Featured Photos

Garton & King was not all gullies gratings gears and manhole covers. These two images were taken this April in the St Anthony's Chapel at Cowley near Exeter and show that the Company were very much into various forms and systems of Heating. St Anthony's Heating System dates from probably the middle to late 1800s and this type of radiator is particularly scarce nowadays. Another interesting discovery of a G & K of about the same era can be seen at Christ Church Bridgewater There is a full write up on this Bridgwater (Somerset) Unitarian Church's System on their Website.St Anthony's Chapel has now been deconsecrated and is cuirrently up For Sale. Who knows the fate of the building and its historic Heating System. May 2013

Welcome to the Exeter Foundry Website

The Holladay family, who have been involved with the business of Garton & King from 1898 until 1990, have put together this History of the Company and hope you will find it of interest.

Garton & King, and its predecessors (which includes, amongst others, King & Munk and Garton & Jarvis) can trace their trading history back to 1661, that is well over three hundred years of business within Exeter, mostly in and around the High Street.

Since the Website was created in 2009 we have added much additional information. Chapters on 'The Dunbar' or to use its catchier title 'The Curious Incident of the Sunken Stoves' and then a Chapter on the almost unbeaten length of time the Company has been AGA Agents under the Title 'AGA, A Grand Affair'. We have also added the Guestbook and some interesting comments have been posted, some by past employees and if you have worked in the past for the Company, either under Alec in the Showroom or down at the Foundry when it was at Tan Lane you are sure to recognise some of the names mentioned in the Postings. Perhaps you will be suitably inspire to add your comments - but keep it clean, no Foundry Language please! or, if you would rather, contact me direct.If you have any Archive Material or memories I really would like to hear from you - see the 'About Me Page' for contact details.

We now have much more information on Stove Sales and an alphabetical list of who bought what and where they lived.

A new addition to the Home Page will take the form of an image or two of items I have discovered or have been told about and a brief description. This will be up dated every month or so - in time it is hoped to create, perhaps every 6 - 9 months or so, a Chapter incorporating these and other discoveries and providing more detailed information.

Don't forget, if you live fairly local to me (Chudleigh) and belong to a Club or Social Group I am equipped to give Illustrated Talks on G & K Ltd's History - all my Contact Details are on the About Me Page.

Richard Holladay. (May 2013)