Celebrating International Women's Day

It’s a little known fact (but something we’re very proud of) that back in the 1930s, Marlborough Tiles was founded by Sylvia Packard and Rosalind Ord – two enterprising female artists, both trained at the Slade School of Fine Art and both with a mutual love of hand painting ceramic tiles, who realised that they could make a living doing what they loved, and built a business. The following picture is one of the team from the early days. (Unfortunately we don't know who is who! Maybe one of our readers will recognise a face and let us know.)

Fast forward to today, and we have an abundance of talented, creative women working across the company. In fact, eight of our current fourteen team members are women, and each one plays an important part in making this company what it has become. In celebration of International Women's Day and Mothers' Day this weekend, we wanted to take the opportunity to introduce you to a few of them ...

ANITA, NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

What is your job title and how long have you worked here?
This is my thirty-first year at Marlborough Tiles. My job title is New Product Development Manager and I work to develop new products for manufacture, resolving any problems which may arise in production.

What do you find empowering about your role?
I find it empowering being a female in a very male dominated industry like manufacturing. It’s amusing to get strange looks when I rock up in a pair of blue overalls, ready to get my hands dirty.

What do you like best about working at Marlborough Tiles?
I love good design and creating things. It’s very rewarding when someone purchases something for their home that you have created.

If you could swap roles with someone in the business for the day who would it be and why?
Honestly, no one! Although to be able to paint for a day would be nice. Talking to customers about their home projects is also a rewarding job.

Lastly, which is your favourite tile and why?
I love a mixture of Victorian Green and Juniper tiles from our Kensington collection. I love the rich moody depth of colour which can give the right bathroom a bit of luxurious drama. All the tiles we make are my little babies, so they are all special to me in their own way.

CASSIE, ECOMMERCE MANAGER

What is your role at Marlborough Tiles?
I am the eCommerce Manager and I have worked here for almost a year and a half.

What do you find empowering about your role?
I love working with my colleagues to bring new product launches to the website, promoting them online and reporting back on how they are being received by our customers. It’s a really collaborative environment here and we are all empowered to bring new ideas to the table, which often leads to exciting projects and new products too – so watch this space!

What do you like most about working at Marlborough Tiles?
My colleagues, female and male, are all wonderful people who sincerely care about our products and customers – it really is a little family. We all get on wonderfully and work hard to continue to grow the business for the 21st century whilst retaining Marlborough’s enduring legacy of quality and beauty.

If you could swap roles with someone in the business for the day who would it be and why?
I would love to switch places with Anita – her role is fascinating, and she is always developing something new, beautiful and interesting in the lab. I am in awe of her ability to foresee trends and influences which can shape the interiors space, and integrate that into product development in a way which does not compromise on quality and timelessness.

And finally, which is your favourite tile?
I live deep in the Wiltshire countryside, every day spotting wildlife in the field behind my garden including foxes, red kites, rabbits, deer and a beautiful barn owl – so for me it has to be the Wilding collection. I love the simple yet elegant characters, the feeling of movement in each one, and the rustic biscuit on which they sit. But mostly, I love them because they remind me of home.

ISOBEL, BRAND & CONTENT MANAGER

What is your role and how long have you worked at MT?
I am the Brand & Content Manager here at Marlborough Tiles and I’ve been working here for four months.

What do you find empowering about your role?
I find it very empowering to be surrounded by such a talented team who have worked in the industry their whole career. I love to draw inspiration from their dedication and creativity in the content I create.

Why do you enjoy working for MT?
There’s such a wonderful team here and everyone is so talented at their jobs that it is a genuine joy to come to work. Also, very cliche, but I adore the tiles. They are so beautiful and one of a kind. Walking into the showroom feels like being a kid in a candy store!

If you could swap roles with someone in the business for the day who would it be and why?
I would love to swap roles with one of the hand painters for a day. Watching them hand paint the tiles seems very peaceful and creative and something you could never tire of.

What is your favourite tile that we make and why?
I love Raasay skinny metro tiles from our Isles collection. The deep, rich variation of colours is beautiful and I can’t wait to one day use it in my home!