Barron, James

Oxford Street, London and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham; cabinet maker and upholder (fl.1805-1839)

James Barron appears in Holden’s Triennial Directory (1805-1807) as a Venetian blind maker in Edgbaston Street, Birmingham, and by 1811 was also established as a brass founder at 73 Wells Street, London.

In 1814 he issued a seven-page catalogue with 68 plates, 65 in colour, entitled ‘Modern & Elegant Designs of Cabinet & Upholstery Furniture’, including drapery, furniture, roller and Venetian blinds, to be continued annually. In 1816 Barron was the publisher of Interior Decorations, a book of designs by John Stafford, an upholsterer, appraiser and auctioneer, of Bath. At this time Barron traded briefly as Barron & Co, ‘merchants and factors’ as well as ‘cabinet founders’ and from about 1817 the London branch traded as Barron & Mills.

In 1823 a patent (no. 4828) in the category of ‘Making Window Curtains and Blinds’ was registered under the name of Barron & Wilson of Wells Street and Welbeck Street, London. By 1835 the name had reverted to James Barron. Also, by 1835, there was a branch established at 109 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin. A trade card used from c. 1815 to c. 1830 gives addresses as 73 Well St, Oxford Street, London and 25 Lower Temple St, Birmingham. The firm sold ‘Venetian, Shade & Parlour’ blinds and advertised ‘Portable Buildings made in the most Fashionable manner’. By 1839 James Barron had either died or retired and the firm became ‘W. Hopkins & Son (late James Barron)’.

Source: DEFM; Kirkham, ‘The London Furniture Trade 1700-1870’, Furniture History (1988), p.183; Jervis, ‘John Stafford of Bath and his Interior Decorations’, Furniture History (2009).