Our History

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Our heritage in woodworking goes back four generations to 1901, when Edward Wainwright was an apprentice cabinet maker. Edward went on to produce many heirloom quality pieces, and passed all of his professional knowledge and experience onto his son, Tom.

By the late 1950‘s, Edward’s son, Tom Wainwright, had added television, radio, appliance, and electrical engineering to his expanding portfolio of professional skills. Tom opened what would become a highly successful consumer electronics retail, servicing, and repair business, whilst continuing to craft incredible pieces from wood.

Edward Wainwright circa 1925.
Original advert for Tom Wainwright’s business from the early 1960s.
Tom stood next to his first car wearing workshop attire.

When Tom reached his mid 80s he began to hand down dozens of cherished woodworking and workshop tools to his grandson, Gyles. Tom was keen to ensure that his collection of hand and power tools would continue to be used to produce beautifully crafted pieces long after he had retired.

In September 2020, Old Tom’s Workshop was born. Our name pays homage to Tom’s legacy and the skills, knowledge, and expertise that he was so keen to pass on.

We look forward to making some truly wonderful pieces that can be passed through your family for generations to come.