoffrey Pidgeon’ was the advice from many industry professionals we encountered and on one memorable business trip to London, I finally met the man I’d heard so much about. A great friend of our new business in those early days was Ken Pedrick, who was the UK agent for Kaldewei, before Kaldewei UK existed. Ken offered to take us on a tour of top showrooms, including CP Hart and Colourwash, which opened our eyes to the many possibilities of the emerging bathroom scene. As a final hurrah, Ken said that we should see Original Bathrooms in Richmond, so the circle was squared and I looked forward to the visit with keen anticipation. I was very taken by Original Bathrooms, especially
with Geoffrey, who struck me as a leading player in the industry. It became apparent he had decades of experience in bathrooms and that he was an opinion- former that had shaped our sector in a major way. He was genuinely interested in our new venture and, despite my obvious fresh-faced naivety, treated me with courtesy and respect. It transpired that the Pidgeons were looking to set up trading arrangements in different parts of the UK and were open to the idea of Scope taking on their wide range of Italian and Spanish bathroom products. Geoffrey had always believed in exclusivity and such an approach would allow Original Bathrooms to have the London and South-East market to themselves, while having a say in how the rest of the UK would access the products.
Influence
On that basis, Geoffrey had an influence on the products displayed when Scope opened in 1999. Our new showroom featured a ‘Designer Room’ devoted to an array of glass washbowls and basins fashioned from sealed, fine timber. Brands such as Agape, Fantini, Flaminia and Cesame were prominently displayed, courtesy of our collaboration with Original Bathrooms, and being ahead of the curve for Glasgow in 1999 definitely put us on the map in terms of design innovation. Over the next few years, I got to know Geoffrey, his lovely wife Jane and sons John and Michael well. Geoffrey was a captivating man and master storyteller. He would open up with ‘My dear boy’”, before regaling me with accounts of his rich family history in supplying bathrooms since the 19th century. My favourite Geoffrey story was included in his book, “Busted Flush – the Thomas Crapper Myth”, which is now the stuff of legend. “My dear boy,” he said. “Did I
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tell you about the time I was involved in fitting Winston Churchill’s bathroom at Hyde Park Corner? We were having such a tricky time with the WC and the lid simply wouldn’t sit snugly onto the cistern. “Well, do you know what I decided to do, my boy? I chewed some chewing gum and used it to stick the lid in place. It worked like a dream and, as far as I know, may still be there to this day!” His life story was incredible – from early years at Bletchley Park, to running Humphersons, the fourth- generation family business, then finally on to Original Bathrooms. He was a Freeman of the City of London and one of
the highest-profile figures in the plumbers
merchant sector in the massive London market throughout the Sixties and Seventies. Alas, time caught up with his concept of sub-distribution. The market at that time was changing dramatically and the Far East emerged as a producer of mass-market goods to challenge the core European manufacturers championed by Geoffrey and his family. Scope’s collaboration with him was brief, but it opened my eyes to the exciting possibilities of the bathroom industry and was undoubtedly influential in shaping the business we would become. I have great memories of Geoffrey and count him as a mentor in my early days in the industry. His recent passing made me sad, but he had a long, happy and exciting life. He will be remembered as an enthusiastic innovator and pioneer of the modern bathroom industry, which he helped shape.
His legacy will continue for years to come. · November 2021
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