Aycliffe (or Ayliffe), Thomas jnr

London; turner and chair maker (fl.1760–d. 1805)

‘Turner in Ordinary to his MAJESTY’. 

Thomas Ayclffe was originally at the corner of Great Newport Street. By 1762 he had moved to 49 Wardour Street, which he used as ware rooms. He also occupied ‘The King's Arms’, Gerrard Street, near Newport Market from this date. 

From 1767 the business was called Aycliffe & Webb and from 1783 Aycliffe & Gee. The term Aycliffe & Co. is used as an alternative name for both of these partnerships. ‘Webb’ was perhaps Henry Webb of Hammersmith, who supplied ‘forest stools’ to Sir John Griffin in 1767 as did Aycliffe in 1775 (see below). 

Image

Copyright (Attribution/Credit)

© The Trustees of the British Museum

His commissions included: 

• On 8 May 1762 he submitted a bill to David Garrick for ‘a Bed Waggon’ costing 16s. 
• He supplied for Audley End, Essex, to the order of Sir John Griffin in November 1766 twelve small plain chairs, twelve garrett chairs, mats, etc. In 1775 ‘six forest stools’ were supplied at £1 4s, and 2 clamp tables at 13s 6d. Two years later 12 ‘red moulded open back matted chairs’ were supplied at 7s 6d each, six similar stools at 6s 6d each and two ‘high Joint stools’ at 6s. In 1783 a quantity of garden chairs and ‘forest stools’ were supplied totalling £10 9s. As Lord Howard de Walden, Sir John continued to patronise the firm, From 1784 this included twelve further ‘Red open back matted chairs’. An order for ‘12 japanned beach chairs with cane seats’ was received in 1791. Sir John also ordered ‘4 Beech matted chairs’ for his London house in New Burlington Street. 
• Supplied to Heaton Hall, Manchester, chairs costing £49 8s for Baron Grey de Wilton (later 1st Earl of Wilton). The is believed to have been for the Music Room. 
• Small payments made, 1801–06, for work done at Madingley Hall.

In 1792 he purchased insurance cover of £500 ‘on their utensils stock & goods in trust in their dwelling house and warehouse’. He married in October 1795.

Thomas Aycliffe died in April 1805 at Surbiton, Surrey.

Source: DEFM; Parrott, ‘Windsor Chair Making on the Outskirts of Eighteenth-Century London; William Webb of Newington and Henry Webb of Hammersmith’, Regional Furniture (2008).