Our History

Handles Etcetera Ltd was formed in 2004 after the closure of Period Props and Lighting Ltd, whose door furniture and related items formed the bulk of the initial stock.

Period Props and Lighting was the name given to a new hire company formed when the stock of Mostly Metal and Mostly Lighting were combined in the early 1990’s. The door furniture stock was a small but increasingly vital part of Period Props and Lighting. When Simon Stacey, who had managed the company for more than ten years, was made redundant in 2004, he recognised that he was best placed to keep the stock in the industry and purchased the door furniture stock. Handles Etcetera was born!

At around the same time, Simon purchased the door furniture stock from another prop hire company, HRH, and combined the new stock into a small business unit in Feltham, Middlesex.

Since that time, Simon has constantly been increasing the stock with purchases made at salvage auctions, car boot sales and Ebay, amongst others. In fact, the stock has grown to such an extent that a new mezzanine floor was added to the warehouse in November 2015 creating the space for even more new stock. 

Simon Stacey

When he’s not admiring fine ironmongery, and fighting the urge to take out the trusty screwdriver, Simon has many interests away from Handles Etcetera.

Simon’s interest in architecture focuses mainly, although not exclusively, on the work of the great Arts & Crafts architects including Voysey, Lethaby, Prior & early Lutyens. But he also has a passion for the work and legacy of AWN Pugin including the Gothic Revival. His interests also include the Arts & Crafts designers including CR Ashbee, Ernest Gimson and of course, William Morris. Simon is a member of The William Morris Society and a Friend of Kelmscott Manor (Morris’s home beside the Thames at Kelmscott in Oxfordshire).

Simon’s passion for the Arts and Crafts includes his love of Pre-Raphealite painting, particularly the work of Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones.

Simon is a Friend of the Landmark Trust, the charity which rescues old buildings and restores them for use as holiday homes and enjoys an occasional stay in one when he can.

Perhaps surprisingly, Simon is a keen birdwatcher. He is a member of the RSPB, BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) and the Surrey Bird Club. He undertakes surveys for the BTO into the breeding birds in Surrey. He is often found at weekends with a pair of binoculars and a telescope in open places looking at birds. He doesn’t call himself a “twitcher”, preferring to see the beauty in ordinary British birds rather than travelling all over the country to see a rarity!!

Simon is a keen singer and sings tenor in two local choirs and has developed a love of choral music particularly English composers from Thomas Tallis to Edward Elgar and also enjoys listening to almost any form of music. He has a particular fondness for the music of Steve Winwood and Traffic. His eclectic taste goes as far as Flanders & Swann!

Simon is interested in most sports particularly golf, cricket and snooker. He plays golf (badly!) and snooker (not too badly!)

As if all this wasn’t enough, Simon is also a card-carrying member of CAMRA, the Campaign For Real Ale and when he isn’t doing any of the above interests, he can often be found enjoying a nice pint (or two)!!

Simon is married to the lovely Diana who, as you can imagine, competes with his other passions for some time together!! They have no children, but have two cats named after silent film stars.