Atkins, Henry (1699-1737)

Atkins, Henry

‘The Three Crowns’, St Paul's Churchyard, London; cane chair maker (fl. 1699–d.1737)

Henry was the son of a Gentleman from Holborn, apprenticed through the Joiners' Company in February 1698/9 to Thomas Poultney for seven years and later turned over to John Cort; made free in March 1706/7.

British Museum

Trade card of Henry Atkins, At the Sign of the Three Crowns in St. Paul's Church-Yard, (on the South-side of the Church) Makes and Sells all sorts of Cane Chairs, Matted Chairs, and Cover'd Chairs, at reasonable Rates, c. 1718-1738 [D,2.4027]. © The Trustees of the British Museum

In 1711 he bound his first apprentice, indicating that by this date he had established his own business. He apprenticed eleven more over the following fourteen years at a consideration ranging from £5 to £10, the average value for members of the Joiners' Company at this period [Lindey, thesis, p. 135].

He first appeared in tax records at his address in St. Paul's Churchyard in 1718 [London Land Tax Records. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives]. On 16 January 1723 he insured the goods and merchandise in his dwelling house for £500 with the Sun fire office [The London Archives (TLA), Sun MS vol. 16, ref. 30962].

In October 1724 he supplied Chicheley Hall, Buckinghamshire with twelve chairs at £2 for Sir John Chester [Buckinghamshire Record Office, D/C/2/3 (ii)].

He was buried at St. Gregory by St. Paul on 28 Dec 1737 [London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: P69/GRE/A/006/MS18934].

Sources: DEFM; Lindey, 'The London Furniture Trade, 1640-1720', unpublished PhD thesis, University of London, 2016; Ancestry

The original entry from Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, 1660-1840 can be found at British History Online.

Source

Dictionary of British and Irish Furniture Makers, 1500-1914

Occupation

Cane chair maker

Object

Chair