Robert Heritage

Robert Heritage, born on 2 November 1927

British industrial and furniture designer Robert Heritage is celebrated as the most awarded designer in the history of the British Design Council.
From Birmingham England, he studied design at the Royal College of Art in London, in his early 20's he began working as a designer for G.W. Evans the London-based furniture manufacturer (1951-53). After this short lived experience Robert and his wife Dorothy set up on their own and worked for a number of manufacturers including Race Furniture, Shannon, G.W. Evans Beaver & Tapley,, Slumberland, and Archie Shine. During this time Robert Heritage also taught at Twickenham School of Art in London (1953-55)
and in later years was professor of furniture design at the Royal College of Art (1974-85). He was made a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI) by the Royal Society of Arts in 1963 and was a Fellow of the Society of Industrial Artists and Designers (FSIAD).
In 1958 Robert Heritage won design award by COID ( Council of Industrial Design) for his Hamilton sideboard
In 1968, Heritage designed the interior of the Queen Elizabeth II ocean liner , with Ernest Race. His design for the QE2 Restaurant Chair (1968), which was made in aluminum alloy and manufactured by Race Furniture, these were originally used in the Columbia and Britannia restaurants located on the ocean liner. This design was awarded by the COID in 1969, the same year that the QE2 entered service.