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Our History
Founded in 1840
William Gardiner founded his practice in 1840, using the two rooms on the ground floor of his house in Montague Street, Bloomsbury, London. In 1848 he set up office in 110 Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury and took George Bell into partnership.
Development of the Practice
At that time, the firm practised as architects and surveyors. By 1873 Gardiner had been joined by his son Edward, and took Henry Theobald into partnership, and the two names which now form that of the firm were linked. The practice developed into one of quantity surveying and acted on some of the present landmarks of the London scene, such as the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
John Theobald's Leadership
John Theobald joined his father in the practice in 1896. His was a most distinguished surveying career culminating in being elected President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 1936 and, under him, the firm prospered.
Strategic War & Post-War Engineering & Building Commissions
During the second World War, the firm acted on many vital, strategic military installations for all three services. Expansion followed in the post-war years principally due to the receipt of several major commissions, such as the Isle of Grain Oil Refinery, new steel works for the Steel Company of Wales (now part of the Corus Corporation) and the new Shell Centre on the South Bank in London. These represented some of the largest civil engineering and building contracts ever placed in the United Kingdom.
New Offices Established
Due to its growth since the Second World War, the firm changed - in size, if not in character - and national expansion made it necessary to branch out from the long-standing base on the Bedford Estate in London. Offices were opened in Crawley and Stevenage to serve the first generation of new towns introduced by the Government after the 1939/45 War and in Exeter to serve the new University of the South West. An additional office was opened in Newcastle in 1965, followed by Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Horsham and Scunthorpe. In recent years the firm has expanded rapidly and offices have been opened in Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, Plymouth and Reading.
Key Project Commissions
During these years, the practice continued to receive commissions for some of the largest and best known construction projects in the United Kingdom, so acquiring very great specialist skills. These commissions included nine nuclear, coal or oil-fired power stations, seven new steelworks, together with a considerable number of major improvement schemes to existing steelworks and some of the best known civil and commercial buildings in London including the New Stock Exchange, New Covent Garden Market, and New Scotland Yard.
In more recent years the firm has been appointed on a variety of high profile projects across all sectors of the construction industry. These include Windsor Castle, the Royal Opera House, Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre, Merrill Lynch Financial Headquarters, GSK House, Swiss Re Building, the Bullring, Mandarin Oriental, HM Treasury, ExCel International Exhibition Centre, Stonehenge, Cabinet Office, The National Gallery, Ascot Racecourse, Spinningfields and Ebbsfleet, Kent.
International Growth Era
Later years have seen the growth of the practice abroad, firstly in Central and Eastern Europe, and then in the Middle East, USA, Far East and around the world. The firm has established itself as a global consultancy operating worldwide through a network of 100+ offices in over 50 countries.
Limited Liability Partnership
Gardiner & Theobald became a limited liability partnership on May 1st 2004. In addition to the obvious benefit of limiting liability the move enabled the firm to widen ownership bringing in 63 new equity partners. This provided a further stimulus to the business.
William Gardiner founded his practice in 1840, using the two rooms on the ground floor of his house in Montague Street, Bloomsbury, London. In 1848 he set up office in 110 Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury and took George Bell into partnership.
Development of the Practice
At that time, the firm practised as architects and surveyors. By 1873 Gardiner had been joined by his son Edward, and took Henry Theobald into partnership, and the two names which now form that of the firm were linked. The practice developed into one of quantity surveying and acted on some of the present landmarks of the London scene, such as the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
John Theobald's Leadership
John Theobald joined his father in the practice in 1896. His was a most distinguished surveying career culminating in being elected President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 1936 and, under him, the firm prospered.
Strategic War & Post-War Engineering & Building Commissions
During the second World War, the firm acted on many vital, strategic military installations for all three services. Expansion followed in the post-war years principally due to the receipt of several major commissions, such as the Isle of Grain Oil Refinery, new steel works for the Steel Company of Wales (now part of the Corus Corporation) and the new Shell Centre on the South Bank in London. These represented some of the largest civil engineering and building contracts ever placed in the United Kingdom.
New Offices Established
Due to its growth since the Second World War, the firm changed - in size, if not in character - and national expansion made it necessary to branch out from the long-standing base on the Bedford Estate in London. Offices were opened in Crawley and Stevenage to serve the first generation of new towns introduced by the Government after the 1939/45 War and in Exeter to serve the new University of the South West. An additional office was opened in Newcastle in 1965, followed by Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Horsham and Scunthorpe. In recent years the firm has expanded rapidly and offices have been opened in Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, Plymouth and Reading.
Key Project Commissions
During these years, the practice continued to receive commissions for some of the largest and best known construction projects in the United Kingdom, so acquiring very great specialist skills. These commissions included nine nuclear, coal or oil-fired power stations, seven new steelworks, together with a considerable number of major improvement schemes to existing steelworks and some of the best known civil and commercial buildings in London including the New Stock Exchange, New Covent Garden Market, and New Scotland Yard.
In more recent years the firm has been appointed on a variety of high profile projects across all sectors of the construction industry. These include Windsor Castle, the Royal Opera House, Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre, Merrill Lynch Financial Headquarters, GSK House, Swiss Re Building, the Bullring, Mandarin Oriental, HM Treasury, ExCel International Exhibition Centre, Stonehenge, Cabinet Office, The National Gallery, Ascot Racecourse, Spinningfields and Ebbsfleet, Kent.
International Growth Era
Later years have seen the growth of the practice abroad, firstly in Central and Eastern Europe, and then in the Middle East, USA, Far East and around the world. The firm has established itself as a global consultancy operating worldwide through a network of 100+ offices in over 50 countries.
Limited Liability Partnership
Gardiner & Theobald became a limited liability partnership on May 1st 2004. In addition to the obvious benefit of limiting liability the move enabled the firm to widen ownership bringing in 63 new equity partners. This provided a further stimulus to the business.