These pages celebrate the long and productive life of Keith Gems - entrepreneur, painter, traveller, poet and paterfamilias - on the occasion of his 80th birthday in September, 2002. (Updated Dec 2005)

Keith Keith and Pam Keith, Pam, Jonathan and Elizabeth Sara Keith and David Elizabeth Keith, Pam and puppies Keith at sea Nellie (RIP) Horned mountain totem Keith in 1933

The Factory

A History of the Factory

Julius Frederick Gems set up the business in 1885 from a basket business in Tottenham Court Road making dressmakers' workroom busts. Madame Tussaud's was almost bankrupted by family internal strife and Julius took their staff in a pioneering move to make the world's first display figures using wax, glass eyes and real inserted hair. All his endeavours were successful, and he had a large European clientele.

He ventured into property development leaving the running of the business to his two sons, Julius Albert Gems and Leopold Frederick Gems. The firm survived through diligence rather than flair, finding a market for wax figures, including Madame Tussaud's after their disastrous fire in the 1940s. There was no real designer of display figures at that time. The business was nearly over in 1954 when Leopold died.

Leopold's son, Keith Gems, diverted from an architectural career and revitalised the business. He had no talent for mannequin design so brought in Jacques Bodart who had recently designed a successful range of mannequins, The Fashion Sketch, and he concentrated on the development of a world-wide wax figure business including modelling, manufacture, costuming, franchising and setting up theatrical sets to enhance the figures (e.g. the surrender of Lee to Grant at Appomadox at the end of the American Civil War.)

Jacques Bodart's next two ranges were a failure. He then died tragically young, and Pam Gems (Keith's wife) saved the display part of the business by designing two highly successful ranges of display figures: The London Look (Mary Quant style) and Willy, a more mature choice. Pam was too busy as a mother and a playwright. (Her plays are now performed in most countries around the world). The display business died.

Keith Gems then invited the talented John Bates to revive the display business using the Wax Model success as a base, on the understanding that he might buy a controlling interest should he prove successful. He was! and he did! He also took over the wax business which he pursued with less fervour

Where was Keith Gems? Like his grandfather, going into property development!

From Gems to Gemini More history of the Gems business
Gems Studio What became of The Factory