Crompton, Samuel

London; upholder (fl.1753–93)

First associated with a partnership named Crompton & Spinnage trading from Charles St, St James's Sq., in 1753. This business described itself as upholders and paper hangings manufacturers. About 1753 the partners moved to Cockspur St, Charing Cross, an address which was to be used until the termination of the business in the 1790s. In the late 1760s the original partnership appears to have broken up. The business continued at the Cockspur St address as Benjamin Crompton & Son. Benjamin Crompton had two sons, John and James, both u. The matter is, however, complicated by the appearance at about the same time of a partnership calling itself Crompton & Hodgson, and trading from Castle St, corner of Bear St, Leicester Sq., as paper stainers. Its life appears to have been brief. Crompton & Son, however, appear to have flourished, trading as upholders, paper hangings manufacturers and carpet dealers. In 1782 they took out insurance cover on their utensils, stock and warehouses of £6,000, and although this dropped to £3,800 in 1784 the sum is still substantial. The firm comes to notice supplying the household of the 6th Earl of Coventry at Croome Court, Worcs., in 1761 and again in July 1764 when they submitted a bill for paper hanging. They were paid £60 14s 3½d for items supplied to the Earl of Egremont at Petworth, Sussex, in 1774–75. Also, in 1775 they received payments in connection with Chevening, Kent, which included work on a green and white bed for the house. They also appear to have taken commissions in connection with the Stanhope's town house. Total payments were £148 17s 4½d. The firm also supplied to the Royal Household of George IV. An interesting side-line appears to have been the supplying of chamber horses and stands. As many as three of these appear to have been supplied to Charles Long of Saxmundham, Suffolk, 1768–69, and another to William Constable at Burton Constable, Yorks., in 1772. [D; Heal; GL, Sun MS vol. 298, p. 363; vol. 324, p. 281; V & A archives; Kent RO, U590 A 61/7; Suffolk RO, HA18/EC4–5; Nat. Lib. of Wales, Wynnstay MS, 115/7 (wallpaper only); H. Clifford Smith, Buckingham Palace, p. 277; C. Life, 6 May 1982]

Source: DEFM; Beard, ‘Decorators and Furniture Makers at Croome Court’, Furniture History (1993).