George Wickes (c. 1685 – 5 December 1743) was an English goldsmith and silversmith who operated a prominent workshop in London during the early 18th century. He is best known for his high‑quality silverware and jewelry, much of which was produced for members of the British royal family and aristocracy, and for establishing a business that later evolved into the renowned jewellery house Garrard & Co.
Early life and training
The exact details of Wick Wick’s birth are uncertain; contemporary records indicate he was likely born in London around 1685. He was apprenticed to the goldsmith Edward Cooper in 1702 and completed his apprenticeship in 1705. In 1706 he was admitted as a Freeman of the Goldsmiths’ Company, the trade guild that regulated goldsmithing and silversmithing in London.
Establishment of workshop
In 1721 Wickes opened his own workshop at 15–16 Hanover Street, near St James’s, London. The premises later moved to Charing Cross. His workshop employed several apprentices and journeymen, and produced a range of luxury items including gold and silver plate, tableware, and jewel‑encrusted ornaments.
Royal patronage
Wickes secured important royal commissions, beginning with an appointment as goldsmith to the Prince of Wales (later King George II) in 1713. Following the accession of George II in 1727, Wickes continued as a royal goldsmith, supplying silverware for court functions and creating pieces for the coronation ceremonies. His work is noted for its restrained Baroque style, fine hand‑chasing, and the use of hallmarks that identify his workshop.
Later career and legacy
After his death on 5 December 1743, Wickes’s business was continued by his apprentices, notably Thomas Mappin and later by John Avery. The firm eventually merged with that of John and William Garrard, and through a series of acquisitions and name changes the enterprise became Garrard & Co., which remains one of the world’s oldest operating jewellery houses.
Significance
George Wickes is regarded as a key figure in the development of English silver‑plate in the early Georgian period. Surviving pieces attributed to his workshop are held in major museum collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the Royal Collection. His hallmark, consisting of a cross and the letters “GW”, remains an important identifier for collectors and scholars studying 18th‑century English silver.
References
- Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, entry “Wickes, George (c.1685–1743)”.
- “English Silver, 1525‑1840”, Victoria and Albert Museum, catalogue.
- “The Goldsmiths’ Company: A History of Craft and Trade”, Goldsmiths’ Company Archives.