Bradley, Thomas

Lancaster, Lancs. and London: cabinet maker and chair maker (fl.1790-1818)

Thomas Bradley was the son of Thomas Bradley. a blacksmith from Cartmel in the parish of Walton, Lancashire, apprenticed to Isaac Greenwood, cabinet maker of Lancaster, in 1790. He may be same man who became a Lancaster freeman in 1799-1800 when he was described as a cabinet maker of Lancaster. Like so many men employed by Gillows, he was apprenticed in Lancaster and probably worked in the town before working in the London shop occasionally. ‘T. Bradley' was stamped on two chairs from a set of nine mahogany dining chairs (sold Christie's, King St., London on 9 March 2000, lot 104). They were part of a large furniture commission supplied by the Oxford Street shop to Thomas John Wynn (d. 1832), 2nd Baron Newborough, of Glynillifon, Caernarvonshire, Wales, which totalled £3,434.0.9d, in 1823. The chairs, in the Grecian style after Thomas Hope, had serpentine padded backs, reeded frames with palm flowers and Egyptian reeded enrichments, heavy reeded legs and seats covered in green leather. They were part of a set of twenty-four chairs originally stuffed in purple Morocco leather which cost £5 10s each in 1823. Two chairs in the same set were stamped ‘M. B’.one 'M', and two others were inscribed in pencil ‘Lord Newborough’.

Several related sets were made in the early 19th century including a set made in 1813 by Messrs. G. & R. Gillow & Co. for William, 2nd Baron Bolton, for Hackwood, Hampshire (sold Christie's, Hackwood House sale, 20-22 April 1998, lot 158). Drawings of similar early 19th century chairs are preserved in the V. & A. Collection and at Lancaster City Museums. Related chairs with open backs were exhibited in the travelling exhibition "Gillow Chairs & Fashion’, Lancashire Museums Service, Blackburn, 1991. ‘T. Bradley' is also found on some rosewood chairs with cane seats (c. 1820) in the V&A. A curricle type chair purchased from Bonhams, possibly part of a set made for Stair Stewart, has ‘T. Bradley’ stamped on the seat.

Thomas Bradley was recorded as a Lancaster cabinetmaker in 1817-18 when his son William became a Lancaster freeman, but he, William, was a Liverpool cabinetmaker at that date.

Sources:  DEFM; Stuart, Gillows of Lancaster and London 1730-1840 (2008), II, p. 221