I took this in All Saints Church, High Wycombe 18-11-17. For some reason I fail to see the connection between this plaque and the link below. Or am I missing something ? For years ( 1993 - 2009 ) I used to deliver upholstery goods to Ercol's factory in Wycombe and Princes Risborough. I was told that one of the owners was a WW2 Pilot, but that was all. Wing Commander Lucian Ercolani
There was a RAF aircrew casualty from this family....I would think that the casualty was D Barry's brother During the war the Ecol furniture business was drawn into the war economy and Ecol were involved in the construction of gliders.
The four Ercolani's Lucian had three brothers who all moved over to London with him. In this picture from left to right was Mimo, William, Lucian and Victor. Victor started up Cabinet Industries alongside Furniture Industries in 1920, and while lesser known it was just as successful in its field of laminate wood casings for TV and Media Units. His most famous piece was the PYE TV Cabinet which was designed by Robin Day and manufactured by Cabinet Industries. Victor was a man of many talents and was also a keen stunt bi-plane pilot and latter in his life was Chairman of Crystal Palace FC. Lucian, Barry and Roma Ercolani Lucian R Ercolani and his wife, Eva, had three children. Lucian B, in the middle, and Barry, on the left, would follow their fathers footsteps and join ercol, both were joint-managing directors until Lucian R's death when Lucian B would become Chairman. Roma went to study at Central St Martins in London and her son, Edward, would be Chairman after Lucian B, while her daughter, Vicky, also works at ercol. This generational theme is seen throughout the factory with many employees working alongside their siblings and parents while also following in the footsteps of their grandparents. ercol's war effort The ercol factory was not requisitioned during the war effort, rather it worked for the government, making 25,000 tent pegs a day, as well as munitions boxes and other supplies. Both of Lucian's sons, Lucian B. and Barry, were involved in the RAF during the war, rising to Wing Commander and Flight Lieutenant respectively. Lucian B Ercolani was shot down coming back from a night raid in 1941; he downed his plane in the English Channel and was adrift in a dingy for three days before washing up on the Isle of Wight. He received a DSO and bar and a DFC for his service in the war. The Utility Furniture Scheme The UK was going through a serious shortage in raw materials and due to all the re-structuring and rebuilding there was a substantial demand for new furniture. The Utility Furniture Scheme, and its advisory Committee, was set up in 1942 as a way to make sure that the scarce available materials were used in a sensible way. In 1943 the Committee produced the Utility Furniture Catalogue with the aim in mind to ensure the production of strong well-designed furniture, making the most efficient use of the scarce timber. ercol's 4a Kitchen Chair was going to be a prime example of a well made and efficient chair. ercol and the Board of Trade In 1944, a representative of the Board of Trade offered Lucian Ercolani a contract to supply 100,000 chairs of a low cost design. Ercolani said he was interested, but that it would take twelve months to set up special machines to produce the chairs quickly at low cost. The cost was only 10s 6d per chair. The mass production of chairs was now a possibility. The Ercolani's In 1945 Lucian Ercolani's two sons were demobbed after the second world war and they both started working at Ercol. Lucian R, who became known by all affectionately as "The Old Man" took up the position of Chairman and his sons Lucian B and Barry were made joint managing directors. Timeline
Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators’ Certificates, 1910-1950 Name: Victor Albert Ercolani Birth Date: 10 Jan 1899 Birth Location: Clapton UK, WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920 Name: Victor Albert Ercolani Military Year: 1914-1920 Rank: Private Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal Regiment or Corps: Army Service Corps Regimental Number: M/302184 Previous Units: R.A.S.C. M/302184 Private British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 Name: Victor A Ercolani Regiment or Corps: Army Service Corps Regimental Number: M/302184 TD
1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION 26 Amersham Road, High Wycombe M.B., Buckinghamshire NAME DOB OCCUPATION Lucian R Ercolani 08 May 1888 Managing Director (Wood Furniture) Eva M Ercolani 01 Jun 1887 Wife Lucian B Ercolani 08 Aug 1917 Works Manager & Director Roma Tadros (Ercolani) 23 Feb 1919 Art Student David B Ercolani 21 Apr 1921 Apprentice Draughtsman Florence E Buth 24 Jun 1878 No Occupation Private Mary G Hockley (Smith) 02 Jul 1921 Maid
