Sperry Tents UK | About Sperry Tents Marquee for Hire

In 1979, New England sailmaker Steve Sperry built the first-ever Sperry Tent using his fabric design skills and the materials available in his sail loft, Sperry Sails. Little did he know that this prototype would evolve into a full line of rental marquees whose look and feel would create an international revolution in event marquees.

Steve’s son, Tim, took over ownership of Sperry Tents and incorporated it separately from Sperry Sails in 1996. Today, Sperry Tents is still a family-owned enterprise, with Sperry Fabric Architecture, helmed by Steve’s other son, Matt, producing the tents and Tim overseeing the provider network both in the U.S. and abroad. And while the company has welcomed new manufacturing technologies and canopy shapes, it continually prioritizes classic, timeless fabric designs.

Sperry Tents South West was founded in 2015 by Director Tim Francis and provides Sperry Tents - a unique, one-of-a-kind sailcloth marquee for hire - as well as flooring, lighting and other outdoor event accessories throughout South West U.K., including Cornwall, Dorset, Devon, Somerset and the Isle of Wight.

Steve Sperry establishes his sail loft, Sperry Sails, on Hiller Street in Marion, MA.

The first-ever Sperry Tent, designed and built by Steve Sperry, is born.

Tim and Matt Sperry, along with three friends, fix up a hurricane-wrecked 41-ft. boat and sail it around the world.

Tim Sperry separates Sperry Tents from Sperry Sails and operates it as a rental company servicing southern New England.

Matt Sperry replaces Steve as president of Sperry Sails and launches Sperry Fabric Architecture, a new division of Sperry Sails devoted to the manufacturing of tents and custom structures.

Both Sperry Tents and Sperry Fabric Architecture move from Marconi Lane to a sustainably built post-and-beam barn in Rochester, MA.

Sperry Tents quickly outgrows the downstairs space in the barn and moves to a larger warehouse in Wareham, MA.

Sperry Fabric Architecture manufactures each and every Sperry Tent using a combination of new and time-tested techniques.

The Sperry family’s sailmaking heritage is still evident in the tent materials and designs.

Just as he did for the first Sperry Tent, founder Steve Sperry mills the support poles for Sperry Tents at his 1930s-era sawmill on his property in Rochester, MA.

Our Story