Tony Peart MA. FHEA is an academic researching the history of a now largely forgotten progressive furniture company, The Betula Limited of Sharpleshall Street, London. The company was founded in late 1931 by two old Rendcombian’s: David Haes (OR 1926-29) and Francis Nevel, born Franz Kefel (OR 1925-1929).
Link to the paper by Tony Peart as follows: https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/8619/
The Decorative Arts Society Journal has published this work on The Betula Ltd. in the Journal of the Decorative Arts Society (2024 Vol.48) where its synopsys outlines the avante garde European-influenced modernist furniture of the 1930s period.
The Old Rendcombian Society Newsletter provides much valuable information regarding the company and its founders and provided enough clues to locate Francis Nevel’s son who is happily assisting Tony Peart with his research.
Unfortunately, Francis Nevel’s family have long lost contact with the Haes family. The Old Rendcombian Society Newsletter records that David died in June 2002.
URL for the Decorative Arts Society journal https://www.decorativeartssociety.org.uk/journal/
Research by Tony Peart at https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/view/creators/Peart=3ATony=3A=3A.html
