A little bit of Chicago in Bristol (Update 2020)

 I know it’s not architectural reclamation or antiques but quite interesting never the less. I stumbled upon this great Green tiled facade in the Old Market area of Bristol a few Months ago. After driving and walking past it for many, many years it just so happened  I stopped to answer the phone and there it was. Yes I am aware that I am probably the only person in Bristol that hasn't noticed it, but there you are.

Bristol City Councils excellent resource Know Your Place dates the building  between 1900 & 1946, I'd probably narrow that down to between 1920 - 1930. The Green tiled exterior (AKA Faience) is a style used in commercial buildings such as shops, pubs from about 1900 right through to the war period. This one has a slight touch of Art Deco about it with the stepped brickwork around the logo and the tiles being rounded at the corners.

I decided to try and find out some more about 'Swift & Company Ltd' perhaps they are a local Bristol Company? After a bit of googling I came across a Brazilian company called JBS who have a meat division called Swift & Company. That particular Swift company originated in the later part of the 1800's & were based in Chicago. Eventually I came across an image of the new Swift Company operation in California (well it was new in 1920) with an identical logo as my mystery building in Old Market, Bristol.

It transpires that Swift & Company were a very innovative and forward thinking company, being based in Mid Western USA they had a great distances to transport their product to lucrative East & West USA markets as well as the potentially huge markets of Europe & South America.  The owner Gustav Swift was one of the original innovators of the refrigerated box car giving the company the ability to ship already butchered meat not only across the USA but also to international markets using similar refrigerated shipping from the British Company Weddel's.  Swift were also very early innovators of 'Assembly line' practices and 'Just In Time' inventory, pre-dating both Ford & Piggly Wiggly Stores.  By the 1920's when our little building was probably constructed & in daily use in Old Market Swift & Company was probably the largest meat packing Company in the world.

 Update,

A bit more info comes from Jo Amey (The tile lady) down in Bournemouth. The tiles for the Bristol site were most likely made by a Bournemouth Company Carter & Carter. Jo has very kindly provided a photo of another Swift & Co frontage made by Carter & Carter, as well as a tiled Pub frontage (also Poole harbour) most likely by the same Company, thanks Jo.